The Regional Director Hans Ridemark has now left his post at Save the Children Sweden in Nairobi. He is satisfied with Save the Children Sweden’s development towards a more focused organization, and he will miss his colleagues, his work as well as the warmth of Kenya.
Hans Ridemark was headhunted for the job in 2003, when Save the Children Sweden called him to ask if he was interested in a vacancy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He didn’t hesitate.
- I said yes almost immediately. I thought it was time to go abroad again, he says.
Hans moved with his family from Stockholm to Ethiopia. There was no discussion in his family about moving to Africa. His wife Karin, their daughter and son followed him to Addis Ababa. They were supposed to stay for two years.
- But I got along well with SCS and they got along well with me, so the contract was prolonged to six years, says Hans.
A more focused organization
During this period, Hans Ridemark has contributed to two major changes within the organization; In 2006, the Save the Children Sweden regional office for Eastern and Central Africa moved from Addis Ababa to Nairobi.
- The other important change is that we are getting more focused and concentrated in Child Protection, Education and Child Right and Civil Society. The work towards Unified Presence is also a way to be more efficient and clear, he says.
The most important thing he learnt in his work within Save the Children is that developing processes take time, which can sometimes create stress and frustration if you don’t immediately see the results.
- But if you’re working towards a change of law that prohibits corporal punishment of the child, it’s nothing you do overnight, he says.
His hope for SCS in the future is that the values that the organisation bases its work on can last, that SCS will continue to work with the civil society and the Convention on the Rights of the Child as a base.
When Hans now leaves his post he thinks it’s important that Save the Children keep its profile in the countries that are now going to be united.
- We could be better at measuring and defining our results, but to succeed we need to start with that already in the planning process. We also need to be better in our work for Child Participation, we’re not really there yet, he says.
Exchanged plans
Hans Ridemark expresses dual sentiments about leaving his work:
- It’s sad to leave a region that I know so well now and a process where all work is done from a common new strategy which you know the organization is going to implement.
He thinks it’s going to be a challenge to return to Sweden and reestablish himself in the Swedish society.
From September Hans Ridemark will start his new work as International Director at Plan Sweden, a job he had before he started at Save the Children Sweden.
He will then exchange posts with the former International Director at Plan, Lennart Reinius, who will start as the new Regional Director in Nairobi at Save the Children Sweden on the 20th of July.
Hans is looking forward to returning to Sweden when it shows its best side in the summer.
- I’m going to miss my colleagues, the warmth, the nature, the wild animal life and the fruits, he says. The traffic is the only thing I won’t miss in Kenya, he says.
(Text: Ebba Blume)