Professor Rodreck Mupedziswa's memory of Arega Yimam
The email communication below is published with permission. Professor Mupedziswa's biography is in the Biography of Social Development in Africa.
"Arega Yiman was Secretary General of ASWEA - I think that was the position. He was a wonderful person, and I owe much to him. In 1986 (I think it was), I flew to Nairobi, from Harare and then on to Mombasa for a 6 week training programme arranged by ASWEA, and paid for by Planned Parenthood (if I recall). The training had to do with Family Welfare. We were staying at Mombasa Beach Hotel, overlooking the Indian Ocean.
One lazy Sunday morning, I decided to go swimming in the hotel swimming pool. Apparently the life saver had sneaked out of the hotel. I swam for some time. I am not a great swimmer. As I was swimming, I did not realise I had strayed to the deep end. I began to feel tired and yet I was in the deep end. I was drowning. The next thing I felt was a strong hand pulling me away, towards the shallow end. It was Arega Yimam. He saved my life. He later explained to me that he had been very busy in his hotel room working on a paper. Then some little voice said to him, 'hey you have been sitting for too long. Go get a bit of fresh air, and then continue with your work'. His room was overlooking the hotel swimming pool. As soon as he got to the door, looking out, he realised someone was drowning. That was me. Luckily he was wearing a short and a T shirt. Hence, being the good swimmer he was, he managed to jump into the pool, pull me out of the water, and in the process save my life. Forever grateful."
   
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