HCL Consultants Limited employed Mr. Aart Van der Heide from October 2011 to February 2012 as Team Leader for a mid-term evaluation of a regional initiative supporting vulnerable pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the Horn of Africa. The contract was carried out to the satisfaction of HCL Consultants, the consortium leader, and the European Commission delegation in Kenya. Mr. Van der Heide's professional relationship with the junior expert and key actors was highly successful, and his prior experience in Africa helped with logistics and organization. All reports were submitted on time and were of high quality.