According to media sources, fifteen African first ladies met in Los Angeles, CA to discuss ways of helping their nations in health and education. They have listed objectives and outlined approaches to achieving goals. The website http://allafrica.com/health/ has a detailed account and I would encourage you to visit.
Do you think this is a positive direction in the roles of first ladies in Africa? Do you think they should infact be at the fore front of development projects like these? Are you confident of possitive outcomes or this is just for publicity? What suggestions would you have for them? Do you have any comments related to this that we should discuss? Let us hear from you. Thanks, Innocent
Since they are in positions of influence, the expectation is that they will get attention from donor countries and also boost grassroots development in their respective countries.
ReplyDeleteHeard the interview on NPR radio...hopefully she will influence policy to finally affect our appaliing stats on both maternal and infant mortality.we rank no1 in infant mortality 269/100000.1/9 women that enters delivery room never comes out alive.Its just shameful..these numbers have not changedfor d better, infact they have worsen...this is a disgrace..these numbers are a reflection our health crisis. I hope thre first lady will drive agenda...being a nurse should be encouraging and i must give her the credit that she is the first active or socially driven first lady
ReplyDeleteWe should hope but as we always say, wait and see is not being proactive. It is everybody's business to put heads together and work towards the common goal. Influencing the Policies is just a fraction of the solution. In order for Africa to minimize the infant mortality rate, there should be available prenatal clinics in the villages and towns not to mention affordable costs. We should implore all African professionals to put country first as Americans and other countries do
ReplyDeleteThis is a priceless place to exchange thoughts for the betterment of every locality in our motherland.Solutions coming from us all will be incomparable to those by partners in the development sector that are not quite au fait with realities that lie beyond the reach of bureaucracy.Backed by proactive force, our beloved country will be dragged of its misery sooner than we could expect it to happen.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are right. I have been struggling over the years to figure out how I (and we) can actually make a difference in our poeple's lives in Africa, without relying on the political establishment and the "experts" dotting in air-conditioned offices across Africa. Health care is not only a job/career path for me, but it is actually a passion; and I believe I can only have meaning in what I do if I help our people back home. I started this forum to come up with a solution (out of all the frustrations I have had by trying to go back home) by actually drawing from the wealth of ideas those in the diaspora and on the continent can contribute. Let us don't forget that money is a big factor limiting even the most sincere and genuine people.
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