Helen Keller International Hosts
Visit from First Lady of Mali
New York, March 3, 2005 – Helen
Keller International (HKI) welcomed
First Lady of Mali Madame Touré Lobbo
Traoré to its headquarters
this afternoon and recognized her
commitment to improving health
and nutrition in her country. Her
Excellency Madame Touré Lobbo
Traoré was joined by Mr.
Ambassador Abdoulaye Diop, Ambassador
of Mali to the United States, Mr.
Ambassador Cheick Sidi Diarra,
Ambassador of Mali to the United
Nations, and Mrs. Minister Berthé Aissata
Bangaly, Minister of Advancement
of Women, Children and Family of
the Republic of Mali. Ms.
Pamela White of the United States
Agency for International Development
(USAID) also attended.
Helen Keller International is
a leading nonprofit organization
that combats the causes and consequences
of blindness and malnutrition through
programs in twenty-four countries,
including Mali. HKI’s
mission is to save the sight and
lives of the most vulnerable and
disadvantaged by establishing sustainable
programs based on evidence and
research in vision, health, and
nutrition. Since 1998, HKI
has collaborated with the government
of Mali and USAID in order to build
local capacity and provide technical
and scientific assistance to the
country, which received a ranking
of 174 out of 177 countries by
the United Nations Development
Programme Human Development Index. Today,
HKI’s programs in Mali address
nutrition, child survival, saving
newborn lives, preventing onchocerciasis
and trachoma, and promoting health
education through a radio initiative.
First Lady Madame Touré Lobbo
Traoré was welcomed by HKI
Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees,
Ms. Nancy Smith Lione, Senior Vice
President of International Programs,
Mr. Jeff Waller, and staff. Ms.
Lione applauded Madame Touré Lobbo
Traoré’s long-standing
commitment to health, with her
particular emphasis on the plight
of children, her contributions
to food fortification activities,
and her leadership of the nonprofit
organization Foundation for Childhood. According
to Ms. Lione, “Without Her
Excellency’s support and
Ms. White’s advocacy. . .
in Mali, we would be unable to
continue our much-needed interventions. We
at Helen Keller International look
forward to continued cooperation
and partnership with the Malian
government and USAID.” During
a presentation to the First Lady,
Mr. Cheick Sidibé of HKI-Mali
also stressed the importance of
such partnerships to ensuring the
success of HKI’s programs.
First Lady of Mali Madame Touré Lobbo Traoré arrives
at HKI headquarters.
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