Humanitarian aid: First Lady Dominique Ouattara presents her efforts to American athletes

The meeting witnessed the presence of two eminent personalities of American basketball, Ms Lisa Leslie and Chiney Ogwumike, accompanied by members of their delegation.

H.E. Mrs. Jessica Davis Ba, Ambassador of the United States of America, explained the purpose of the visit. “The First Lady was really kind to agree to receive these two American icons, Lisa Leslie and Chiney Ogwumike. They are truly role model of American excellence who have won gold medals. They are champions in basketball. They are also champions in life. They’ve come to show us models of excellence. We talked with the First Lady about how we can do more together with her through her Foundation to raise the profile of Côte d’Ivoire in the sporting arena and in other areas of activity. They can also use their platforms and networks to help young Ivorians, especially young women, to open doors and opportunities”, explained Mrs Jessica Davis Ba, Ambassador of the United States of America to Côte d’Ivoire.

During the audience, discussions focused on Mrs Dominique Ouattara’s humanitarian actions, highlighting her dedication to causes such as women’s empowerment, the fight against child labor, education and health. Indeed, the First Lady successively presented her efforts as head of the National Oversight Committee of Actions to Fight Child Trafficking, Exploitation and Child Labour (CNS), her fight for women’s empowerment through the Support Fund for Women and her fight for the well-being of children and women through the Children Of Africa Foundation.

The American athletes expressed an interest in contributing positively to these efforts and using their influence to support humanitarian projects in Côte d’Ivoire. They were happy to see all the work accomplished by the First Lady.

Leslie Lisa is an American basketball player who plays pivot. Ms. Leslie Lisa has a brilliant track record. She is the first female basketball player to win four consecutive Olympic titles. She is also a three-time world champion.  Two-time Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) champion with the Los Angeles Sparks. She holds the most MVP (Most Valuable Player) titles in the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association). A two-time Finals MVP, she has won three WNBA All-Star Game MVP titles. In 2015, she was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2022, she will be inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Ms. Chiney Ogwumike is also a basketball player. In 2014, she was selected first in the 2014 WNBA draft. She was named All-American by the WBCA and McDonald’s. She took part in the 2010 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored 24 points and won the title of White Team MVP. Since 2022, she has played with the Los Angeles Sparks.