SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHILDREN OF AFRICA FOUNDATION DURING THE LAUNCH EVENT OF THE 2ND PHASE OF THE ‘UNITED WE CAN HEAR EACH OTHER BETTER’ PROGRAM IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE WITH THE LALLA ASMAA FOUNDATION

Your Royal Highness,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the Kingdom of Morocco, following the earthquake that recently struck the country. I would ask you to observe a minute’s silence in memory of all the victims. Thank you, Your Royal Highness!

Your Royal Highness,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you today to the Children’s Hospital of Bingerville to launch the second phase of the “United we can hear each other better ” program for deaf children in Africa, initiated by the Lalla Asmaa Foundation.

First of all, I would like to extend my warmest greetings to Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa, who came personally to launch this campaign.

Your Royal Highness, I welcome you in Côte d’Ivoire and at the Children’s Hospital of Bingerville. We are happy to see you and your important delegation to Côte d’Ivoire.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Last year at this time, the Lalla Asmaa Foundation and its partners launched the first phase of the “United, we can hear each other better” campaign.

Thirty deaf children from several African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, were sent to Morocco to undergo cochlear implant surgery and regain their hearing.

Today, we meet at the Children’s Hospital of Bingerville in Côte d’Ivoire, to launch the second phase of this hearing care program for our children.

More than twenty cochlear implants will be donated by the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, to help children from Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Togo. This new collaboration between our two foundations bears witness to our shared commitment to improving the health of our children.

In addition to these implants, the Lalla Asmaa Foundation donated an ENT surgical microscope and a micromotor to the Children’s Hospital of Bingerville. This cutting-edge equipment has enabled both Moroccan and Ivorian doctors to carry out the meticulous surgical procedures they began on October 2.

The young patients operated on are cared for free of charge by the Children Of Africa Foundation during their hospital stay.

The Lalla Asmaa Foundation is also committed to sharing knowledge and expertise, by transferring innovative surgical techniques between Moroccan and Ivorian health professionals. This will strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our two countries.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At this point, I would like to reiterate my sincere thanks and gratitude to Her Royal Highness for implementing this program.

I would also ask you to convey our fondest memories and sincere gratitude to His Majesty, King Mohammed VI, for his humanistic vision and the solidarity he shows towards the children of Africa.

I would also like to express my gratitude to His Majesty for his important contribution to the construction of this hospital, which is of enormous benefit to our people.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It’s already been five years since we opened the doors of the Children’s Hospital of Bingerville, with the ambitious goal of providing quality care for mothers and children.

Today, thanks to the determination and dedication of our teams, the MCH has become an international reference in maternal and child health. And I am proud that our hospital is able to offer free quality care to 25% of its patients.

 

 

Your Royal Highness,

Our two foundations share the same values and the same ideology which is to help those in greatest need.

The agreement signed today, which will enable the MCH to eventually receive one hundred cochlear implants, is a concrete demonstration of this.

And I’m pleased that together we’re winning the battle against deafness among underprivileged children, a physical deficiency that can have serious consequences on the psycho-social, emotional and intellectual development of our children.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to express my affection for the families and children we’ve looked after as part of the ” United, we can hear each other better ” program. I wish our children a speedy recovery, so that they can return to playing and discovering the world around them with enthusiasm.

Thank you once again to the Lalla Asmaa Foundation for its vision and humanitarian action on the continent.

Before I conclude I wish to express my thanks to the Moroccan International Cooperation Agency and the Lions Club International, who have contributed to the implementation of this campaign.

I would also like to thank the professors, doctors and all the Moroccan medical and technical team that are helping to bring joy and happiness back to our children and their families through their expertise thanks to their expertise.

Thank you all for your commitment, your determination and your faith in the future. Together we can give Africa’s children a better chance of success.

Thank you all very much.