WINDHOEK – First Lady Madam Penehupifo Pohamba and other African first ladies raised over eight million Namibian dollars during her tenure as the President of African First Ladies Against HIV and AIDS (OAFLA) from July 2011 to July 2013 to be used in the fight against the disease.
She said the total amount of funds mobilized was N$8,7 million, raised for OAFLA and the OAFLA local chapter and many other projects and campaigns, which include construction of maternal shelters.
The First Lady made this announcement yesterday at State House, where she said that during her leadership, they focused mainly on the elimination of new HIV infection and reduction of maternal and child mortality,
promotion of effective communication, advocacy, resource mobilization, partnerships and revitalization of OAFLA membership.
Pohamba said that her achievements were also intertwined with local programmes, such as the Maternal and Child Health National Agenda as well as the Organization for the Empowerment of Widows/Widowers and Orphans of HIV/AIDS (OEWONA).
“I would like to, first and foremost, express my sincere gratitude to His Excellency, Comrade Hifikepunye Pohamba, the President of the Republic of Namibia, the Cabinet and the entire government for your support towards my work. I specifically thank you for allocating a budget for my work,” she said, adding that it has enabled her to have a functional office.
Pohamba handed over the OAFLA office in October this year to her successor, Derby Itno, the First Lady of Chad, with significant achievements.
She said that when she assumed office she found the OAFLA head office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia run on a part-time basis and she immediately staffed it with a permanent secretariat staff by appointing an executive secretary, communication officer, programme officer, financial and administration officer and a cleaner.
She said the new appointments improved the performance of OAFLA significantly.
She said that she found US$200 000 donated to OAFLA by UNAIDS for PMTCT not utilized and immediately disbursed those funds to OAFLA regional chapters and also organized fundraising events that contributed to the purchase of a vehicle for OAFLA.
“That vehicle has arrived in Addis Ababa and is now being cleared by the authority. I thank fellow first ladies for the effort during the fundraising events,” she said.
Pohamba said that she further mobilized U$D400, 000 from UNAIDS, which was disbursed to the member states.
“I am also pleased to inform that my team and I have mobilized new partners such as All China Women Federation, Trachurus Fishing Company, the World Bank, International Planned Parenthood Federation, World Health Organization, UNICEF, Rand Corporation, UNAIDS High Level Task Force, United Nations Women, World Food Programme, African Medical and Research Foundation, European Union and many more,” she said.
She also signed agreements with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and the UNAIDS Independent High Level Task Force, while OAFLA is also in the process of formalizing its relationship with the African Union.
“These partnerships have improved the performance and visibility of the organization,” she added.
The First Lady said there was a language barrier in OAFLA but that was improved by the permanent secretariat, which has translated documents into French and English.
“Communication has also been improved through the development of the OAFLA Directory and an active and updated website. There is regular communication between the member states and the secretariat office,” she said.
She said that there has been a dramatic increase in membership as well as improvement in attendance and participation of first ladies and their technical advisers in OAFLA meetings.
“Improvement of the visibility of OAFLA has been high on my agenda. Therefore, during my tenure as OAFLA President, I have had the honor to represent OAFLA at many international platforms. These platforms offered me opportunities to increase the visibility and awareness of the organization at local and international arenas,” added Pohamba.
“It is my distinct honor to share that I have been offered a number of awards. Among them is the Ambassador for Peace presented to me by the Universal Peace Federation in July 2012, in Washington DC. The other important and unique award is the Global Inspirational Leadership Award 2013, for women leaders of Africa-Middle East-Asia. I sincerely thank those who see me deserve such honour,” she said with pride.
The OAFLA five-year Strategic Plan, 2014- 2018 has been compiled and the final draft is ready for approval by the General Assembly in January 2014, which has been broadened in scope to accommodate other priorities of first ladies other than HIV and AIDS.
The First Lady availed her future plans, saying they would continue to be a committed member of OAFLA, implement its agenda and attend meetings until 2015.
“I will ensure that I leave a functional OAFLA local chapter behind in Namibia. Currently, my office is engaged in the process of registering the chapter as a welfare organization with the relevant institution,” she added, saying that she plans to officially open the chapter early next year and coach and orientate her successor.
She will serve as patron of the Maternal and Child Health National Agenda and as patron to the eighth ‘Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa Conference’ to be held in Namibia in July 2014.
By Magreth Nunuhe