Luanda – The Angolan First Lady, Ana Dias Lourenço, on Tuesday pointed out that the education of girls has to be a priority intervention area as it is more critical and impactful in the process of empowering women.
Ana Dias Lourenço defends the importance of investing in the education of girls for, in this way, countries and the entire world will be transformed.
The First Lady spoke online as guest of Honour in the 9th edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary and the celebration of the 5th anniversary of Merck Foundation which had over 2,000 participants, in person, held in Dubai and transmitted online worldwide.
Ana Dias Lourenço recalled that in February this year, she made a formal presentation of her organization, the Ngana Zenza Foundation for Community Development (FDC).
According to Ana Dias Lourenço, the foundation aims to work in Angola as a driving and mobilising vehicle in development of projects that create a strong purpose which can be continued, preserved and replicated for the future of Angola and Angolans.
She added that, to fulfil the Foundation´s purpose, some fields were chosen, such as the local economy, rural community development, protection and social solidarity, health, education, culture and environment in a transversal manner and with the communities in order to improve the life condition of the beneficiaries.
In the framework of the 2022-2025 strategy, they have defined as one of the strategic axes the promotion of initiatives, projects and programmes in the areas of health, education, environment and citizenship, and in this scope they count on the support of experienced partners such as Merck for the initiatives.
Ana Dias Lourenço made a special appeal for health sector, where the main objective is to promote health, in particular for women and children, through access to basic health care in general, sexual and reproductive health and education.
For this purpose, the main objective was defined so as to favour the development of inclusive education that considers the different needs and capacities of children, youth and adults.
She highlighted the importance of the presence in the event of her team members in order to exchange experiences and to deepen cooperation in education sector, in particular in the project “Educar a Linda/Educar a Weza” (Educate Linda/Educate Weza), as well in health sector where it is intended to develop a mobile health project named Tata Uhayele (Take care of your health in the local language Umbundu).
This project combines creativity and health to serve the populations through the management of Clinical Carriages around railway line in the Lobito corridor to Luau (Benguela Railway), at the first stage and then in other two lines which are Moçamedes and Luanda by prioritizing the provision of primary health care to the communities of Benguela, Huambo, Bié and Moxico with special focus to the assistance to children, teenagers and women.
She welcomed the Merck Foundation for its willingness to partner with FDC to support girls´ education and health initiatives.
Ana Dias Lourenço reiterated her satisfaction in taking part in this initiative that gathers First Ladies aiming to share one anothers' experiences in their respective countries.
