African First Ladies Summit

Twelve African First Ladies joined together with delegations and celebrities to address health issues in each of the First Ladies countries. From top left to bottom right: Ida Odinga wife of Kenyan prime minister, First Ladies Laraba Tandja of Niger, Penehupifo Pohamba of Namibia, Thandiwe Banda of Zambia, Maria da Luz Dai Guebuza of Mozambique, Mathato Sarah Mosisili of Lesotho, Sia Nyama Koroma of Sierra Leone, Adelcia Barreto Pires of Cape Verde, Chantal Biya of Cameroon, Ana Paula Dos Santos of Angola, Queen Inkhosikati LaMbikiza of Swaziland and Turai Umaru Yar'Adua of Nigeria. Photo by Stephen Osman


The African First Ladies Summit is being held in Los Angeles to address health-care and girls' education. First Ladies from 15 nations – Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zambia will be attending the event. The agenda includes the promotion of their work in Africa and further engagement with Hollywood and business community. The Global Health Council is one of the sponsors of this event.

Vince Blaser, the Council’s policy communications coordinator, is in LA for this momentous occasion. Read his daily blog:

Day 1: April 20 The First Ladies Convene
Day 2: April 21 Sarah Brown Brings the House Down, First Ladies Spurred to Action

Day 3: April 22 First Ladies Go To Washington