From January 30 to February 13, 2007,
Her Royal Highness The Princess of Hanover went on a humanitarian journey
to the children of the African continent.
The President of AMADE Mondiale took this occasion
to observe in person the actions of Her child-advocacy association
in Niger, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa.

Having visited the Filipino children in October 2004 and being presented with the UNICEF Children's Champion Award in May 2006, The President of AMADE Mondiale just completed a tour to the Heart of the African continent, a trip that H.R.H. The Princess of Hanover used as opportunity to witness the achievements of Her organization and of the Principality of Monaco in these countries, as well as to study the needs of the African children.



Her Son, Mr. Pierre Casiraghi; the Secretary General of AMADE Mondiale, Mr. Francis Kasasa; Mrs. Khadja Nin Ickx, an international artist; Mrs. Veronique Simian, private secretary of H.R.H. The Princess of Hanover, and Mrs. Marie Laure de Decker, photographer.

First Stop: Niger

• On Wednesday 31st February, The Princess of Hanover went to the National Hospital of Niamey to visit the ill children and to inaugurate - in the presence of Niger's First Lady, Mrs. Hadjia Fati Tandja - a dispensary dedicated to the Nigerien people suffering of the sickle cell disease. Financed by AMADE Mondiale, and created under the initiative of the association "Fight against the Sickle cell disease in Niger", this structure will allow medicine supply at low prices for those who suffer from this terrible blood disease, which affects more than 20% of the Nigerien population.

• A visit to the Centre for children with family problems of Niamey followed that same morning. Financed by "Monaco Aide et Présence", this centre takes care of medical and dietary expenses of orphans or abandoned children, while waiting to be placed with a foster family.

• During the afternoon, the land recovery site of Karey-Gourou was visited. Financed by Monaco's International Cooperation Bureau, this project aims to reduce the effects of desertification in this area of the country and to recover the abandoned lands.

• At the end of the day, Her Royal Highness exchanged Her impressions with the members of the Nigerien government at a working session gathering the different Ministries involved in the cooperation with Monaco. (The Education, Health, Environment and Family Ministers as well as other Nigerien officials were present).

• On 1st February, She had the opportunity to engage with Mr. Mahamane Ousmane, President of the National Assembly; Mr. Hama Amadou, Prime Minister, and Mr. Mamadou Tandja, President of the Republic of Niger, regarding the future orientations of the partnerships that link Niger and the Principality of Monaco. The morning ended with a visit of the Consulate of Monaco.

• In the afternoon, the Prince Albert Maternal and Childhood Centre and the school complex of Kiota, 120 km from Niamey, were visited. On this occasion, The Princess of Hanover met the Sheikh Moussa Aboubacar Hassoumi.

• The following day in Agadez, The Princess of Hanover ended Her stay in Niger with a visit to the Integrated Health Centre of Dagmanet, financed by "Monaco Aide et Présence". Lastly, in Goffat, She visited a school and the works of protection of the banks, financed by Monaco's International Cooperation Bureau.

• Before Her departure to Burundi, The Princess paid a courtesy visit to the Sultan of l'Aïr Oumarou Ibrahim of Agadez.

Second Stop: Burundi

• On Saturday 2nd February, The Princess of Hanover visited the head office of AMADE Burundi, as well as the Transit Centre for orphans and parentless children whose buildings were purchased in 1997 with funds from AMADE Mondiale.

• The same morning, in the presence of the Burundian Minister to the Presidency in charge of the fight against AIDS, Her Royal Highness laid the foundation stone of the Reference Centre for the psychosocial rehabilitation of traumatized children, which is currently under construction in Bujumbura, thanks to financial support by AMADE Mondiale.

• After these ceremonies, the children in care of AMADE Burundi enjoyed a privileged moment with The Princess in telling Her their life story, and sharing their problems, their joys and their hopes with Her.

• The President of AMADE Mondiale also had the opportunity to visit a support group that cares for orphans, a partner of AMADE Burundi, and the humanitarian canteen for orphans in the disadvantaged district of Kanyosha, south of Bujumbura.
  

• During the afternoon, the Prince Regent Charles Hospital and its paediatric, maternity and internal medicine services were visited. The director of the hospital took the occasion to outline the difficulties experienced by the poor population in accessing medical care.

• On Sunday 4th February, in Bururi (110 km from Bujumbura), The Princess was welcomed by the Governor of the Province. This day was dedicated to the visit of the medico-social Centre of Bururi, whose construction was entirely financed by AMADE Mondiale, and of the Training Centre for Culinary Art, which trains young people wishing to become professional chefs.

• The stay in Burundi ended with the visit of the Akamuri Centre, which takes care of mentally disabled children referred by AMADE Burundi. These children benefit from regular supervision and assistance from psychologists and social workers of AMADE Burundi.

Third Stop: Democratic Republic of Congo

• In Lubumbashi, after greeting the new elected Governor of Katanga, Mr. Moïse Katumbi, The Princess of Hanover visited the Sendwe Hospital, the second largest hospital in the D.R.C. and whose paediatric section will benefit from AMADE Congo's support.

• In the "City of Young Girls", The Princess visited the new premises of the "Maternal Tutorial" Section, which was completely furnished by AMADE Congo, all the pre-school classes as well as the Kinsangala crèche, for which all the beds were furnished by this local branch.

• On the afternoon of 6th February, The Princess visited the CRAA, a food processing research centre founded by Professor Fierens and which also contributes to the development of food suitable for mothers and children.

• Before concluding the day with a visit to the Museum of Lubumbashi, The Princess paid a courtesy call to the city's Mayor, Mr. Floribert Kaseba.

• The following day, Her Royal Highness travelled to Kapolowe (130 km from Lubumbashi) to the Kaseluselu School, where the local authorities, children and teachers gave Her an extremely warm welcome. After the singing, dancing and other performances, The Princess made a stop at the new medical office for the area financed by AMADE Congo, then at the Guest House "Paul Fierens", which regularly accommodates final-year medical students as well as young graduate medical doctors. The visit continued in Likasi at the Princess Caroline Pre-School, inaugurated in 2001.

• The DRC itinerary ended in Mulandi with a visit (125 km from Lubumbashi) of two big buildings of the new school comprising six class rooms entirely furnished and equipped with educational material by AMADE Congo; as well as of a recently renovated health centre.

 

Fourth Stop: South Africa

• The day of Her arrival in Cape Town, Her Royal Highness visited the Consulate of Monaco.

• The following day, She attended a presentation by the Department of Social Development of the Western Cape Province and the local NGO "Centre for Early Childhood Development". The presentation's main purpose was to explain to Her Royal Highness the living conditions of children in the townships where the Department and the CECD provide assistance in terms of the bilateral cooperation agreement between the Province and Monaco, as well as to inform Her of the progress in the construction of three ECD facilities financed by the Principality of Monaco, for the benefit of South African children.

• Following this introduction, H.R.H. The Princess of Hanover visited one of the three ECD facilities located in the Masiphumalele township.

• During the afternoon, the Princess visited Khayelitsha - another township of Cape Town - in order to inaugurate the "Khanyisa Educare Centre". The day ended with a courtesy call to Mr. Ebrahim Rasool, Premier of the Western Cape Province.

• On Sunday 11th February, H.R.H. The Princess of Hanover left Cape Town for Johannesburg. At the Johannesburg General Hospital, She met the children suffering from facial malformations who had benefited of facial surgery, thanks to a project created by the local NGO Star Smile Fund, which had been financially supported by AMADE Mondiale.

• That afternoon, accompanied by the Consul of Monaco and his wife, H.R.H. The Princess of Hanover had a private meeting with the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Thabo Mbeki and his wife at the Presidential Residence in Pretoria.

• On 12 February, Her Royal Highness and Her delegation visited the Hospice Association of the Witwatersrand, to whose projects AMADE Mondiale contributes financially.

• In Houghton, Her Royal Highness visited the paediatric palliative care professional training centre and the pilot Paediatric Palliative Care Ward, through which this local NGO aims to relief the suffering of chronically ill children, coming from underprivileged areas of Johannesburg.

• In Soweto, She noted the progress in the construction of the new Diepkloof Hospice, to which the Paediatric Palliative Care Ward will be transferred upon its opening in March 2007. Finally, She visited the "Mapetla Day Care Centre" where the association takes care of the children of persons affected with VIH/AIDS. During this visit, The Princess enthusiastically offered to serve lunch to the children

 

The evening before Her departure, Her Royal Highness participated in the Charity Gala organized by AMADE Mondiale at the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg. During the Charity Gala a brooch, exclusively designed for AMADE Mondiale by Repossi Jewellers, was auctioned for the sum of 1.1 million Rand, approximately 123, 000 Euros. The brooch "AMADE", designed by Alberto Repossi, which combines ancient Colombian emeralds, rubies and diamonds married to grey and black gold, is inspired by the motifs and colours of AMADE Mondiale's logo. The funds collected on this occasion will be allocated to the projects of AMADE Mondiale in Africa.

The humanitarian trip to the African continent ended with the visit to the Nelson Mandela Foundation, where, after a presentation of the Foundation's and the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund's activities to which AMADE Mondiale made a financial contribution in 2006, H.R.H. The Princess of Hanover met Mr. Nelson Mandela. On this memorable occasion the President of AMADE Mondiale expressed Her complete admiration and Her profound respect to Mr. Mandela by saying: " you are a living example of what a Human Being should be ".

Source: AMADE Mondiale / All photos by Marie Laure de Decker.