President Kikwete offers 100 percent support for Touch
President Jakaya M. Kikwete offered his strong support for our mission during a meeting at the Tanzanian State House in Dar es Salaam.
On April 27, The President met with Touch leaders, including Touch president Lowell Bryan, chairman Robert Jeffe, and COO Angus O’Shea, on their last visit to Tanzania. Also attending were Ari Silverman, engagement manager for a recent McKinsey pro bono study, Rebecca Brodsky, Touch program director, and representatives of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference.
During the meeting, President Kikwete expressed enthusiasm for the Touch program to scale up the Bugando University College of Health Sciences (BUCHS). President Kikwete spoke poignantly about the health care worker crisis in his country, telling us a number of personal anecdotes that illustrate the difficulties faced by his people.
When we described how we have been able to raise nearly $13 million since inception, the president quipped, ‘How about $113 million?’ Lowell Bryan responded that, in fact, our aspiration is to raise an additional $100 million over the next ten years. ‘Now we’re talking business!’ exclaimed the president. The newly-elected leader conveyed his gratitude for our efforts to address the critical need in his country, and he offered his assistance with a signed letter officially endorsing the Touch mission.
We are grateful to our partners and friends at the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference (TEC), especially Bishop Kilaini, Bishop Balina and Dr. Kigadye for arranging this important meeting.
Prime Minister also expresses support
In a separate meeting on May 30 in New York with Prime Minister Edward Lowassa and his delegation, which included the Minister for Health, Ambassador to the U.N, Ambassador to the U.S. and other dignitaries, the group endorsed the president’s message of support at a meeting with Lowell Bryan, Angus O’Shea, Rebecca Brodsky, and Touch advisor Father Dr. Peter Le Jacq. The prime minister offered the full support of the Tanzanian government for our mission and pledged to work with us to clear any bureaucratic hurdles that may arise during our implementation efforts in Tanzania. He praised Touch for addressing an issue of great need. The Minister of Health, Professor David Mwakyusa, was reiterated the offer of assistance and partnership that he and Deputy Minister for Science, Technology & Higher Education, Gaundecia Kabaka, extended during an April meeting in Dar es Salaam. In addition, the Hon. Peter Msolla, the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, pledged his support at an earlier meeting with Lowell Bryan in January.
All three ministers confirmed that Touch arrived at a crucial time in Tanzania, where the health care worker shortage is reaching critically low levels.
Like other nonprofit organizations, our prospects of success in our mission are dependant on the quality of our relationships. These meetings suggest that not only are we on the right track, but also that the Tanzanian government will also be a constructive partner in our program.