Tuesday, June 26, 2007

I woke up this morning in Senegal, a developing West African nation of nearly 12 million people. 95% of the population is Muslim; more than half live in rural areas. Senegal is a peaceful, democratic country with a growing economy. HIV/AIDS is a problem, although Senegal has one of the lowest infection rates in sub-Saharan Africa. I spent my day in and around the coast city of Dakar, where the humid summer air is refreshed by occasional sea breezes off the Atlantic. Tradition and modernity thrive side-by-side; I saw women and men strolling along the avenues in their native dress, brushing past neighbors in jeans and t-shirts.

The president of Senegal is Abdoulaye Wade, who was elected in 2000 and re-elected this year. President Wade, his wife, Viviane, and his daughter, Syndiely, welcomed my daughter Jenna (who's also on the trip) and me with Senegal's famous "teranga," or warm hospitality. At the president's palace, the Wades spoke of the president's work to develop the nation's economy, and to increase employment opportunities for Senegalese citizens.

After the meeting, Mrs. Wade and I went with our daughters to the Fann Hospital, which treats Senegalese men and women who are living with HIV/AIDS. Our government provides antiretroviral medications for Fann patients through USAID.

Tranquil, Green Oasis
Upon arriving at Fann, we toured the labyrinth of the peaceful hospital garden. We all know that nutrition is essential to good health -- but it's especially important for people living with HIV. So in the gardens, patients grow an assortment of fresh produce -- everything from tomatoes, to peppers, to herbs. Walking among the rows of plants, you can't help noticing the fragrance of fresh basil. In the center of the garden grows a maranga tree; its leaves and pods are an important source of protein. At Fann, I was allowed to indulge in one of my favorite pastimes, and do a little gardening myself. Somehow, when I left Washington, I didn't expect to be harvesting eggplant half a world away! Like any parent, I pressed my daughter into helping with the yard work.

The concept of Fann's garden was developed in 2003 by a Senegalese doctor. Three years later, the support of USAID -- and the skill of an American Peace Corps volunteer, Steve Bolinger -- brought the doctor's plan to life. Fann's gardens, which feed more than 100 patients, have introduced new nutritious vegetables, like kale and collard greens, into Senegalese cuisine. Steve also shows patients how to get the most from their labors, and use the entire plant for food. I learned today that beet leaves actually have more nutritional value than the beets -- and at Fann, the patients saute the leaves like spinach. I'll have to try that recipe when I get home.

"Live Positively" with HIV
Steve is a great example of how one American citizen can use his creativity and compassion to support our government's aid programs abroad. When Steve arrived in Dakar as a Peace Corps member, he saw the need for AIDS patients to receive good nutrition -- and he used his life experience growing up on a Kansas farm to fill it. Steve is no longer in the Peace Corps, but has stayed on at Fann through his own NGO, Development in Gardening (or, appropriately, DIG). DIG is funded primarily by donations from Steve's family and friends back home. And when I met with patients at Fann, I was touched by their gratitude for all that the American people are doing to help them "live positively" with HIV.

With the help of Steve and current Peace Corps volunteers stationed at the hospital, Fann outpatients learn the gardening skills they need to grow their own food for a lifetime. Dakar's soil is very sandy, so the Fann gardeners adapt. They mix potting soil with peanut shells in old tires, empty juice cartons, and margarine buckets. Steve explains that by recycling normal household refuse, the Fann program shows outpatients in this urban environment how they can create their own micro-gardens on rooftops and terraces at home.

In addition to the delicious produce, the garden also gives Fann patients a positive outlet. HIV/AIDS in Senegal still carries a stigma, and many patients carry the burden of their diagnosis alone. The communal gardening at Fann offers patients healthy social activity, and a sense of camaraderie. They're placed in positions of responsibility; the inpatients depend on them for food. And like all of us who lose track of time weeding, watering, and seeding, they enjoy the therapeutic benefits of gardening. In Dakar -- where the landscape alternates between large apartment complexes, tiny shacks, vacant sand lots, roadside vendors, construction sites, horse carts, and concrete roads -- Fann's walled-in gardens are a tranquil, green oasis.

Cooking Lessons
After visiting the gardens, I was treated to a cooking demonstration by the hospital's dietician, Ambroise Diatta. A blackboard in the kitchen lists each of the ingredients for the patients' daily meals, as well as the nutritional information and calorie count. About 30 patients at a time will cook and eat together. The social interaction increases their appetite -- an important step toward getting them the nutrients they need to stay well. While I was there, they prepared a national dish of Senegal, thieb u dien -- fish and rice. Spices, green tomatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes grown in the garden added extra color and nutrients.

Malaria Awareness
Next, we moved into the courtyard to receive a briefing from the coordinator of Senegal's national malaria-control program. Malaria kills more people in Senegal than any other disease -- yet it's a treatable and preventable illness. We were able to eradicate malaria in the United States about 50 years ago. Bed nets and mosquito sprays are highly effective at preventing malaria transmission, and through the President's Malaria Initiative, life-saying nets, sprays, and medicines have already reached millions of Africans. At the hospital, I presented patients with bed nets provided through PMI. Protection from mosquitoes is essential for people with HIV/AIDS, since they -- along with pregnant women and young children -- are especially vulnerable to the disease.

Back to School
After the Fann hospital, we headed off to the Grand Medine primary school. Grand Medine was one of the first schools in Senegal to benefit from our government's Africa Education Initiative. Launched in 2002, AEI is a $600 million program that will provide scholarships to 550,000 African girls, and train more than 900,000 teachers, by the year 2010.

At the school, I met with five young women who are receiving the scholarships. They come from rural villages in Senegal -- many without electricity or running water. Education for women is rare. One of the girls, Nango Dang, hopes to become the first girl in her village to go to college. And since her village, Thicky Serere, has no nurses or doctors, she plans to study medicine. Then, she wants to return to her village to serve her people.

Through AEI, Senegal will receive more than a million primary-school textbooks. These books are developed through a partnership between Dakar University and North Carolina's Elizabeth City State University -- whose chancellor, Dr. Willie Gilchrist, was with me at Grand Medine.

The books are Africa-centered, and tailored to the culture and curriculum of Senegal. Many of the books were tested at the Grand Medine School. From their health books, the students have learned how to prevent malaria and HIV/AIDS. For the first time, math texts teach basic statistics. The students are so excited by the new books that they can't wait to learn what's coming next -- they want to skip ahead of the curriculum and the teachers. They're also eager to share what they're learning. They inform their parents how mosquitoes transmit malaria, and pass along lessons about basic first aid. Dakar suffers outbreaks of cholera -- so the children have taught their families about hygiene practices that halt the spread of the disease.

As a former teacher, I loved seeing the students' eager faces at the Grand Medine School. And as a mom, I am happy to see Jenna -- who's now a teacher herself -- playing with the kids, and teaching them a few photography tricks with her digital camera. As an American, I'm inspired by the gratitude expressed by Senegal's minister of education, Dr. Moustapha Sourang. Senegal has made a huge investment in education. Dr. Sourang explained that the country has recently increased its mandatory education age from 6 to 16, and built 42 new high schools. Senegal dedicates 40% of its national budget to education. As the Senegalese implement major educational reforms, they're very appreciative of the support they receive from the American people.

Musical Inspiration
Finally, we were all treated to a fantastic performance by Senegalese singer and movie star Youssou N'Dour. You may have seen him in the film Amazing Grace. I'd last seen Youssou a few weeks ago at the G-8 Summit in Germany, and I invited him to join me at the school. Education for Senegal is something Youssou cares about very deeply: In addition to being a talented musician, Youssou is also a very compassionate activist. Through his two foundations, he's working to advance girls' education in Africa, and to address the health crises of malaria and HIV/AIDS.

At Grand Medine, Youssou brought the quiet courtyard to life with song: The fourth- and fifth-grade students stood, swayed their hips, clapped their hands, and joined in with Youssou's joyful lyrics. After a minute, their teachers -- who were dressed in turquoise-and-white silk traditional dress -- leapt up and accompanied the students in dance. I was so moved watching this energetic school community celebrate their education -- and I think everyone was touched by Youssou's final song, "Africa," which expressed the dreams of a hopeful continent.

Our last stop for the day was a meeting with the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Dakar. President Bush and I are grateful for the hard work of our diplomats and foreign service officers, as well as the Peace Corps volunteers who serve around the world. Every day, away from home and family, they represent the compassion and good will of our nation.

Too soon, we were back at Dakar airport, as it was time to leave this beautiful country. Next stop: Maputo, Mozambique ...