the role of the african diaspora

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What is the role of the Africans in the Diaspora

to participate in setting and implementing

their health agenda? &

What is the role of the community in setting their health agenda?

Enawgaw Mehari M.D.Founder and President People to People Inc.

What is African Diaspora?What is African Diaspora?

Dispersion of the African Diaspora:140 million in the Western Hemisphere 14% of the world’s population

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Diaspora [noun]: any group that has been dispersed or scattered

away from an established or ancestral

homeland

The African Diaspora: The African Diaspora: Unlimited Virtual Potential Unlimited Virtual Potential

TT TT

What can the African Diaspora do ? What can the African Diaspora do ? Assist international organizations,

academia, and civil societies to form linkages with institutions of higher learning in Africa

Garner support for local programs and institution building

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Neurology Residency Program Neurology Residency Program in Ethiopia in Ethiopia

What can the African Diaspora do?What can the African Diaspora do?

Establish and maintain a network of organizations and institutions to facilitate the sharing of best practices

Share information and transfer skills and technology to Africa

Promote indigenous and authentic solutions to challenges faced by local institutions of higher learning

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Ethiopian Diaspora Ethiopian Diaspora May 7, 2011 at the World Bank Headquarters

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Types of Modern SupportTypes of Modern SupportDiaspora professionals and FOEs (Friends of Ethiopia) are giving back in a number of unique ways:

1) volunteer their services in Ethiopia; 2) give online courses & trainings; 3) e-mentoring; 4) join a P2P Task Force; 5) pre-record video trainings and lectures; 6) online case-based diagnostic exchange; 7) curriculum development and review; and 8) explore developing twinning relationship and/or establishing Virtual Communities of Practice (COPs)

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Types of Modern SupportTypes of Modern Support

P2P is also working to consolidate existing, free, online sources (curriculum, courses, modules, etc.) into a system that can be easily navigated and eventually shared with all hospitals and medical colleges via an intranet

e-archiving all lectures, courses, and materials ensures ability to be replicated and shared in perpetuity

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What can the African Diaspora do?What can the African Diaspora do?Promote awareness of the benefits of

preventive health care services and address major public health issues that affect the well being of others

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What can the African Diaspora do? What can the African Diaspora do? Challenge local institutions and partners

to think in a manner that is:◦ innovative◦ modern◦ incorporates resources, opportunities, and

the technologies that have come to define the 21st century

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Strengthening Emergency Medicine Strengthening Emergency Medicine in Ethiopia in Ethiopia

A Partnership with AAU, BLH, P2P and the University of Wisconsin A Partnership with AAU, BLH, P2P and the University of Wisconsin

AIHA Twinning Center, Ethiopia Partners

University of Wisconsin University of Wisconsin AAU/UW/P2P and IAHA

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What can the African Diaspora do?What can the African Diaspora do?Create support networks to provide

regular encouragement to those at the forefront of helping to shape and develop their respective communities

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What Can the African Diaspora do?What Can the African Diaspora do?Provide support to achieve meaningful,

thoughtful, and sustainable development Local communities are key to the process Commitment to the idea of

empowerment and capacity-building

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What Can the African Diaspora do?What Can the African Diaspora do?Foster the leadership skills of local civil society

leaders that serve as change makers in their own communities.

Build partnerships with the local communities who are the originators of ideas, the innovative problem solvers, and the everyday implementers of important programs and services that benefit the most vulnerable and disadvantaged persons.

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““Empowering Women is Empowering Women is Empowering a Nation” ConferenceEmpowering a Nation” Conference

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Orphan Girls Education Orphan Girls Education & Boarding Home& Boarding Home

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MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDG) MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDG)

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme poverty and hungerGoal 2: Achieve universal primary education Goal 3: Promote gender equality and women

empowerment Goal 4: Reduce child mortalityGoal 5: Improve maternal mortalityGoal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other

diseases Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for

development

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/11_MDG%20Report_EN.pdf

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People's Clinic Volunteers

Kentucky Reaches out to Kentucky Reaches out to EthiopiaEthiopia

58 year-old gentleman from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia received life saving surgery at St. Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead, Kentucky’s Appalachian Mountains.

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““All I can say is All I can say is thank you for my thank you for my life.life. I can’t wait to I can’t wait to go home and tell my go home and tell my country how country how generous all of you generous all of you have been.”have been.”

Future Project: UK SymposiumFuture Project: UK Symposium

Hosting a symposium in July 2012 at the University of Kentucky between diaspora, American institutions, and key professionals and health development experts in the US & Ethiopia to explore new twinning partnerships and scale up current activities

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Future Project: Deaf Education & Future Project: Deaf Education & EmpowermentEmpowermentPlanning to establish a model center

in Bahir Dar, in partnership with local disabled persons organizations (DPOs), that will address the three main challenges of the deaf community in Ethiopia at present:

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1. Lack of language development & skills (for youth, teachers, interpreters, family members, etc.)

2. Stigma and exclusion from society3. Economic & social marginalization (lack of

vocational training and livelihoods support)

Future Project: Fistula Care & Future Project: Fistula Care & Reintegration ServicesReintegration ServicesContinuing to develop a partnership with HHOJ in

ensuring women with fistula have proper access to care and are empowered to become Safe Motherhood Ambassadors; creating public awareness through door-to-door, community and larger-scale media campaigns

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“My friends, love is better than anger.

Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic, and we will change the world.” ~Jack Layton

THANK YOU!

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