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Africa Urban Poverty Alleviation Program
Participating CitiesPhase I CitiesBelow is a short overview of the Phase II Participating Cities.Baltimore, Maryland - Luxor, Egypt The Baltimore-Luxor sister city relationship began in 1978, with an official agreement between the two cities signed in 1982. The Baltimore/Luxor/Alexandria Sister Cities Committee (BLASCC) develops and sponsors numerous projects that cover a wide range of disciplines, including culture and art, education, health care, humanitarian aid, government and public policy, waterfront development, low-middle income housing, transportation and tourism, science and technology, information technology, and the environment. Egyptian physicians have studied in Baltimore, and Maryland doctors have volunteered their time as instructors in Egypt. Presently, the BLASCC health sub-committee is very active in assisting hospitals in Luxor through modernization of facilities, medical training, and donations of equipment and supplies. Chicago, Illinois - Casablanca, Morocco Sister cities since 1982, the Chicago-Casablanca partnership has grown into a strong and award-winning exchange. The Casablanca Chicago Sister Cities Association was established in 2002 as Chicago's counterpart to the organization in Morocco. The joint and mutually determined projects span medical, humanitarian and educational initiatives and exchanges, urban planning, economic development, sports, and youth service learning programs. Over the past decade, the Chicago-Casablanca Committees have raised funds for hundreds of teachers and students to participate in exchanges between the two cities. A variety of medical missions, service learning projects, and cultural exchanges have also been implemented over the course of the partnership. Delray Beach, Florida - Moshi, Tanzania Made official in 2001, the sister cities relationship between Delray Beach and Moshi came about because of a visit by Tanzania's then-First Lady Anna Mkapa to Delray Beach in 1999. She suggested that Delray Beach establish a Sister City relationship with a city in Tanzania. Moshi was chosen because several residents of Delray Beach had either lived in Moshi or had done business there, and suggested that the cities had many similarities, such as the fact that both cities' economies are largely tourist-based. Delray Beach has focused on sustainability in Moshi through education. To raise funds for its projects with Moshi, the Delray Beach Moshi committee has an annual fund-raising dinner, "The Safari Dinner." Delray Beach's most recent project was the purchase of five computers and Internet service to establish an Internet cafe at the Moshi Regional Library. Many residents of Moshi have limited access to computers. The Internet cafe provides access to computers for children and residents as well as a source of income for the library. Durham, North Carolina - Arusha, Tanzania The relationship between Durham and Arusha began July 6, 1991, when an agreement was signed in Arusha under the leadership of President Julius Nyerere. Friends of Arusha, a nonprofit community-based organization, became project partners with Arusha's municipal government. Since 1991, the Arusha Committee and Friends of Arusha have continued to foster diplomatic goodwill through many activities and exchanges of students, administrators, businessmen, and diplomats. They have worked to provide school lunches for more than 280,000 children as well as school uniforms and supplies for orphans, helping to make it possible for these elementary students to attend school. They have also provided assistance to health clinics and women with AIDS. In addition, the organization helped establish a program to combat illiteracy using photography and helped fund the construction of a kitchen for school students. Jacksonville, Florida - Port Elizabeth, South Africa The development of a sister city relationship between Jacksonville and Port Elizabeth began in the summer of 1996. In March 1998, a delegation of Jacksonville Sister Cities Association representatives, city officials, and other individuals journeyed to South Africa and met with the mayor of Port Elizabeth, Nceba Faku, and other local officials, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu. A formal twinning ceremony took place on February 24, 2000, via a live video teleconference ceremony in which both mayors "virtually" executing the agreement via satellite hookup. Since then, Jacksonville has hosted six inbound delegations from Port Elizabeth. These delegations focused on cultural exchange activities, needs assessments in economic development, public education, and workforce development initiatives. During these exchanges, Jacksonville Sister Cities Association was made aware of Port Elizabeth's public health needs, which then resulted in two projects: collaborative distribution of oral health supplies to more than 2,000 children, and distribution of 280 wheelchairs to disabled Port Elizabeth citizens. Long Beach, California - Mombasa, Kenya Mombasa-Long Beach Sister Cities Association (MLBSCA) was formed out of a desire of the Los Angeles Kenyan Consulate to create a sister-city relationship between Los Angeles and Mombasa. Since the partnership began in October 2007, two delegations from Los Angeles have traveled to Mombasa, and one delegation from Mombasa has visited Los Angeles. Through these exchanges, MLBSCA has donated more than 600 books to the Kenya National Library-Mombasa Branch, provided 700 AIDS testing kits donated by Orasure Technologies for World AIDS day activities in Mombasa, hosted Kenya's minister of tourism in Long Beach, and garnered more than $15,000 in private corporate donations and grants. MLBSCA has developed meaningful partnerships between U.S. and Kenyan community and civic organizations, grown to a membership of 57 members, and hosted more than a dozen intercultural community events. Milwaukee, Wisconsin - uMhlathuze, South Africa After building strong relationships with the mayor of the city of uMhlathuze and the Zululand Chamber of Commerce, Milwaukee positioned itself to establish a relationship through its sister city program with the city of uMhlathuze. On April 29, 2008, Milwaukee hosted a South African Freedom Day celebration for the purpose of signing a formal sister city agreement. Following a massive outbreak of waterborne illness in 1993, the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) and Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) formed a technical workgroup to address issues in assuring high quality and safe drinking water within the Metropolitan Milwaukee service area. The workgroup was comprised of key stakeholders who developed protocols for early detection, routine monitoring, risk communication, and response to potential water contamination events. Through technical assistance, the MHD-MWW workgroup will collaborate with uMhlathuze to ensure that this model of inter-agency cooperation in the context of utility operations, public health surveillance, and natural or manmade environmental contamination can be implemented. Milwaukee County, Wisconsin - Buffalo City, South Africa In 1997, Milwaukee County initiated a sister city relationship with the municipality of King Williams Town, South Africa. In July 2007, the sister city relationship was reactivated following a merger of King Williams Town with the townships of East London and Bisho, establishing the Buffalo City Municipality. In honor of the reestablishment of the sister city relationship between Milwaukee County and Buffalo City Municipality, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution to officially restore the partnership. In March 2009, the Center for International Health, the Buffalo City Municipality Health Department, and the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Social Development partnered to submit a grant application to USAID for an International Food Relief Partnership grant. The proposal was awarded $99,850 to provide supplemental nutrition to 20,000 needy beneficiaries over a 12-month period in South Africa. The duty-free clearing of these imported commodities is currently being planned with South African customs officials. Recently, at the invitation of the executive mayor of Buffalo City, representatives from Milwaukee County visited there, meeting with officials from the municipality, WSU, FHU, and East London Hospital Complex to discuss future possible exchanges to promote the sister city relationship. Oakland, California - Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana Oakland and Sekondi-Takoradi became sister cities in 1975. A delegation from Sekondi-Takoradi came to Oakland to formalize the sister city relationship. The organization has participated in sister city activities including visiting Sekondi-Takoradi, hosting delegations from Sekondi-Takoradi, providing information and education to Oakland residents about sister city and African history, and sponsoring a pen pal project between youth. The African Sister City Cultural Center, Inc. (ASCCC), an organization established to support the sister city program, received a $20,000 HIV/AIDS Prevention and Education Grant from Sister Cities International in 2003. Through the grant, they were able to host two government officials from Sekondi-Takoradi in Oakland. The officials learned firsthand how Oakland is meeting the challenge of prevention of and care and treatment of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Members of ASCCC also traveled to Sekondi-Takoradi and met with medical personnel and staff of NGOs working on prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. A program was initiated to enlist Queen Mothers and other female traditional leaders in Sekondi-Takoradi in efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Two ambulances were donated to Sekondi-Takoradi, and teams of educators and physicians from Oakland have traveled to Ghana to provide services to the residents of their sister city. Oakland's own residents have donated clothing, furniture, and books to a traditional village in Sekondi-Takoradi. Richmond, Virginia - Segou, Mali Richmond and Segou officially became sister cities on October 13, 2009. However, Richmond has had a de facto relationship with Segou since 2005. Urban poverty and youth issues are priorities for both mayors, so plans are under discussion for exchanges to promote training and fight alienation of young urban men using sports, film, and other mechanisms. Virginia Commonwealth University is engaged with community groups in this process, and Segou is planning to join this program. Virginia Friends of Mali, a 501c3 organization, and the recognized support group for the Richmond/Segou sister city relationship have created the Barbara Grey Fund to facilitate travel of Richmond teachers to Segou. Considerable work has gone into the investigation of goals and methods for improving the quality of water, health, and quality of life in Segou through the sister city program. A regional 10-year master plan for Segou was published in 2003 with the help of the Millennium Cities Initiative, together with a 2010 report by the Regional Department for Hygiene and Pollution Control for Segou outlining the city's priorities for waste disposal and hygiene to provide a context and framework for ongoing discussions and planning. A presentation to Segou's Mayor Simaga and his delegation of a water purification device developed by a local Richmond entrepreneur was organized during a visit of the Segou delegation to the sister cities' signing ceremony in Richmond. These discussions also included the issues of education, distribution, local manufacturing, product maintenance, and program sustainability. Riverside, California - Obuasi, Ghana In January 2008, a delegation from Obuasi spent a week in Riverside sampling citrus and exploring the prospect of becoming Riverside's seventh sister city and its first in Africa. Obuasi farmers grow a sweet orange famous throughout the country, along with other kinds of citrus and avocados. Officials from Obuasi were attracted to Riverside, in part, because they wanted investors to increase citrus production and to build a juice-processing plant. The Ghanaians spent time at UC Riverside's Agricultural Experiment Station. Representatives of both cities signed the formal documents before a Durbar of Chiefs and the entire Obuasi community on September 13, 2008. The official ceremony took place on the soccer field in Obuasi. Two days later, the Riverside delegation met with Tutu II, the Ashanti King, at his palace in Kumasi, where the King blessed the new arrangement. The cities are looking forward to developing a profitable business alliance, a successful social benefit program, an exciting tour and cultural immersion, and enlightened understanding of Africa, along with health-related projects. St. Louis, Missouri - Saint-Louis, Senegal The St. Louis, Missouri-Senegal Sister City (SLM-SSC) owes its origin to Gouye Seddele, an organization founded by a group of men in Saint-Louis, Senegal, dedicated to the growth and development of that city. In 1991, they wrote the U.S. Ambassador to Senegal and the mayor of Saint Louis, Missouri, requesting the development of the relationship. Delegations to and from the two cities took place, resulting in a signing ceremony in 1994. Missourians have experienced Senegalese culture with nine trips to Saint-Louis, Senegal, since then. There have also been numerous opportunities for audiences to learn and appreciate Senegalese culture in Missouri. Senegal is celebrating its 350th anniversary in 2010, and the SLM-SSC Committee has begun its plans to travel to Saint-Louis, Senegal, to take part in the celebration. The SLM-SSC Committee has supported Senegalese institutions through many donations: portable typewriters, a computer, school supplies, and textbooks, as well as the purchasing of school supplies in Saint-Louis, Senegal, in support of local merchants. The Senegal SLM-SSC collaborated with The Centre De Recherche et de Documentation Du Senegal to sponsor an art exhibit featuring Missouri artists in Senegal. A major component in all SLM-SSC programs has been, and continues to be, the establishment and cultivation of interpersonal relationships and the committee's focus on education, culture, and health care. The committee's breadth of knowledge and documented success uniquely positions it to assist in alleviating the physical and financial suffering associated with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Seattle, Washington - Mombasa, Kenya The Seattle Mombasa Sister City Association (SMSCA) was chartered on April 6, 1981. The purpose of the association is to accomplish educational and cultural exchanges between the two cities, to encourage and promote international understanding and goodwill, to encourage an appreciation of pluralism, and to promote trade and tourism beneficial to both economies. The SMSCA has already sponsored a number of projects and opportunities in keeping with these goals. In 1981, Seattle's mayor and fire chief traveled to Kenya with association members to present the citizens of Mombasa with a much-needed ambulance and fire truck. Since then, medical and school supplies, books, and auto repair parts have been sent to Mombasa. Cultural and educational exchanges have been encouraged through the sponsorship of several art exhibits in concert with the Seattle Art Museum. Even the savanna display at the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo was dedicated to the Seattle Mombasa Sister City Association relationship. In recent years, the SMSCA has hosted Mombasa's mayors, and in return, the African city has hosted several SMSCA members in Mombasa. In 2009, the Seattle Mombasa Sister City Association entered into a partnership with Children's International Health Relief (CIHR), a local Seattle-based 501c3 nonprofit, the mission of which is to improve the health care of needy children throughout the world. CIHR recognizes that strategies to improve the health status of needy children must include efforts in eradicating poverty. Sonoma, California - Aswan, Egypt Begun with intentions to partner with an Islamic nation to promote a better understanding of other cultures, the Sonoma-Aswan relationship was approved by the Sonoma City Council on June 4, 2008. Sonoma's first sister cities fund-raiser, "Midnight at the Oasis," was launched with live camels, a silent auction, and Middle-Eastern food. Tickets sold out, and $12,000 was raised. Quarterly meetings and fund-raisers have been held since, with educational programs including papyrus displays and lectures by Egyptian ambassadors, consuls, scholars, and Coptic priests. After two successful fund-raisers, the committee is now working with their sister city counterparts on the Aswan governor's proposed "Aswan Week" in Sonoma this summer. A joint art, health, and education project for the children of Aswan and Sonoma titled "Our Beautiful Water" recently took place, raising environmental and cultural awareness of the importance of water in children's everyday lives. A recycling project is currently in the works as well. The Sonoma-Aswan committee has also proposed hosting an Egyptian exhibition in Sonoma, benefitting both parties by increasing an awareness of history and sending a message of cooperation between the U.S. and Egypt. This is important since Egypt plays a key role in the potential stabilization of the Middle East. Committee members have also met with doctors and nurses in the Aswan Tumors Institute who would like to collaborate on prospective projects for their institution: developing a small health-screening clinic for underserved cancer patients, a hospice program, which is non-existent in Aswan, or a nursing training program and exchange of medical experts. A telemedicine exchange that would improve patient care to more one million people who are served by the Aswan Tumor Institute is also being discussed. Toledo, OH – Tanga, Tanzania In 1996, a group of citizens interested in promoting and cultivating an international relationship with a city in Africa met under the leadership of Virginia Haywood-Smith. From this interest, the African Sister Cities Committee of Toledo Sister Cities International was formed. In 1999, after researching and exploring a number of possible sister cities, the committee decided to pursue a sister cities relationship with Tanga, Tanzania located in east Africa. The Tanzanian Embassy through Joseph Sokoine was of tremendous assistance in the formulation of the relationship. Tanga is a seaport city with a similar population to Toledo. In 2001, the sister cities agreement was signed in Toledo by Tanga Mayor Salim Kassim Kisauji and Toledo’s Mayor Carlton Finkbeiner. While touring the Toledo Fire Department garage during Mayor Kisauji’s visit to Toledo, he voiced a need for a fire truck. Mayor Michael Bell, the then Fire Chief facilitated the donation of a used fire truck and the Toledo-Tanga Sister Cities Committee committed to raising the funds for shipping. Other projects that the Toledo-Tanga Sister Cities Committee has been involved in are the sending of $2,000 worth of medical supplies to a health clinic in Tanga, donated funds to an AIDS orphanage, established a pen pal relationship with the students for the Toledo Early College High School and the Toldedo Secondary School, and paid the tuition of four students there. The committee has also supported the Toledo International Youth Orchestra’s project for building a classroom at the Toledo Secondary School and also provided school supplies and physical education equipment. Next, the Toledo-Tanga Sister Cities Committee will be sending a donation to the school for books and other school needs Urbana, Illinois - Zomba, Malawi The sister city partnership between Urbana and Zomba grew out of connections created 20 years ago by Ellard and Grace Malindi, Ph.D. graduates from the University of Illinois. Upon returning to Malawi, Grace helped establish and maintain programs of interaction with the Urbana community. The Urbana and Zomba Sister City partnership was approved by a vote of the Urbana City Council on February 25, 2008. Since that time, they have participated in gift exchanges, shared letters, and a book donation program with the University of Malawi Chancellor's Library. Emissaries from the Urbana community have visited Zomba and shared greetings with the chief executive of that city. There is a strong history of involvement between the two communities in projects concerning health and safe drinking water. The Urbana Rotary Club joined the clean water project started by First Presbyterian Church, and in 2007-8 donated $15,000 to dig 100 additional wells in Malawi. Trained well technicians secure the permission of tribal chiefs and local leaders, contract with the village to support well building efforts (supplying brick, cement, and manpower), and learn well building skills and maintenance. Currently, there is a new interest in educational outreach. Discussions have begun to bring a program to the Urbana elementary schools through interaction and arts. A meeting with the Wiley Elementary School PTA built support for developing visits and student interactions. Contacts in Malawi schools will help build this multi-cultural program in 2010. Wilmington, Delaware - Osogbo, Nigeria Wilmington's relationship with Osogbo started in 2000, when the idea of establishing a Sister City affiliation with a Nigerian city was first proposed. The African affiliation appropriately recognized the city's growing African-American population, many of whom traced their ancestral roots to the Yoruba culture. The Wilmington sister cities board of directors accepted the proposal at its March 20, 2001 meeting. The affiliation was subsequently approved by the mayor and city council. The exchange of mayoral-level delegations began with a visit from an Osogbo delegation. The highlights were several meetings with the mayor and city council president, including a press conference, and the signing of an official memorandum of understanding. The city of Wilmington returned the visit with a delegation consisting of city officials, the sister cities president and the vice president for Osogbo, and other private citizens. They toured arts and cultural, historical, educational, traditional craft market and workshop, and industrial sites. Wilmington Sister Cities has hosted Osogbo artists as part of an international art exhibition, established an educational exchange between the University of Delaware and Osun State University, and is working to develop a sister cities library in the Osogbo City Hall. In conjunction with the local chapter of the American Association of University Women, Wilmington Friends of Africa, Maat Temple of Truth, and other donors, the organization collected f books to help establish the library. Six boxes of books were shipped to Lagos, where local sister cities members then trucked them to Osogbo. A second shipment of books and computers went in 2005. The cumulative total is 600 volumes to date. |
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