Africa’s First Ladies Give Back

These presidential spouses gathered for women and girls.

Ladies First - The RAND Africa First Ladies Initiative brought together 10 spouses of leaders from African countries to discuss how to become better change agents and raise the profile of women and girls in their respective countries. ­—Naeesa Aziz (Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

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Ladies First - The RAND Africa First Ladies Initiative brought together 10 spouses of leaders from African countries to discuss how to become better change agents and raise the profile of women and girls in their respective countries. ­—Naeesa Aziz (Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org

Present - In attendance was Salma Kikwete of Tanzania, Traore Mintou Doucoure of Mali, Antoinette Sassou N’Guesso of the Republic of Congo, Hadidja Ikililou of Comoros, Dr. Christine Kaseba-Sata of Zambia, Chantal Boni Yayi of Benin, Jeannette Kagame of Rwanda and Chantal Campaoré of Burkina Faso, as well as the former first lady of Malawi, Callista Mutharika, and the wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo. (Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

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Present - In attendance was Salma Kikwete of Tanzania, Traore Mintou Doucoure of Mali, Antoinette Sassou N’Guesso of the Republic of Congo, Hadidja Ikililou of Comoros, Dr. Christine Kaseba-Sata of Zambia, Chantal Boni Yayi of Benin, Jeannette Kagame of Rwanda and Chantal Campaoré of Burkina Faso, as well as the former first lady of Malawi, Callista Mutharika, and the wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo. (Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

Western Friends - Former U.S. first lady Laura Bush and Cherie Blair, wife of the former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, also attended the program on behalf of their own organizations. Bush spoke to the first ladies and praised the women for using their public platform to champion change in their countries.(Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

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Western Friends - Former U.S. first lady Laura Bush and Cherie Blair, wife of the former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, also attended the program on behalf of their own organizations. Bush spoke to the first ladies and praised the women for using their public platform to champion change in their countries.(Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

Strategic Partners - The initiative includes a five-day seminar for the first ladies’ senior staff that will focus on providing tools to evaluate the efficacy of health programs and strategic planning in their countries. (Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

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Strategic Partners - The initiative includes a five-day seminar for the first ladies’ senior staff that will focus on providing tools to evaluate the efficacy of health programs and strategic planning in their countries. (Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

Global Reach - “Active and engaged first ladies have the opportunity to provide vital leadership on vexing health and education issues – important problems that affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people,” said Susan Marquis, dean of the Pardee RAND Graduate School (PRGS). (Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

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Global Reach - “Active and engaged first ladies have the opportunity to provide vital leadership on vexing health and education issues – important problems that affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people,” said Susan Marquis, dean of the Pardee RAND Graduate School (PRGS). (Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

Peer to Peer - The New York meeting gave the first ladies a chance to fellowship with each other and discuss the opportunities and challenges of trying to work for the social good. Here, former Malawi First Lady Callista Mutharika listens on. (Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)

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Peer to Peer - The New York meeting gave the first ladies a chance to fellowship with each other and discuss the opportunities and challenges of trying to work for the social good. Here, former Malawi First Lady Callista Mutharika listens on. (Photo: Courtesy Diane Bondareff/Rand.org)