The First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, was this week honoured with a Leadership Award by the by Global Health Progress Initiative, in recognition of her outstanding efforts in promoting health care.

During the ceremony, Mrs Kagame was celebrated as a role model, in offering leadership to the improvement of the health sector not just in Rwanda but continentally.

She is especially recognized for her efforts in the fight against HIVAIDS, having developed the national plan of action for the protection and care of families against HIV, through a family package aimed at prevention of mother to child infection.

The award comes at an appropriate time, when we celebrate the Mother and Child Health Week, with Mrs Kagame, in her speech at the launch of the campaign, emphasizing the need for concerted efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality rates. She also called upon women in leadership to sensitise other women on maternal related issues.

These efforts by the First Lady should also be viewed within a broader context of the humanitarian work she is doing as the Patron of the Imbuto Foundation. She has endeared herself well with the grassroots, as she promotes women’s and the girl child’s welfare.

Over the past weeks the Foundation has been engaged in various programmes, ranging from awarding best performing female students to recognizing efforts by foster mothers, in caring for orphans.

In other areas such as the private sector, the Foundation has sought to groom young entrepreneurs.

Indeed the First Lady’s plate has been full, as she tackled some of the challenges faced by women head-on.

With the high esteem given to her office, Rwandan women and children are blessed to not only having just her ears, but her presence in their lives as well. With an ally like her in promoting their welfare, significant changes will be made in our society.

Ends