Peng Liyuan, African first ladies launch health campaign for orphans in Africa

Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, has teamed up with the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) through its president, Namibia’s First Lady Monica Geingos, to initiate a health care campaign for African orphans.

(Photo courtesy of the Chinese Embassy in Namibia)

Chinese embassies and medical teams in African countries have visited children in local orphanages and relevant institutions, carrying out activities such as free medical check-ups and donating care bags.

On the charity activity, Peng said China is Africa's forever friend and sincere partner. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Chinese government sending medical teams to Africa. The Chinese medical teams have assisted the people of African countries and become envoys to carry forward China-Africa friendship.

Peng expressed her hope that the health care campaign for African orphans could provide warmth and care to children, improve the health and well-being of African children, and contribute to building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

In Namibia, the event, which took place on Wednesday, May 31, saw around 100 children getting medically checked for diseases at the Namibia Children’s Home in Windhoek.

“The medical attention that will be administered at the Namibia Children’s Home includes checking the children’s eyes, teeth, skin, spinal cord, and for congenital heart diseases,” Yan Runqing, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Namibia, told People’s Daily Online prior to the event.

He said to ensure the success of the event, Chinese doctors have been dispatched to Namibia, especially for these medical checks.

“We have 10 doctors who are from the Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine,” Yan said.

The medical experts are specialists in cardiology, pediatrics, stomatology, ophthalmology and dermatology.

Peng has been a staunch advocate for children's welfare. In 2015, she visited an orphanage in Harare, Zimbabwe, accompanied by then First Lady Grace Mugabe. Peng said orphans are the most vulnerable and at-risk community in a society, so it is the common responsibility of society to make them live a happy life and get a good education, as other children do.

Namibia’s First Lady Monica Geingos delivers a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Warm Children’s Hearts initiative in Windhoek, Namibia. (Photo from the official Facebook page of Monica Geingos, the First Lady of Namibia)

Geingos said during the opening ceremony in Windhoek she is honored to collaborate with her Chinese counterpart on the initiative where Chinese medical teams provide free medical checkups for vulnerable children in Africa.

“I appreciate that she (Mdm. Peng Liyuan) uses her voice to amplify the needs of young people. We must ensure that our children healthy, educated, loved and protected from harm,” said Geingos.

Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhao Weiping said that Professor Peng Liyuan cares deeply about the healthy growth of children, and the free medical check was an important part of the health care campaign for African orphans "Warm Children's Hearts, a China-Africa Joint Action", which was jointly initiated by Professor Peng and the Organization of African First Ladies for Development. He further pointed out that Professor Peng’s love for African children is a vivid demonstration of the Chinese people’s fraternal friendship to the African People.

Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhao Weiping delivers a speech at the ceremony. (Photo courtesy of the Chinese Embassy in Namibia)

Gina Martin from Namibia Children’s Home said this initiative has a huge impact on them as an organ.

“It has a big impact, a big impact that helps people that are unable to help themselves medically well. Some of us are not fortunate enough money-wise to get medical check-ups or medical treatment. So this program in this event helps us achieve more in life than what is expected,” Martin said.

Photo shows the 10 Chinese medical experts who conducted health checkups on children at the Namibia Children’s Home. (Photo from the official Facebook page of Monica Geingos, the First Lady of Namibia)

Paheja Siririka is a journalist from the New Era Newspaper of Namibia.