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27 Oct 2005

Next stop Africa?

Manas Chakrabarti addressing the visitors

A delegation of African Leaders came calling at one of the Hole-in-the-Wall sites in New Delhi recently. The delegation, led by H.E. Dr. Bernard Zoba, consisted of leaders of African Union (AU) and Ambassadors to India from various African countries. The African dignitaries, who visited HiWEL’s Vivekanand Camp site, were invited by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, to witness a Hole-in-the-Wall site.

On the occasion, Mr. Manas Chakrabarti, Head of HiWEL, introduced the visitors to Hole-in-the-Wall. He explained the idea, the concept, the history behind it and the way it works. Subsequently, Manas, along with Joint Secretary-MEA, Mr. Navdeep Suri, answered the queries raised by the dignitaries. H.E. Dr. Zoba, who is the AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, addressed the entire gathering with the assistance of an interpreter. In his speech, Dr. Zoba thanked HiWEL and MEA for the opportunity to see a Hole-in-the-Wall Learning Station and hoped that they could do something similar in Africa.

H.E. Dr. Bernard Zoba (right) speaking at the occasion

Afterwards, the members of the delegation observed the children using the Learning Station and interacted freely with them. They were visibly impressed by the skills of the children as also by the difference the Learning Station had made to the life of the children. Members of the delegation appeared enthused by the entire experience and inquired about the possibility of setting up HiWEL Learning Stations in their respective countries.

About AU
The African Union, founded in July 2002, is the successor organisation to the Organisation of African Unity. It aims are to help promote democracy, human rights and development across Africa. For more information, visit http://www.africa-union.org/.