A group of Congresswomen traveled to Malawi and Kenya with the global poverty-fighting organization CARE to see how the U.S. government is empowering the next generation of mothers and girls.
The delegation was led by CARE’s President and CEO, Helene D. Gayle marking her last congressional trip with CARE after nearly a decade of service. Dr. Gayle was joined by Ambassador Deborah Birx, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator & U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, U.S. Department of State. Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) co-anchored the trip. Other participants included Reps. Julia Brownley (D-CA), Lois Frankel (D-FL) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX).
The delegation was joined by other influential leaders from the U.S. Department of State, Center for Strategic and International Studies and the General Mills Foundation. The five-day trip highlighted the role U.S. investments in women and girl’s empowerment has played in building healthier, stronger and more resilient communities. This Learning Tour comes at a critical time as Congress debates the International Affairs Budget.
Despite some socioeconomic progress, both Kenya and Malawi continue to struggle with high rates of poverty, food insecurity, HIV/AIDS infection and maternal and child mortality. The trip started in Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world, where the delegation witnessed how investing in women and girls results in higher educational attainment, expanded economic resources and healthier families.
The second half of the trip explored the challenges meeting high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, particularly among adolescent girls and pregnant women. In Kenya, the delegation focused on programs that showed the positive impact of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
