King Mohammed VI Foundation for Sustainable Development and Imbuto Foundation, yesterday, established a partnership to facilitate cooperation on common interests. 

The two foundations will be working together for sustainable development in areas such as health, education, youth and women economic empowerment of citizens in respective countries.

The agreement was inked in the presence of visiting King Mohammed VI, President Paul Kagame, and First Lady Jeannette Kagame. 

The agreement was signed by the King’s foundation delegate Mostafa Terrab and Rita Zirimwabagabo, the Vice Chairperson of Imbuto Foundation. 

The new partnership is accompanied by a grant of Euro 1 million to Imbuto Foundation toward health and socio-economic empowerment.

Speaking after the partnership agreement, Sandrine Umutoni, the Acting Director General of Imbuto Foundation explained that the partnership was testimony to the South –South cooperation which holds a promise of development to the citizens of the two countries. 

"These two foundations will be working together for sustainable development and have signed a memorandum of understanding to that effect,” she said.

In the health sector, part of the grant will be used in the creation of an industrial kitchen in partnership with Solid Africa Foundation to provide food to vulnerable patients in public hospitals. 

Solid Africa Foundation is a non- governmental organisation that supports vulnerable patients. Founded by Isabelle Kamariza in 2011, the foundation runs programmes to cater for the welfare of vulnerable patients in public hospitals.

"We will be partnering with Solid Africa which speaks to the objectives of developing healthy communities. They deal with over 300 patients every day,” Umutoni said.

In the empowerment of the community, Umutoni said that the grant will be used to develop a model village around a centre of Early Childhood Development in the community.

Presenting highlights to King Mohammed VI, Umutoni said that the 15 year old organisation work is always aligned to the government priorities and works to complement national strategies. 

Imbuto Foundation, which was started in 2001 by First Lady Jeannette Kagame, is involved in health and social economic causes which it fulfills through advocacy, community outreach, mentorship, fostering partnerships and unleashing young talent. 

Like Imbuto Foundation, the Moroccan King’s foundation has a long track record of working to improve the livelihoods of citizens in a number of African countries.

The Foundation’s delegate Mostafa Terrab said that, since its establishment in 2006, they have been able to roll out about 20 initiatives in seven African countries. 

The Foundation works in three major areas, including healthcare, human development and animal health and fisheries. 

Among their key initiatives is an eye clinic in Senegal which has so far carried out over 800 eye surgeries, a prenatal clinic in Mali and a Mother Child clinic in Conakry Guinea. 

In human development, the Foundation works in vocational training and technical education whereby they have so far established five schools in Madagascar with 4000 trainees so far.

Terrab said that they take pride in the newly forged partnership as they share the values of Imbuto Foundation.

"We are proud of our new partnership with Imbuto Foundation as we share similar human values and are committed to South-South partnership with a sense of solidarity,” he said. 

The King, who arrived in the country on Tuesday, has witnessed the signing of 24 agreements in multiple areas, including diplomatic, financial, private sector cooperation and charity foundations, among others.

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