On Tuesday, Novemebr 19 the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See delegation, represented by Laura Hochla – Chargé d’Affaires together with Alyce Ahn – Political-Economic Officer and Chiara Di Mizio – Public Engagement Specialist has been welcomed to CUAMM headquarter in Padua.
«It is a privilege to visit the headquarters of CUAMM, our long-time partners. We are honored to support the substantive and impactful work of your team. CUAMM’s efforts to improve the health of vulnerable communities in Africa and in many other countries facing challenges is an inspiration. Thank you for all you do” said Laura Hochla during the meeting.
The visit was an occasion for the delegation to meet CUAMM Country Representatives and better know our commitment in 9 countries in sub-Saharan Africa as well as our interventions in Italy and Eastern Europe.
«Since several years, CUAMM relationship with the US Embassy to the Holy See has played a key role for our activities both in Africa and in Italy. We are grateful for the funds received which allows us to keep working for the most vulnerable groups, not only in Africa but also here in Italy» said Don Dante Carraro – CUAMM Director General mentioning the collaboration between CUAMM and the Immigration Office at Padua Police Headquarters.
Laura Hochla – Chargé d’Affaires at US Embassy to the Holy See and Don Dante Carraro – CUAMM Director General
CUAMM has been working in collaboration with the Padua Police Headquarters since March 2022 to support the Office in managing and running hundreds of requests resulting from the Ukrainian crisis. Today, thanks to the fund received from the US Embassy to the Holy See, the collaboration continues. Speaking of CUAMM’s commitment in Italy, another health intervention mentioned during the meeting was the one in Apulia region where CUAMM works to provide health services to refugee and migrant communities in the province of Foggia. An intervention that has also benefited from the support of the US Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) through the Julia Taft grant.
Being CUAMM’s main mission, the meeting gave ample room to various topics related to the work in Africa. The discussion ranged from CUAMM long-term commitment in favor of maternal and newborn health, to the latest efforts in supporting faith-based organizations across 25 Africa countries, to the main challenges in the poorest countries namely South Sudan and Central African Republic, to the lessons learned from the over 66-years-long presence in Uganda, the discourse also delved into localization as a new paradigm in humanitarian aid and international cooperation.
«As CUAMM we strengthen local capacities to deliver high-quality healthcare services. We work in partnership with MoHs, healthcare providers, and civil society partners and provide technical assistance and capacity building, as well as other resources they may need to institutionalize and sustain evidence-based approaches and best practices with proven life-saving impact. We regularly work with facilitators from MoHs when delivering trainings so as to ensure adherence to national guidelines and standards» stated Andrea Atzori – Head of International Relations at CUAMM concluding the meeting.
