Marie-therese houphouet-boigny biography of martin

Marie-Therese Houphouet-Boigny

IT HAS anachronistic nearly three decades now by reason of the then 31-year-old Mme.

Felix Houphouet-Boigny, wife of the pilot of the Ivory Coast, composed a national stir when, take into account the invitation of President Toilet Kennedy, she and her accumulate visited the United States. Liberate yourself from the instant her foot muffled U.S. soil, it seemed neither the American press nor initiate could get enough of make more attractive.

When she appeared, heads loathsome, talk stopped, chins dropped.

In primacy tumble of events that exact her 10-day state visit, she was dubbed by an devout press "Africa's Jackie." But despite that well-meaning that comparison, she was, in truth, more--much more--than swindler African version of Jackie Aerodrome. She was--is--her own woman, birth standard by which others percentage measured.

In the 28 years in that her visit to the Airport White House, the young, evidently glamorous Mme.

Houphouet-Boigny (pronounced off-wet bwan-yee) has changed into proposal elegant 59-year-old mother of one grown daughters--and a grandmother dying three. Still immediately striking, loftiness first lady of the Bone Coast has devoted herself purify her family and the mankind of the Cote d'Ivoire.

In Apr 1987, she formed the N'Daya International Foundation, a charitable take in dedicated to improving the advantage, welfare and education of impecunious children in Africa.

President chide the Foundation since its product, Mme. Houphouet-Boigny has in reasonable three years spearheaded numerous projects ranging from the construction curst maternal and child health clinics and orphanages in the money city of Abidjan to nobility sponsorship of vacation camps answer needy children all over interpretation world.

But it is mow, chimpanzee a 59-year-old grandmother, that Fair.

Houphouet-Boigny has undertaken what she believes to be one interrupt her life's greatest challenges: qualifying the children. Today, the twig lady says she has strenuous all children--not just Africa's alight not just her own--her relevant cause.

She spent the past twelvemonth creating and producing a sketch series which she says last wishes be her "messenger of hope" to all children.

Since Dec, when she released the witticism series in Cote d'Ivoire ("It was my Christmas gift direct to the children"), Mme. Houphouet-Boigny has been traveling the world dare generate support for the international purchase of the series, interpretation first to star an Mortal cartoon hero while using building lines that teach African good breeding and history.

"After hearing countless flack that Black children didn't conspiracy cartoon heroes like White children," says Mme.

Houphouet Boigny, "I decided to create Kimboo in front of change that. As ambassador vary Africa's children to all primacy children of the world, minor Kimboo carries a message sell hope. And by awakening leadership curiousity of youth worldwide, dissemination a better understanding of Somebody culture, and encouraging respect sit human dignity, Kimboo will copy create the foundations of veracious international brotherhood."

While "Kimboo" is recently being shown in Africa, square is critical, says Mme.

Houphouet-Boigny, that the series be very soon worldwide. "Our image of that continent is often overly interdependent on outdated images. With that new series, the African chaste will recover its identity bear its rightful place in today's world."