Sister Cities International Receives Grant to Support Sino-Africa-U.S. Urban Poverty Initiative

Nov. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- WASHINGTON, DC —Sister Cities International has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in support of its Sino-Africa-U.S. Urban Poverty Initiative.

The Sister Cities International’s Sino-Africa-U.S. Urban Poverty Initiative will promote trilateral partnerships between U.S., Chinese, and African sister cities to carry out assessments, host international forums, and implement urban poverty alleviation projects in Africa. The initiative will conclude with a feasibility report on best practices in creating U.S.-China-Africa trilateral partnerships.

“We are so grateful that the Foundation recognizes the importance of engaging our partners in China and Africa to alleviate urban poverty,” said Mary D. Kane, President and CEO of Sister Cities International. “The trilateral model promotes more south-to-south partnerships and aims to boost municipal resources using corporate responsibility, higher education, and municipal development. This is an exciting time for our organization as we build upon our African Urban Poverty Alleviation Program, funded by the Foundation since 2009.”

The African Urban Poverty Alleviation Program was designed to address urban poverty in 24 African cities through water, health, and sanitation projects developed collaboratively by U.S. and African sister city programs. This includes participation and support from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, municipal governments and traditional leaders in Africa to provide sustained technical assistance and community development strategies. The Sino-Africa-U.S. Urban Poverty Initiative will incorporate Chinese sister city programs for a trilateral approach.


About Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International facilitates nearly 2,000 partnerships in 136 counties on six continents between 600 communities in the United States with similar municipalities abroad. Sister Cities International represents citizen diplomats who work tirelessly to promote the organizations' mission of creating world peace and cultural understanding through economic and sustainable development programs, youth and education projects, arts and culture, and humanitarian assistance.

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