Dutch fashion designer Marlies Dekkers visits MKI Health Information Centre in Khayelitsha

Marlies Dekkers, well known for her designs of gorgeous lingerie, visited our centre on Friday December 4th after having been introduced to MKI and its YOELL project the night before.
Marlies and her two personal assistants first set in on an oral health workshop presented by MKI trainer May Msingathi.
They then showed great interest in MKI’s YOELL project and Marlies shared her dream of wanting to include a YOELL bracelet with her 2011 collection. Yasmin Fuyk, MKI’s operational manager and in charge of the YOELL project, will be working with Marlies and her assistant Manon de Lange.

Pictures: Marlies Dekkers and Yasmin Fuyk at the Dutch Ambassadors party and during Marlies’ visit to the centre in Khayelitsha

Networking in Cape Town during Dutch Ambassadors 2010 party

Even though I am not that interested in football and everything that goes with it, it was a great event on the eve of the drawing for the 2010 world cup championship in South Africa.

On the day of the party and on the day before the party MKI was featured in the well known South African Newspaper “Die Burger” so it was not that surprising that some of the many Dutch people present came to talk and to congratulate me with the award that MKI received, two days before on World AIDS day.

Pictures: Erica Terpstra felt like kissing, while Ruud Gullit and Hans Vonk showed great interest in MKI activities.

A new MKI Health Information Centre, this time in Kayamandi

One day after World AIDS day, Marijke Cordia van der Laan and her daughter Elaine van Reesema cut the red ribbon on the staircase of the new MKI Health Information Centre.
It was the family Cordia who made it possible for us to create our own MKI Centre on top of an existing building of our new partner, the Stellenbosch Gemeente in the township of Kayamandi.
Many people, including many children, participated in the opening ceremony. Speeches, prayers and lots of singing. Before the opening ceremony, Fikiswa, the first manager and trainer of our centre gave a stunning workshop on high blood pressure. She was assisted by Dr. Tom Garven, MKI’s Medical Director for Southern Africa.
The new MKI Centre will not only be serving Kayamandi, but also four other surrounding townships.

Pictures: An unforgettable event in Kayamandi. Marijke and Elaine after cutting the ribbon

MKI salutes Professor Jan du Toit

The Medical Knowledge Institute salutes Prof Jan du Toit the dynamic leader behind the Africa Center for HIV/AIDS management at Stellenbosch University and a distinguish member of MKI’s International Board of Advisors.

Picture: Prof. du Toit at the opening of the 5th anual World AIDS Day Gala Concert

Award for humanitarian efforts in the field of HIV/AIDS for the Medical Knowledge Institute on Worlds AIDS day.

It is with great pleasure that I inform you that our Medical Knowledge Institute (MKI) received the Award for Humanitarian efforts in the field of HIV/AIDS from the Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management at Stellenbosch University.

This all happened during an overwhelming World AIDS Gala Concert at the Art Gallery in Cape Town. The evening's theme, "Celebrating Heroes", revolved around individuals and organizations who have contributed to the fight against AIDS.

Two individuals and one organization (Ms. Irene Biraro-Seguya from Kenya and Prof. Bongani Aug Khumalo from South Africa) received the 2009 Humanitarian Award.

I received the award on behalf of MKI from Prof. Michael Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under Secretary General of the United Nations and Prof. Jan du Toit, Director of the Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management.

All of this in the presence of many dignitaries like Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Premier Minister Helen Zille of the Western Cape, the Counsel General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr. & Mrs. David de Waal and many others.

Dear friends, I received this very special award on behalf of all of us involved in the mission and goals of the Medical Knowledge Institute.

Warm greetings from South Africa,

Harold

Jimmie Earl Perry, MKI’s Goodwill Ambassador appointed first UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for South Africa

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS has appointed Professor Jimmie Earl Perry as its first Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS in South Africa in an effort to address the alarming rate of people infected with the disease in the country. The announcement was made by Executive Director of UNAIDS, Mr. Michel Sidibe, at the World Aids Day gala concert held at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town, produced and directed by Prof. Perry and hosted by Stellenbosch University’s Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management on World Aids Day. Professor Perry, a singer, actor and dancer, is currently the Director of the Centre’s Educational Theatre and Creative Arts Program.

The UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassadors are prominent individuals from the world of arts, science, literature, entertainment, sport and other fields of public life who have expressed their desire to contribute to UNAIDS and to move the AIDS response forward.

According to Mr Sidibe: “Professor Perry has demonstrated a commitment to the AIDS response through his work with the creative arts and UNAIDS is confident that he will be a compelling and eloquent advocate in fostering continued support for the response and the work of UNAIDS in particular.” He noted that although South Africa has the largest HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world, advocacy remains a crucial first-line approach to keeping HIV high on the agenda.

Professor Perry, who has been involved in HIV/AIDS awareness initiatives since the 80s, says he is honoured and humbled to have been asked to be a Goodwill Ambassador. According to him, his mandate from UNAIDS is to advocate universal access and equality for all and to continue to creatively educate, help prevent and minimize new HIV infections. “If we are to turn this pandemic around South Africans have to really understand what the virus is, how it is spread, that it is not a death sentence thanks to medical treatment and to put an end to the fear and stigma of living with HIV.”

The appointment of Professor Perry brings the total of international Goodwill Ambassadors to eight. The others being Emmanuel Adebayor and Michael Ballack (football stars); Naomi Watts (actress); Salman Ahmad and Toumani Diabaté (musicians); Her Serene Highness Princess Stephanie of Monaco; and Her Royal Highness Princess Mathilde of Belgium. They represent the Joint United Programme on HIV/AIDS, which coordinates the HIV/AIDS work of UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank. They raise the profile of work and the fight against stigma and discrimination on HIV issues for every affected population around the world.

We at MKI are proud of our Goodwill Ambassador Perry.

PICTURES: Prof. Jimmie Earl Perry in action, and being congratulated by the Executive Director of UNAIDS.

Presenting Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu with the Dutch van Emden Prize on World AIDS day.

MKI’s honorary Chairman, Baron Kraijenhoff should have been the one standing on stage on World AIDS day in Cape Town, South Africa to present Desmond Tutu with the Dutch van Emden Prize. However because of ill health I had the honor to do it. Guup Kraijenhoff had sent the following message:

“Dear Archbishop Tutu,

We consider it an honor that you accept the Van Emden Prize which is awarded outside the Netherlands tonight for the first time.

Your merits have been recognized worldwide but what is so special about you is that you never stopped taking interest in the small charity operations – the grassroots activities and supported them in every way you can.

They have the advantage of remaining flexible and ready to cooperate with other societies. I am thinking here of one organizations with whom you and I have very close ties, the Medical Knowledge Institute MKI.

But there are many more of these “hands-on” organizations, some of them even carry your name that you inspire with your unending love for humanity.

Every society however small needs a champion, a hero, and you are our hero not only tonight but for forever”.

Pictures: Presenting Desmond Tutu with the Van Emden Prize on behalf of Guup Kraijenhoff.

MKI and the 46664 bangle of the Nelson Mandela Foundation

“It never ceases to amaze me how people react to situations when they realize that a small action can have big implications, The response in Holland over the last two weeks since the launch of the 46664 bangle in de Bijenkorf Amsterdam store has see the sales increase at a fantastic rate” said Robert Coutts the CEO of the 46664 Bangle Initiative. The generosity of the Dutch people is very evident in the way they have taken to helping others less fortunate and started taking the 46664 bangle program to heart by buying the bangles.

It is equally gratifying to see how people like Dr. Harold Robles, founder & president of the Medical Knowledge Institute took the bangle program under his wing for the Benelux region and opened doors so that we would be able to launch in Holland with all the correct partners and fanfare the initiative deserves. De Bijenkorf the selected partner to launch the program, provided a platform in the best store at the busiest time and only goes to show that the retailer who really do care are prepared to allow programs like the 46664 bangle initiative to gain access to the general public via their retail outlets.

This festive season de Bijenkorf deserve your support as much as we would like the 46664 bangle program to gain your support for this generous opportunity they have given the 46664 bangle program.
We look forward to making a large impact via the de Bijenkorf stores throughout the Benelux region.
The bangles are available in Copper, Silver, Gold and Platinum at €36.99, € 186.00 respectively for Copper and Silver with the Gold and Platinum on special order only.

Pictures: Kenneth Herdigein and Sebastiaan Labrie, South Africa Ambassador Peter Goosen and Baron Kraijenhoff, Ambassador Goosen and Kenneth Herdigein receiving the 46664 Bangle (2x), Kim Vos, Kenneth Herdigein and Ambassador Goosen, Robert Couts and Harold Robles, and finally THE 46664 BANGLE.

Michael Gorbachev, celebrating a friendship of more than 15 years.

What a joy it was to see my old friend, former President Michael Gorbachev again last Sunday, October 25, 2009. We go a long way back, I have for instance been chairman of his organization ‘International Trust for Children’s Healthcare’.
I was invited to have lunch with him at the Hermitage in Amsterdam. His first remarks were that I had grown grayer…
He was interested in my activities in South Africa and we talked about the growing HIV/AIDS problems in his country.
He was accompanied by two old friends from the past; his personal assistance and translator Pavel and Alexander Likhotal, President and CEO of Green Cross International, an organization created by Gorbachev in 1993.

Pictures:
1. With Michael Gorbachev in Amsterdam on October 25, 2009
2. 12 years earlier at a press conference in Wallingford Connecticut, USA after being appointed Chairman of Michael Gorbachev’s International Trust for Children’s Healthcare

Summary of MKI activities in the United States:

Report from Erin Edward, Member MKI Supervisory Council

There has been quite some excitement about MKI in the last two months much of this related to Harold’s visit in September. Here are several of the highlights:
1. Lynne Wilkie of Massachusetts has kindly agreed to take on the role of volunteer coordinator for MKI in the US based from the Futures’ office in Springfield, Massachusetts. Lynne will be working on MKI organizational, program and fund raising projects in the US and will be meeting with MKI staff in Holland
2. Harold and Peter has opened up collaboration with the following groups in the US:
a. Safe Blood is a Washington based NGO committed to improving the quality of the blood supply in Africa. They have pioneered the Club 25 model which is based on social clubs supporting health and wellness in young people who then become blood donors. MKI is considering a collaboration using this model in their Health Information Centers .
b. The VOSS Foundation is dedicated to improving water supply in Africa through purification and education programs and collaboration will be discussed.
3. Harold and Peter have received commitments from the following organizations to collaborate with MKI:
a. The Urban League of Springfield, Massachusetts has agreed to send staff to volunteer in MKI programs and will accept students at its summer camp programs. The Urban League is a leader in black civil rights and equal access issues in the United States.
b. The National Children Center, a well known leader in educational and health services to people with disabilities, has agreed to serve as a program host for MKI in country volunteers and also have its staff volunteer at MKI programs.
c. The Rotary Club of Amherst, Massachusetts has agreed to assist MKI in its work in Africa following a presentation from Harold. Katie Murphy who brought the “language of toys “program to Kalumbia had organized this meeting and will continue this relationship with other presentations.
d. Volckert and Elaine van Reesema, Gusta and Nikel van Reesema and Willem and Marijke Cordia families organized an evening with friends for Harold at their home in Rowayton, Connecticut. MKI has received donations with the promise of additional help in fund raising and in marketing of YOELL®.
e. Several groups and people have offered assistance to MKI in the expansion of YOELL® into the United States.

4. During the visit, Harold was able to complete an agreement with The American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. This is a small college that has focused on developing a student body integrated between black, white and Asian students with a majority non white population on an urban inner city campus. The agreement has the following elements:
a. The college has appointed Harold as its distinguished visiting professor of health, education and the humanities for its doctoral program.
b. The college has agreed to offer MKI scholarship programs for four undergraduates per year and two doctoral students from Southern Africa who will be in residence.
c. The college has agreed to create and develop a program of student and faculty exchange.
d. The college has agreed to award an honorary doctoral degree to Archbishop Desmond Tutu at a special ceremony in April, 2010.
e. The college and MKI have agreed to sponsor the Medical Knowledge Institute Archbishop Desmond Tutu lecture series at the American International College. This is meant to be an annual event dedicated to health, education and the humanities that will be inaugurated with Archbishop Tutu’s speech on April 19, 2010.

5. MKI is pleased to announce that the paperwork has been filed and awaiting approval for status as a US not for profit. MKI has secured a tax identification number, has opened up a bank account and will now be able to receive donations directly from both individuals and groups. MKI will also be able to contract with government and private funding sources that require such status.

6. Our group is currently pursuing the following activities in addition to the items already noted:
a. The development of a US based healthcare and medical faculty available to volunteer in MKI programs. This would include but not be limited to: pediatrics, maternal and family health, urology, gynecology and orthopedics.
b. The expansion of the YOELL® program
c. A collaboration and partnership with a US based family planning council with access to staff and programs supporting people with HIV/AIDS as well as other health issues.
d. A conversation with the Gates Foundation
e. The development of a cohort of US based volunteers

Picture: Harold Robles and Peter Bittel wit the President and CEO Philip Campbell of NCC (in between)

The similarity between Ans Markus, the Sandton Hotels and the Medical Knowledge Institute.

On September 17 this year something special will happen; the Sandton Hotels in the Netherlands will officially become the hospitality partners of the Medical Knowledge Institute.

The management of this unique hotel chain will join the Medical Knowledge Institute in its mission: Prevention through Education. At Sandton Hotels they believe in MKI’s fundamental principals that Healthcare Education and Information is indeed a human right and that no one should be deprived of that. One of MKI’s greatest supporters, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, is very excited about this new venture and has written a letter which I will proudly deliver on September 17 to Gui de Vries and Rogier Braakman, the founding fathers of the Sandton Hotels.

So what is Ans Markus’ role in all of this? For those how wonder who Ans Markus is: In one of the many books about Ans they write about “a phenomenon”. She is well known from television, the gossip magazines and the numerous interviews in newspapers and magazines. There are those among the general public who have forgotten why she became so famous that she has not only an incredibly famous face, but actually is a renowned painter. Already for twenty-five years. She produced more than 650 paintings. She depicts images of what she felt. No abstract ones, the most obvious, but of very realistic women, for instance a woman in bandages on a swing in the air. One of the ropes is starting to snap. How does that feel? Terrifying, insecure, powerless, lonely, wanting to find protection, constrained.

Ans Markus’s work is very much about what women feel. About vulnerability, freedom, communicating with others. So when Patricia Steur introduced me to Ans Markus and I told her about my dreams and hopes for the many unfortunate mothers and their children in Africa, she and I connected. In just a few moments a connection of a long term friendship and respect was born.

Now for the first time she is designing jewelry for YOELL®, the unique jewelry collection of the Medical Knowledge Institute handmade by HIV infected women in South Africa.

On September 17 Ans will present the first piece of jewelry named “Sandton” in honor of the relationship between the Sandton Hotels and the Medical Knowledge Institute. Last week I had the privilege to see this wonderful piece of jewelry, which I am not able to share with you yet. What I can share however is that Ans Markus has designed a dozen of the most beautiful pieces of new YOELL® jewelry. Our YOELL® ladies in South Africa are gearing up to start a new production.

Patricia; thank you for the gift: Ans Markus, an extremely kind and sympathetic lady ready to contribute a little to creating a better world.

Picture: together with Patricia Steur and Ans Markus

The summer soccer competition playing for MKI

For the last 5 years, Maarten Tuininga has been organizing a summer soccer competition between companies in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Staff of companies like KPN, Heineken, ABN/AMRO Bank and Google gather during the summer afternoons to play soccer against each other.

This has turned into a very serious competition event where companies now have to sign up and pay an entry fee to participate.
This year for instance, 40 companies signed up with more than 400 participants.

Maarten found out about the activities of the Medical Knowledge Institute and decided that he would donate part of the proceeds to the educational projects of MKI in Southern Africa.

My father joined me for the opening ceremony of the summer soccer competition which took place on June 4th. This past Saturday, July 25th the final game was played in Amsterdam.

Barbara Barend our Goodwill Ambassador, a television sport journalist was at hand to officially kick off the final game and later on to present the trophies to the winners of this year, KPN.

Many thanks to Maarten Tuininga who announced that MKI will once again be part of the good cause of next years summer soccer competition.

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Pictures: Together with Barbara Barend and Maarten Tuininga, the two final teams and below Barbara Barend at the official kick off.

"You may ask yourself – why do I need a Health Passport? ..........
Because it can save your life!”

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu strongly supports the MKI Biometric Health Passport, proving the following passage from the foreword in the passport: “I salute the Medical Knowledge Institute and priv-ID, a spin-out company of Royal Philips Electronics, for having developed this important initiative. Now, it is up to you, to support this venture by putting your very own Health Passport to work – carry it with you whenever you seek medical help, and make sure that it is always up-to-date with all information regarding your health status, and the health status of your children.”

It was another unforgettable event at the MKI Health Information Centre at Baphumelele in Khayelitsha where many officials came together to witness the first MKI Health Passport being handed over to Mama Rosie, the founder and director of Khayelitsha childrens home Baphumelele.

The official kick off took place on June 19th at 11.00 hrs by the Dutch Consul General, David de Waal:
I am very proud and happy that we have found priv-ID, the Dutch spin-out company of Royal Philips Electronics to join us in this project. Priv-ID provides the biometric software which increases the value of this unique health passport.

I would like to use this opportunity to thank Michiel van der Veen, the CEO of priv-ID for his vision but also for his support and belief in MKI. In a very short time Michiel and his team have become special friends of MKI.

The Health Passport (HP) is a new, unique approach for collecting a patient’s medical data and history in one easy to handle booklet. The HP is targeted for people of local health care facilities and especially mothers and their children who visit local Health Information Centre’s of MKI.

The current pilot is scheduled to last four months and will be held in three locations: the townships near Cape Town where MKI has established two of its Health Information Centres in association with the local healthcare facilities; and two nearby healthcare facilities that are associated with the South African Red Cross Society (SARCS).

Many thanks to the many people who made the launch of the Health Passport possible. A very special thank you to MKI’s South African Representative Kirsty Hunt and my friend Dr. Tom Garven MKI’s Medical Director for their invaluable input. A very special thank you to the South African Red Cross, its Secretary General, Mandisa Kolako Williams and her Cape Town team under the dynamic leadership of David Stephans for their great support in this project.

Pictures:
1. With Tom Garven and Kirsty Hunt in front of the MKI Centre in Khayelitsha.
2. Michiel v.d. Veen and Joop Strous are training our Dutch student-interns at the Centre Michiel .., Aleid van der Wiel and Margot Wijnen.
3. With the Dutch Consul General, David de Waal during the official launch

4. During the presentations
5. Mama Rosie with the first MKI Health Passport
6. This lady in her Sunday outfit showing off her health passport
7. Waiting in line to receive the first Health Passport
8. Dancing and singing at the launch of the Health Passport
9. Together with Tom and Michiel I am showing off my Health Passport
10. Xolani now in charge of the registration at the MKI Centre in Khayelitsha.

Peter Goosen, the New South African Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

A breath of fresh air was my first reaction when I met with Peter Goosen, the new South African Ambassador for the Netherlands. What a joy it was to have been invited to meet with Peter who was well informed about MKI and its activities in Southern Africa thanks to his secretary Carla Dormehl, who for many years now has been a great friend of MKI.

I offered Peter my support in the creation of a form of Dutch NGO working in South Africa. He and I will be continuing our discussions in the coming months. Peter, very interested in MKI’s activities, offered his diplomatic support which we will use from time to time.

Peter Goosen, born in South Africa, is the former South African Ambassador to the Argentine Republic and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay. He held the position of Chief Director for Peace and Security at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pretoria and was the Chief Director for Disarmament and Non-Proliferations Affairs.
He started his first diplomatic career as Third Secretary at the South African Embassy in London and later as the First Secretary in Washington DC. Peter was also Deputy Head of Mission in Geneva, Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament.

Peter Goossen is a true great asset to the Netherlands as the representative of the South African Government to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

MKI Health Information Centre @ Cotland in Soweto

With the 4 new MKI Trainers of Soweto


With the representative of the Dutch Ambassador
and Jackie Schoeman, Executive Director of Cotland

It was an unforgettable beautiful day yesterday, Tuesday may 12th in Soweto.
So many people showed up for the grand opening and the celebration of a very special partnership between MKI and Cotland

African ladies dressed in their finest traditional dresses were dancing and singing under a sunny blue sky.

The Dutch Ambassador was represented and the audience enjoyed the personal message from Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.

"I am deeply sorry that I will not be able to participate at the opening ceremony of the MKI Health Information Centre at Cotland ion Soweto.

But let me start by saying that I will be there with all of you in spirit.

I am very excited that the Medical Knowledge Institute, with whom I am proudly associated, has entered into a healthcare education partnership with Cotland, one of South Africa's oldest and most well-loved children's charities.

I am well aware of the activities of both organization and applaud their partnership.

The MKI Health Information Centre have proved to be very successful, a very simple grassroots centre, that offer a variety of training courses which impact different life skills and provide contacts with relevant support and information. The centres are creating a critical mass of trainers who will continue to empower their local communities. The Medical Knowledge Institute acts from the premise that healthcare is a human right. Its programs are designed to improve the quality and values of life.

Cotlands, founded in 1926 was originally created as a care center for unwed mothers and their infants, and over the years has evolved into a shelter for abused, abandoned, HIV positive, orphaned and terminally ill children from birth to fourteen years of age.

The activity of Cotlands has reflected the changing needs of our society and has increased both the quality and quantity of services provided. Today's Cotlands has identified and urgent need to care for children directly impacted by HIV AIDS and other public health diseases. That is why I support this partnership between the Medical Knowledge Institute (MKI) and Cotlands.

Successful partnerships are built on trust, shared vales, and a clearly articulated vision of outcomes and this partnership between Cotlands and MKI is one of them.

I salute Jackie Schoeman, Cotlands Executive Director and my good friend for many years now, Dr. Harold E. Robles, President of the Medical Knowledge Institute for presenting Sowetans with a Health Information Centre where they will be able to receive relevant healthcare education and information so desperately needed.

The creation of an MKI Health Information Centre is not only powerful for the community of Soweto it is also most powerful health prevention tool for all.

I wish all those involved with Cotland and MKI my very best wishes.

May both organisation continue to serve the people f my wonderful country.

God Bless you all.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu