2000 Speeches

W. Stacy Rhodes, Director,United States Agency for International Development (USAID), South Africa-United States Bilateral Development Agreement Signing Ceremony, December 14, 2000
December 14, 2000: I can't help but smile with great pride at the significance of today's signing ceremony. These signatures on this joint document further cement the partnership between the South African and American governments to help the people of this remarkable country with the best possible development cooperation we can offer. We have worked very hard, at the highest levels (represented by the Deputy Minister and our Ambassador) and at lower levels to more effectively coordinate our assistance with South African Government programs. Shaheed and I have personally spent hours, days, even weeks on assuring that our priorities at the strategy level are fully aligned.

Isandla Partners in Development Open House, USAID South Africa, Remarks by W. Stacy Rhodes, Director, November 21, 4:30pm, CHF/Isandla Office, Port Elizabeth
November 21, 2000: I would like to thank the Isandla Board of Directors and CHF staff for inviting me to your open house today. This is an important occasion in the collaborative effort to facilitate the provision of houses for low-income families in the Eastern Cape, so I appreciate the opportunity to offer a few remarks.

Ambassador Lewis talking points, Zikhulise Project/Khanyanjalo jr. primary school, Friday, November 3, 2000; 09h30-10h30 Inanda; KwaZulu-Natal
November 3, 2000: Mrs. Lewis and I are very pleased to be here today to meet some of the educators, learners, education officials, school governing body members, and USAID partners involved with the Zikhulise Project. Thank you for agreeing to host us at the Khanyanjalo Junior Primary School here in Inanda, to give us a glimpse of actions underway to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Talking Points for Ambassador Lewis at Children In Distress (CINDI), AIDS Children and Orphans, Thursday, November 2, 2000; 10:30-12:00pm, Pietermaritzburg; KwaZulu-Natal
November 2, 2000: Mrs. Lewis and I are very pleased to be here today to meet hard-working people from such an impressive organization as the Children In Distress-known as "CINDI" -group. Thank you for your dedication to helping youngsters in desperate need of professional care with a loving human touch. We appreciate your time to show us some of the exciting and important work that you are carrying out in this part of the country.

Ambassador Lewis talking points, South AfricaOopportunities Industrialization Centers (SA OIC), Pietermaritzburg; KwaZulu-Natal
November 2, 2000: The training programs undertaken by SAOIC play a critical role in helping to create jobs and increase employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth here in Pietermaritzburg. My country is proud to support this important development activity.

Talking Points for Ambassador Lewis, Ntinga Micro-enterprise Support Project, and the Thekwini Business Development Center, Wednesday, November 1, 2000, Durban
November 1, 2000: Mrs. Lewis and I are delighted to visit the Thekwini Business Development Center, for this project represents the synergy that can develop between South African and American organizations working together to promote the development of the previously disadvantaged business sector.

TERTIARY EDCUCATION LINKAGES PROJECT ALUMNI DINNER, Welcome Remarks by Don Foster-Gross, USAID South Africa Education Team Leader, October 28, 2000
October 13, 2000: On behalf of USAID, I would like to thank the Vice Chancellors for hosting tonight's "welcome back" dinner for members of faculty and staff who have returned home after a rigorous season of study in the USA.

Furthering the Southern Africa Housing Renaissance, a USAID Viewpoint, by William Stacy Rhodes, USAID South Africa Director, Institute of Housing Conference, October 13,2000
October 13, 2000: The Honorable Mayor, Ministers, Elected Officials, Ladies and Gentleman, good morning. I am pleased to be here today at a gathering of such a distinguished group of individuals representing the full range of stakeholders in South Africa's housing and urban development sector. In the United States there used to be a commonly used word that has unfortunately gone out of fashion in the US. In the 1960's the term used broadly to represent those dedicated to improving the quality and affordability of housing was quite logically, "housers". It is perhaps unfortunate that this term is now out of use, as it would best represent what you all are-not just people and institutions working in or on the housing sector, but those who are truly dedicated to actually "housing" all low-income South Africans in better homes and healthy communities. And today I am honored to be amongst you the "housers" of South Africa.

International Foundation for Education and Self Help (IFESH), Financial Services Training Graduation (Pretoria), W. Stacy Rhodes, Director (USAID), Friday, 9 June 2000, 12:00pm
September 6, 2000: Thank you for giving USAID the opportunity to celebrate with you this afternoon. I'd like to wish you hearty CONGRATULATIONS for your outstanding achievement, in the successful completion of this financial services training program.

Launch of District Development Support Program (DDSP) in the Eastern Cape,Queenstown, 30 May 2000
May 30, 2000: I greatly appreciate the opportunity to be here and to address you this morning. While I've been to the Eastern Cape quite a number of times, this is the first time I've been to Queenstown. I'd like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to travel across such an interesting part of the Eastern Cape and to meet with such a committed and distinguished group of educators.

Financial Services Cooperative, Remarks by W. Stacy Rhodes, Director, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), March 22, 2000; Muden, KwaZulu-Natal
March 22, 2000: Around the entire developing world there is a movement that has taken hold in rural villages and communities to help their citizens gain access to secure savings and credit services. The proven responsible actions of rural and small town borrowers and savers in many countries has resulted in the growing success of this effort all around the globe. The development of small financial services cooperatives or "village banks" has become a remarkable way of putting effective money management and purchasing power directly into the hands rural of community citizens. Financial Services Cooperatives, or "FSCs", are proving to be a powerful tool to empower rural citizens through providing them key banking services. So you are not alone in this initiative, as similar efforts to improve the economic well-being of rural and small town citizens are taking place elsewhere in South Africa, as well as elsewhere in the world. And your achievement in the opening of your new FSC is the reason that the United States Consul General and the Agency for International Development (USAID) has joined your celebration here in Muden today.

Ambassador Delano E. Lewis address at the Launch of the Department of Education's Project to Enhance Governance Capacity in South African Higher Education Kopanong Protea Hotel, Benoni, March 3, 2000
March 3, 2000: Thank you for inviting me to join you tonight at the launch of a program aimed at enhancing effective governance in South African higher education. I appreciate the opportunity to meet in one place so many leaders in higher education.

Bushbuckridge Retail Water Distribution Project, W. Stacy Rhodes, Director (USAID), Vote of Thanks and Closing, Hazyview-Saturday, February 5, 2000
February 5, 2000: I would like to thank the staff of the Retail Water Distribution Project for giving me the opportunity to join you at this important event. The United States Agency for International Development is committed to working with residents in this beautiful area to help you solve your water problems. We are pleased to provide technical assistance and training to assist our partners at the national, provincial and local levels of the government of South Africa, to help fulfill their promise of ensuring that all South Africans have access to sufficient water and a healthy living environment.

Speech for the Launch of Project ZIKHULISE, The Educator Empowerment and Materials Development Project, By Lisa Franchett, Education Officer, USAID,Durban, South Africa; 21 January 2000
January 21, 2000:  Let me begin by conveying the sincere apologies of Eileen Oldwine and Patrick Fine. They boarded a plane this morning at 8:00am to be here but as a result of mechanical failures they were unable to attend, and they are very sorry that they are missings this important launch. In their absence I am happyto speak to you today at the start of a new and promising school year. We are here to launch an activity that can make a tremendous difference for teachers and learners across this beautiful province.