We are happy to announce that Empowering The Poor, Inc., in partnership with: Vanderbilt University Law School, The Graduate Program in Economic Development, The Vanderbilt Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center and the Fisk University Race Relations Institute will be hosting the 1st Annual Public/Private Partnership vs. Malaria Conference Friday, March 24, 2006. 

The Details:
Hosted by Vanderbilt University
Time: 3:00- 6:30 pm
Vanderbilt University Law School (Moore Room, 2nd Floor)
131 21st Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203

The Conference:
Empowering The Poor, Inc brings together some of the world's leading experts on malaria, malaria control and research, business, economics, and the political economy of disease control to present their insights on the emergency posed by malaria in Africa and to identify cost-effective ways to face Africa's biggest social and economic shackle.  This conference acts also as a kickoff event for the Stop Malaria In Africa Campaign (SMAC). SMAC is a campaign of Empowering The Poor, Inc, which aims to build capacities in the impoverished communities across Sub Saharan Africa, to fight malaria.

Goals:
The Private/Public Partnership vs. Malaria in Africa Conference aims to raise awareness about the devastating impact of malaria in the impoverished communities across sub Saharan Africa, to get both the public and private sector involved in fighting malaria, and to raise funds to build capacities in our target communities where health centers are either too far to reach or are merely non-existent.

 Read on for more information...

3:00-3:10pm, Darius Coulibaly, MA
Welcome and Opening Remarks

3:10-3:30pm, Mary Galinski, PhD
Frank Davidson, MA, Deputy, Tennessee Office of Minority Health

3:30-3:50pm, Maghoub Mahmoud, PhD
Introduction by Frank E. Dobson, Jr., PhD, Director, Bishop Joseph Johnson Black
Cultural Center

3:50-4:10pm, Richard Tren, Founder & Director of Africa Fighting Malaria
Introduction by Andrea Maneschi, PhD, Professor of Economics, Director of the
Graduate Program in Economic Development, Vanderbilt University

4:10-4:35pm, African Fashion Show, featuring young African girls and boys, aged 7-15
years old.

4:35-4:50pm, Exhibits & Light refreshments

4:50-5:15pm, George Ayittey, PhD
Introduction by Hannah Acquah, MA Candidate, Vanderbilt University

5:15-5:35pm, Laurence Zwiebel, PhD
Introduction by Mrs. Hazel-Smith, Professor at Fisk University, Assistant Director, Fisk
University Race Relations Institute.

5:35-5:55pm, Cindy Korir, PhD
Introduction by Clifton Meador, MD, Executive Director of the Vanderbilt-Meharry
Alliance

5:55-6:30pm, Lance Laifer, President of Laifer Capital, Hedge Fund manager &
Founder of Hedge Funds Against Malaria and  Dunk malaria
Introduction by Richard Mc Carty, PhD, Dean, College of Arts and Science
Closing remarks & Fundraiser