Mr Wali
Mr Hakem
Mr Mayor
Mr. Director of the school
Distinguished Guests
Dear Parents
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great pleasure for me to be with you today on this occasion of the launching of a campaign to distribute academic materials to primary and high school students in Kiffa. This major campaign initiated by our embassy and which will occur throughout Mauritania was begun in September 2006 on the occasion of International Literacy Day. We hope, through it, to make a modest contribution to the commendable efforts that Mauritania continues to deploy to combat illiteracy and ignorance in the country.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

During our travels within the country, many teachers and students have approached us to ask for our support for the laudable efforts that the Mauritanian government continues to make in the field of education. In response, 76 schools located mainly within the interior of the country, have benefited or will benefit from this distribution of books and school kits. The books in Arabic, French and English, touch many fields, from geography to history, literature to the sciences, and are offered to furnish a library at the intended school, while school kits consisting of a backpack containing school supplies , will be distributed to the benefit of  students of that school.

Ladies and Gentlemen

I take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of National Education with which this operation has been mounted. My thanks also go to the school officials whose cooperation was essential. I hope that the cooperation between your department and our embassy may develop and grow.
Thank you.

Kiffa, October 25, 2007

Dennis Hankins
Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of
the United States in Mauritania