Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Jul 14, 2005 / 22:00 pm
The United States first lady, Laura Bush, pledged $500,000 to support a Catholic program in Tanzania that provides support to HIV/AIDS patients and their families.
Tanzania was the second stop in the first lady’s three-nation goodwill tour of eastern and southern Africa, focused on education, HIV/AIDS and the advancement of women.
The program, called Pastoral Activities and for People with AIDS (PASADA), is run by the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam. Bush took a 30-minute tour of PASADA’s facilities with Tanzanian first lady, Anna Mkapa, and greeted some of its clients who were waiting for treatment.
Bush said she was impressed with the program. "With such an organization, hope triumphs over suffering," she remarked.