HRH Princess Lalla Asmaa, President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, chaired a signing ceremony on Monday in Kigali for a memorandum of understanding between the Lalla Asmaa Foundation and the Imbuto Foundation, presided over by First Lady of the Republic of Rwanda Jeannette Kagame, thereby marking a new milestone in reinforcing medical and humanitarian cooperation and the transfer of expertise between Morocco and Rwanda.
Rwanda has become the 23rd country to join the "Together, We Hear Each Other Better" program, which operates in Africa, the MENA region, and Latin America. Thanks to the ongoing commitment of HRH Princess Lalla Asmaa, the program has provided care to nearly 500 patients.
Upon her arrival at the Imbuto Foundation headquarters, HRH Princess Lalla Asmaa was welcomed by Jeannette Kagame, before being greeted by Elodie Shami, the Foundation’s Executive Director.
Two Foundations, One Shared Vision for Children
On this occasion, HRH Princess Lalla Asmaa attended a presentation by Shami on the work of the Imbuto Foundation, which is dedicated to early childhood, girls’ education, youth health, and economic empowerment.
The Imbuto Foundation's story began in 2001, within the Office of the First Lady, with a project to protect and care for families affected by HIV/AIDS.
Today, the Foundation operates in all 30 districts of Rwanda through a network of community centers known as Imbuto Hubs. Its programs focus on adolescent health and mental health, early childhood, girls’ education, and youth entrepreneurship.
For his part, Deputy President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation Karim Essakalli presented the Moroccan model, which supports deaf individuals from the newborn’s first hearing test through to employment, to HRH Princess Lalla Asmaa and the First Lady of Rwanda.
This unique model accounts for the interest it has garnered: leading institutions, such as the Pasteur Institute and IHU reConnect in Paris, the University of Montpellier, and a Chicago-based institute specializing in applied behavior analysis, have chosen to partner with it, while requests for cooperation from countries and institutions continue to pour.
HRH Princess Lalla Asmaa then chaired the signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding between the Lalla Asmaa Foundation and the Imbuto Foundation, sealing a partnership that is fully in line with the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, in favor of active solidarity among brotherly and friendly nations, the exchange of experiences, and co-development.
Inked by Essakalli and Shami, this memorandum lays the groundwork for a long-term partnership between Morocco and Rwanda in addressing hearing loss, by bolstering the exchange of expertise between teams in both countries, providing training for Rwandan professionals, and offering sustainable support to children and their families.
For Rwanda, this cooperation provides access to proven expertise: the organization of a comprehensive care pathway, the training of multidisciplinary teams, and funding mechanisms for implementation. It does not aim to replicate a model, but rather to share the methodology, in support of the country’s own choices.
A Steadfast Commitment by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa
While 430 million people worldwide currently require hearing rehabilitation, the unwavering support that Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa continues to show toward deaf and hard-of-hearing children is part of a comprehensive and globally unique approach based on early screening, free access to care, including cochlear implant placement and medical and educational support, while working to share Moroccan expertise with partner countries, in line with the Vision of HM King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, for strong and effective South-South cooperation.
Under the chairmanship of Her Royal Highness, the Lalla Asmaa Foundation has achieved significant milestones, including launching in 2023 the neonatal hearing screening program; providing free care to more than 1,200 people who have received cochlear implants; hosting, in Rabat in December 2025, the first African Congress on Cochlear Implants for Children, as well as inaugurating, on October 15, 2026, the Lalla Asmaa University, an inclusive institution unique in worldwide, where deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students learn together alongside professionals from various sectors.
Notable participants in the signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding included Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Republic of Rwanda Youssef Imani; Ambassador of Rwanda to Morocco Shakilla K. Umutoni, Ambassador and Director General of the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI) Mohamed Methqal, Brigadier General and head of the ENT department at the Mohammed V Military Training Hospital in Rabat Fouad Benariba, and several Moroccan and Rwandan institutional officials.
MAP: 26 October 2026
