American Singer and Women's Rights Activist Maya Azucena Visits Tanzania

 Maya Azucena delivers remarks during a press conference announcing her visit held at the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam today March 5, 2013. Pictured left to right are Public Affairs Officer Dana L. Banks, Maya Azucena, Chedi Ngulu and Gaidi Faraj from Mega Mark Entertainment.

Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt welcomes Maya Azucena to the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam and presents her a Coin of Excellence today March 5, 2013.

The American people through the United States Embassy in Dar es Salaam are proud to sponsor the visit to Tanzania of American singer Maya Azucena.  Ms. Azucena's visit from March 2 through 9 promotes cultural exchanges, women's empowerment and efforts against Gender Based Violence (GBV).  Maya Azucena is a women's rights activist and singer based in Brooklyn New York who has performed in several countries to promote the empowerment of women and girls, and raise global awareness against GBV. 

U.S. Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt underscored that Maya Azucena's visit advances the United States' top priority to promote women's rights.  "As I have said previously, no nation which seeks to advance and develop, including my own can do so without welcoming the immense talents and contributions of women.  Every citizen has a responsibility to promote women's rights in their communities.  That is why promoting the rights and empowerment of women and girls is one of the United States' highest foreign policy priorities.  Maya Azucena's background is one of perseverance, hope, inspiration, and success.  Her messages of hope, healing, and women's rights through music have been welcomed in other nations."

Maya Azucena is co-founder (along with Emmy-winning director Lisa Russell) of the multi-media website, MDGFive.com that uses all mediums of art to raise awareness for better maternal health. In addition to traveling and collaborating with international artists in Burma, China, the Philippines, Honduras, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Russia, and others, she mentors teenagers and serves as a motivational speaker on the subjects of artistic entrepreneurship and achieving goals.

Maya Azucena's visit to Tanzania is coordinated by Mega Mark Entertainment Marketing.  She will perform at Nyumbani Lounge on March 7 and at Triniti on March 8.  In addition, she will meet women and girls from Kiwohede Center for Women and Girls, and the Tanzania House of Talent.  She will also visit EngenderHealth's CHAMPION Project, a five-year initiative to increase men's involvement in preventing the spread of HIV in Tanzania supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a health clinic that is supported by USAID's MAISHA project and implemented by Jhpiego, an international non-profit health organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University.  In all venues, she will engage in discussions with Tanzanian women to promote greater maternal health and raise awareness against gender based violence.