[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 186 (Friday, December 11, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2980-E2981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN HONOR OF JULIUS E. COLES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 11, 2009

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of a 
man who, for more than 40 years, has dedicated himself to

[[Page E2981]]

the betterment of people from around the world.
  Julius E. Coles was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1942. He received a 
B.A. from Morehouse College in 1964 and a Masters of Public Affairs 
from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and 
International Affairs in 1966. Mr. Coles then began a long and 
impressive career with the United States Agency for International 
Development (USAID).
  During his tenure with USAID, Mr. Coles served as a Mission Director 
in Swaziland and Senegal, as well as serving in other capacities at 
foreign service posts in Vietnam, Morocco, Liberia, Nepal and 
Washington, D.C. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions in 
foreign service, he received the Distinguished Career Service Award in 
1995 and the Presidential Meritorious Service Award in 1983, 1984, 1985 
and 1986. Mr. Coles retired from USAID in 1994, having achieved the 
rank of Career Minister.
  These achievements alone would have constituted career full of 
accomplishments deserving of great pride and satisfaction. Yet for Mr. 
Coles, this was just the beginning of a new and exciting chapter.
  From 1994 to 1997, Mr. Coles served as Director of Howard 
University's Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center, and, from 
1997 to 2002, he was the Director of Morehouse College's Andrew Young 
Center for International Affairs.
  In 2002, yet another opportunity arose--one that would fully utilize 
his expertise in foreign service and international affairs and combine 
that expertise with the ability to reach thousands of people suffering 
from hunger, HIV/AIDS and poverty. Mr. Coles became the third President 
of Africare.
  Africare was founded in 1970 by two Americans, Dr. William 0. Kirker 
and his wife, Barbara Kirker. Dr. and Mrs. Kirker had been working in 
Niger at the Maine-Soroa Hospital since 1966, and in 1970, in the midst 
of a devastating drought, they established Africare to provide medical 
services and health care to the people of Niger.
  In 1971, Africare reconstituted itself, adding experts in various 
fields and broadening the mission to support not only health related 
issues, but development and relief programs in any African country and 
to serve as a bridge between Africans and Americans, especially 
Americans of African descent.
  Mr. C. Payne Lucas served as the executive director and second 
president of Africare from 1971-2002, and, under his leadership, 
Africare became a well-known and highly respected organization. During 
the years of Mr. Lucas' presidency, Africare provided almost $450 
Million through development work including the key project areas of 
food, water, environment, emergency assistance and rural health 
initiatives. Mr. Lucas initiated a program to address HIV/AIDS in 1987. 
In 1998, efforts to better help Africa were categorized into four 
crucial programmatic focal points: (1) HIV/AIDS; (2) food security, 
population and the environment; (3) conflict resolution and ``good 
governance''; and (4) computer and Internet technology transfer. Those 
focus areas have been maintained to the present day.
  In 2002, Mr. Coles became President of Africare, promising to build 
on the legacy of C. Payne Lucas. In just 7 short years, Mr. Coles has 
taken Africare to a new level. Under his leadership, Africare has 
received more than $400 Million in new commitments, nearly doubling the 
total amount of development dollars generated by Africare over its 39 
year history combined. Mr. Coles has added the areas of water and 
sanitation to the key program areas of food security and agriculture, 
health and HIV/AIDS and emergency and humanitarian response. Mr. Coles 
has opened new programs across the African continent. There are now 
more than 25 field offices in Africa along with offices in Paris and 
Ottawa as well as the Washington, D.C., headquarters.
  Mr. Coles has successfully updated management practices and systems 
resulting in an increase in the productivity and effectiveness of 
Africare's programs while simultaneously reducing expenses. Today 
Africare spends 93 percent of every dollar on programs; only 7 percent 
is spent on administrative and fundraising costs. Africare has earned 
top ratings from Charity Navigator, The American Institute of 
Philanthropy and the Better Business Bureau.
  Although Africa still faces many challenges and the work is not yet 
done, much progress has been made. While still pandemic, the HIV/AIDS 
infection rates have slowed and, in some areas, stabilized. Fifteen 
percent more Africans have access to safe drinking water over 1990 
levels and the infant mortality rate has decreased 40 percent between 
1960 and 2000. Programs sponsored by Africare in Microenterprise, 
Civil-Society Development and Governance, and Women's and Children's 
issues are leading the way towards a better tomorrow for all Africans.
  This progress and the promise for a brighter future would not have 
been possible without the dedication and determination of Julius Coles 
and those who went before him at Africare. Mr. Coles could have retired 
in 1994 and enjoyed the peace and serenity of a man who had led a full 
professional life and who had contributed so much to humanity. But he 
chose to answer another calling; he chose to work towards ending the 
suffering of so many in a continent that is half way around the world. 
Because he did, thousands of lives have been saved and countless 
thousands more have been improved. Because he did, Africa and all 
Africans face a much brighter future
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in expressing our 
deepest respect and appreciation to Mr. Coles for his decades of 
service. Julius F. Coles is a true hero who has lived up to the highest 
standards, fought for the survival of others and has truly made the 
world a better place. I also ask that my colleagues join me in wishing 
Mr. Coles continued happiness, success and health in his retirement.

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