[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 206 (Monday, December 31, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE AFYA FOUNDATION 10TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 31, 2018

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an organization 
that has done tremendous work both locally and on the global stage for 
10 remarkable years now, The AFYA Foundation.
  The vision for AFYA began to take shape in a tent in the Serengeti. 
It was 2008, and AFYA's founder, Danielle Butin, was in Tanzania. She 
saw a woman sitting in a tent crying, who said, ``I am a highly sought-
after physician from London, I took a month off from my practice to 
come here to volunteer and work in medical clinics. But they have 
nothing . . . absolutely nothing. I cannot save children from malaria 
because there are no meds or IV bags of fluids. People come in with 
infected wounds, and I have nothing to treat them with.'' In that 
moment, Danielle was compelled to take action. She returned home and 
immediately put her familiarity with and experience in New York City 
healthcare to use--cold calling hospitals and asking about materials 
that are discarded. In January 2008 she launched AFYA, which means 
``health'' or ``wellness'' in Swahili.
  Almost immediately, hospitals started donating supplies. Since they 
didn't have a warehouse to store the equipment and supplies, a semi-
trailer sat for three weeks outside her home in Westchester County. 
These humble beginnings are what grew 10 years later into an 
organization with a staff of 14, 3,000 volunteers annually, and a 
17,000 square foot warehouse in Yonkers.
  Today, AFYA continues to serve those in need with the same compassion 
that inspired its vision ten years ago on the African savannah. As the 
Congressman representing Yonkers and the Ranking Democrat on the House 
Foreign Affairs Committee, I couldn't be prouder of the work they have 
done and continue to do. I want to congratulate Danielle and the entire 
AFYA team on ten remarkable years and thank them for all they have done 
to better our community and world.