Mary Menth Andersen had just married Norwegian Andersen.She was looking forward to 1a new life with him.But first she had to get all of her2 across to Norway.

At the airport in Miami，when it was finally Mary's turn at the checkin counter，she 3her luggage on the baggage line.But she got the4that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness：“You'll have to pay 103 dollars 5you want to bring those suitcases to Norway，” the man said.

       Mary had no money.Her new husband had travelled 6 her，and she had no one else to call. “I was completely 7 and tried to think which of my things I could8 without.” said Mary.

Although she explained，he showed no signs of9. “I started to cry，tears were 10 my face.Then I heard a11and friendly voice behind me saying, ‘That's OK，I'll 12her.'”

       Although this happened 20 years ago，Mary still remembers the 13that radiated from the man. “He was nicely and 14 dressed，with brown leather shoes，a cotton shirt open at the throat，” says Mary.She was15 to be able to bring her suitcases and16the stranger that he would get his money back.The man wrote his name and17on a piece of paper which18“Barack Obama” and “Kansas”．Mary carried the paper around in her wallet for years.She paid the 103  dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway.

This week we met her in the café that she runs. “It's 19 to think that the man who helped me 20 years ago is the US President，” says Mary 20.

        More than six hundred delegates have been meeting in Burkina Faso this week to discuss education in Africa.The aim is to find ways to support economic growth by improving education and job training programs.

        The delegates include education ministers and representatives of civil society, business, labor and youth groups.The meeting, held every three years, is known as the Triennial.

        Ahlin Byll­Cataria is executive secretary of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa.His group organized the week­long conference.He says there is a missing link between education and employment in Africa.For example, schools need to improve technical training for students who do not continue with secondary education.

        Mr.Byll­Cataria says educational programs need to be reshaped to better fit the needs of employers.“For instance, where they have to train engineers, there is a lot of discussion between the schools and the companies in order to know the demands of the companies.So that is exactly what we also want to promote.”

        Several West African countries are working together to develop a network of trade and vocational schools.The idea is based in part on a successful example developed by Nigeria.

        Mr.Byll­Cataria says educators are working to connect government­run school systems with other groups that are helping educate students.These include nongovernmental organizations, community literacy centers and faith­based groups.Among these groups are Islamic schools，or madrasas that are expanding what they teach.Another subject for the conference was peace education.The idea grew out of the violence in Kenya related to elections in two thousand seven.The idea of peace education has spread to countries including Rwanda,     Somalia, Ivory Coast，Sierra Leone and Liberia.New technology offers a way for Africans living elsewhere in the world.For example，a professor from Burkina Faso living in the United States could use videoconferencing to teach a class back home.

Notes：

①representative n ． 代表，众议员，典型　②executive adj.实行的，执行的，行政的　③promote vt.促进，提升，升迁　④vocational school职业学校