Leonore Semler was the wife of a prominent European Community politician Dr. Johannes Semler in 1963, when she met Sir Michael Wood, founder of Amref Health Africa, who had traveled from Africa to Europe to raise funds for the organization dedicated to improving access to health care for Africans.
On that trip, he met Leonore Semler and convinced her to start an office in Germany to represent the work of Amref.
In the following weeks she convinced Walter Scheel, who was then Germany's Minister for Foreign Affairs and later President, to donate the salary of a surgeon and pediatrician.
After 14 years, she had amassed DM 3 million in donations – from the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation, churches and other organizations.
"[1] Semler was recognized by the German Government for her work, receiving the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.