Nine Nigerians Receive $45,000 US Grant Award

Nine Nigerians have
been awarded a total grant of 45,000 dollars to undertake various entrepreneurial projects under the U.S Alumni Small Grant Award.
The Cultural Affairs Officer, U.S Embassy in Abuja, Mr Bill Strassberger,  presented the award to the recipients on behalf of the U.S Government,  last week.
Strassberger said the projects would focus mainly on job creation and entrepreneurial opportunities for youths in northern Nigeria.
He said that a total of 95,000 dollars had so far been disbursed to 19 Nigerian beneficiaries since the grant’s inception in 2012.
According to him, the small grants of 5,000 each will be used to support alumni community projects intended to empower at-risk youths in the northern part of the country.
He explained that youths would be trained in such skills as tailoring, bead making, fish farming, among others.
“They will also be provided with start-up funds after the training to enable them earn a living,’’ he said.
A recipient and Kaduna-based journalist, Elizabeth Anche, said  that her project tagged, “Dress for Life’’, would target less-privileged young girls in four communities in southern Kaduna.
Anche said 30 young girls would receive training in hair-dressing, manicure and pedicure under the scheme after which a small start-up grant would be provided them.
Anche is a 2008 International Visitors and Leadership Programme alumna.
Another recipient, Kingsley Banguell, said he would work with 25 youths in Lugbe community in Abuja to develop multi-media skills and tailoring under a project tagged, “Skills House Lugbe’’.
“They would learn photography, web-design, video production and tailoring; basically they do not need an office space to start-up a business.’’
Banguell said the project would also mentor young people on how to effectively run small scale businesses.