USADF Signs a Grant to Support Physically Disabled in Nigeria:

WASHINGTON - June 29, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 29, 2009 – In an effort to support marginalized populations in Africa, the United States African Development Foundation has signed a grant to benefit a community group in Nigeria. The grant will benefit the Physically Handicapped Association of Nigeria-Kano State (PHAN-Kano).

Upon reviewing the grant, USADF Vice Chairman Jack Leslie stated, “USADF works to identify the ‘bottom billion’ – that is, the most impoverished, under-served, and under-privileged communities in Africa.  This grant is designed to support the work with one such group by creating job opportunities and lifting people out of poverty.”

The physically disabled are one of the most marginalized populations in northern Nigeria. Thus, PHAN-Kano formed to provide support to the physically disabled of Kano State to help them develop skills to participate in the local economy and become self-sufficient.  PHAN-Kano operates a vocation training center for its 2,500 registered members, organizes literacy and adult education classes, and provides financial support for members’ businesses.

With demand for tailored goods, especially around the holidays, and metal works, like doors and gates for new construction, PHAN-Kano sees these two areas as income generation opportunities.  The two year grant will help augment the organization’s capacity to support tailoring and metal work operations.  Specifically, funding will be used to establish metal work and tailoring workshops, purchase and install equipment, and provide technical assistance and capacity building. 

USADF started programming in Nigeria in 2001. Nigeria’s current portfolio stands at twenty-two investment projects totaling nearly $3.8 million.  For more information about the portfolio, please visit the country’s quick source page at http://www.adf.gov/USADF-QuickSourceCountryPortfolioPage-Nigeria.htm .

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is a United States Government agency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Currently USADF operates in 20 African nations.  Over the past 25 years, USADF has funded nearly 1,500 projects representing in excess of $150 million in support of African enterprises and local African communities.  For more information on USADF, its programs and application guidelines, visit www.usadf.gov.

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