By Emegwoako C. Paschal
Mr. Will Stevens, the United States Consul General in Nigeria, stated that the US government will continue to collaborate with Nigerian universities to help the country’s economy.
Stevens made the remark at the American Corner, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, during the graduation ceremony of the ten participants in the “Learn to Earn Project.”
The program, funded by the United States African Development Foundation and implemented by MOBA Designs, graduated ten young women.
For six months, the young women were taught how to make sustainable and affordable furniture for African households and industries out of reusable materials such as tyres and plastic waste.
Stevens explained that the training’s goal was to empower young women, reduce pollution, create a healthy environment, provide leadership and business management skills, and earn a living.
He stated that America has 11 training centers in Nigeria, and that after training, participants received a sustaining grant of between $10,000 and $100,000 from the Consulate.
The Consul General, on the other hand, stated that “Nigeria is the largest participant in US programs in Africa.”
He went on to say that the partnership exchange between universities in the United States and those in Nigeria, built on the foundation of the people’s democratic setting, broadened their relationship.
He insisted that focusing on women’s entrepreneurship made him very proud.
According to him, women constitute more than 30% of the global population but only 40% of the global workforce, with only 1% of the global solution.
Stevens, on the other hand, praised the university for its “outstanding work” and for using the grant to assist more Port Harcourt entrepreneurs.
Prof. Owunari Georgewill, Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, stated that the training in the American Corner had a clear impact.
He stated that people came to the corner with the assistance of the American government through its consulate to learn skills that would benefit the country greatly.
Georgewill stated that the university would be eternally grateful to the American government for its assistance at the University of Port Harcourt.
He claimed that combining degrees and skills would result in total manpower for the country.
He stated that the Consulate has always taken care of their problems at the American Corner, but that there is always room for improvement.
Beauty Martins, the Creative Director of MOBA Designs, thanked the American Consulate for its assistance to young entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
Martins stated that approximately 700 women have been trained on how to make furniture out of used tyers, with approximately 20% now running their own businesses in Port Harcourt and other cities throughout Nigeria.
She urged young Nigerians to pursue entrepreneurship training in order to improve their living standards.
