PRESS RELEASES

U.S. Ambassador's Special Self-Help Program: Grants Support Projects In Seven Communities

November 21, 2008

United States Ambassador Robin Renée Sanders, on behalf of the American people, will sign grant agreements to support seven community development projects in Nigeria on November 21st in Lagos. The grants are funded by the U.S. Mission to Nigeria, through the United States Government's Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program, which partners with community groups throughout Nigeria to complete development projects. Each interested community forms a project committee, creates a budget, and submits a proposal for review. Organizations whose projects are selected for funding must also make significant contributions to the success of the project, generally in the form of land, labor, money, and materials.

The 2008 grantees for the United States Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program are the Daniel Igali Foundation (Yenezuegene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa), the Garram Children’s School (Anglo, Jos, Plateau), Grace Hospital Eziama (Okpala, Ngor Okpala, Imo), Health Awareness and Gender Advocacy Initiative (Oke-Ira/Aguda, Ikeja, Lagos), Npang-Niyes Community (Mangu, LGA, Plateau), Ovim Community Initiative (Ovim, Isuikwuato, LGA, Abia), and Women’s Board (Ereji, Itamapako, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun). These organizations will use their United States Government grants for boreholes, classroom furniture, hospital equipment, and other projects throughout Nigeria.

The Ambassador's Special Self-Help Program is one of many ways in which the U.S. Government works in partnership with Nigerian organizations to invest in the people of Nigeria.   Community groups and organizations may apply for funding by completing an application and sending it to the Special Self-Help/DHFR Coordinator, based at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.  Additional information and application packets are available on-line at http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/ambsshp.html .

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