Cablegate: Nigeria: "Muhammad Lawal Salisu, Participant

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ABUJA 000732

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ECA/PE/V/G/A EBUTLER; ECA/PE/V/P SLOCKWOOD
AND DTHOMPSON; AF/PD SKOP; AED JMOORE
LAGOS FOR PAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO SCUL OEXC NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: "MUHAMMAD LAWAL SALISU, PARTICIPANT
IN MRP "NGOS AND POVERTY REDUCTION" JANUARY 30-
FEBRUARY 20, 2003, SHARES HIS EXPERIENCES WITH
COLLEAGUES.

Ref: A) Abuja e-mail (1/13/03) B) State 14797 C) State
127184

1. Summary: MRP participant Muhammad Lawal Salisu
returned to Nigeria extremely pleased with his
program. He has already started sharing his U.S.
experience with his Nigerian colleagues engaged in
poverty reduction efforts. Following his visit to
Heifer International and Watershed Human and
Development Agency in Little Rock, Arkansas, Mr.
Salisu believes that there is a lot for Nigerian civil
society groups to learn from the visit. He told Post
that he has organized a fresher course for his
colleagues in Kaduna to link up with some of the CVOs
he met during his tour. He already has a list of
contacts that he shared with his colleagues.

2. As the project coordinator for Even Development
Projects, Kaduna, Mr. Salisu is hopeful that by
exploring the Heifer initiative, he and his colleagues
could improve the condition of many Nigerian families,
particularly in the rural areas where poverty is not
only endemic but also persistent due to uneven
distribution of national wealth. He was astonished at
the level of cooperation, understanding and commitment
being demonstrated by groups in the U.S., and hopes to
apply some of the ideas to the Nigerian situation.

Date: January 30-February 20, 2003

2. Fiscal Year: FY 003
Quarter: Second

3. Mr. Salisu is planning to carry out a poverty
reduction project for rural communities similar to
Heifer International's. He hopes to seek the support
of Heifer International and the home government to
fund a goat/sheep distribution program for families
displaced by ethnic and communal clashes in parts of
Northern Nigeria.

JETER

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