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U.S. Mission Partners Slum2school

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1 March 2021 11:19 AM GMT
U.S. Mission Partners Slum2school
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The United States mission in Nigeria on Monday in Lagos commissioned the first Window on America in the country. The Window on America is hosted at the Slum2School Innovation Hub in Lekki, Lagos and will serve as a community centre where young people develop ideas, as well as leadership and entrepreneurship skills through programmes and […]

The United States mission in Nigeria on Monday in Lagos commissioned the first Window on America in the country.

The Window on America is hosted at the Slum2School Innovation Hub in Lekki, Lagos and will serve as a community centre where young people develop ideas, as well as leadership and entrepreneurship skills through programmes and workshops designed especially for them.

Mary Beth Leonard, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, said that that the Lekki Window on America was as a result of the partnership between the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos and Slum2School Africa.

Supreme reports that Slum2School Africa is a development organisation empowering underprivileged children in slums and remote communities with education and other life skills.

It was founded by Otto Orondaam, a 2016 alumnus of the prestigious U.S. government’s Mandela Washington Fellowship.

According to Leonard, the new Window on America is open to everyone in the community and will offer its services, programmes and resources to the public at no cost.

“We are happy to open the very first Window on America space in Nigeria here in Lekki.

“In the next few months, we will follow with six additional Windows on America in the south and 12 across the country.

“We want our Windows on America to promote mutual understanding between the United States and the people of Nigeria,” she said.

Leonard applauded the passion with which Slum2School Africa supported the educational dreams of people who otherwise did not dare to have them.

She said that Windows on America were American Spaces present in over 150 countries, adding that they provided welcoming environments where visitors could learn about the United States, including its government, history, culture and educational system.

In addition to providing public programming space, the Lekki Window on America will support five core programmes: English language learning, educational advising, alumni activities, cultural programmes and information about the U.S.

Otto Orondaam, Founder, Slum2School Africa, said that the relationship his organisation had with various agencies was a shared and mutually beneficial vision because everyone believed Nigeria had potentials that should be well utilised.

“Data and statistics tell us that we will have about 400 million Nigerians in the next 30 years.

“We will be one of the giants of the world and having 400 million people without quality education will be a disaster.

“Today, we have the highest number of out of school children and this is a threat to the sustainability and productivity of our nation.

“This is a clarion call for every well meaning Nigerian and organisations to come to the table and see what we can do to reduce these numbers by putting structures in place,” he said.

In addition to the Lekki Window on America, 12 more will be opened in major cities across the country, including Abeokuta, Awka, Benin City, Enugu, Osogbo, Uyo, Zaria, Minna, Dutse, Makurdi, Gombe and Lafia, in order to engage more Nigerian audiences in their local communities.

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