Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ABUJA308
2009-02-20 12:26:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:
NIGERIA: ABUJA ECON SECTION NATIONAL DAY OUTREACH TO
how-toVZCZCXRO7865 PP RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHUJA #0308 0511226 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 201226Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5323 INFO RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS PRIORITY 0843 RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0057 RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
UNCLAS ABUJA 000308
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS TO USTR- AGAMA, USTDA - FITTS/MARIN
DEPT PASS TO USAID AFR/SD FOR MICHAEL CURTIS AND ATWOOD
BAGHDAD FOR INL MCCULLOUGH
E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: ECON PREL PGOV EAID NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ABUJA ECON SECTION NATIONAL DAY OUTREACH TO
SPECIAL NEEDS AND DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN
UNCLAS ABUJA 000308
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS TO USTR- AGAMA, USTDA - FITTS/MARIN
DEPT PASS TO USAID AFR/SD FOR MICHAEL CURTIS AND ATWOOD
BAGHDAD FOR INL MCCULLOUGH
E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: ECON PREL PGOV EAID NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ABUJA ECON SECTION NATIONAL DAY OUTREACH TO
SPECIAL NEEDS AND DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN
1. Summary: Led by Deputy Chief of Mission, EconStaff sponsored
outreach events on February 16, 2009, as part of U.S. National Day
celebration week, held in February because July is the rainy season,
at the African School of Excellence (ASE) in Suleja, Niger State.
DCM also delivered a lecture on the U.S. economy EconStaff staged an
economic challenge game with teams of high school students.
EconStaff assisted by providing copies of the U.S. State Department
electronic publication, "An Outline of the U.S. Economy" to help the
faculty prepare the students. The students are children with
special needs and street children that would otherwise not have an
opportunity to attend school. ASE is a non profit nursery through
grade 12 private school. Although lacking books and desks, students
receive the basic "3Rs" -- reading, writing, and arithmetic --,
which are taught orally and via a battered chalk board. The
school's founder has been successfully teaching dialog skills for
resolving conflict, with the support of volunteer members of the
U.S. Mission. End Summary.
2. On February 16, 2009 Deputy Chief of Mission delivered a lecture
on "How the United States of American Became the World's Largest
Economy" to the African School of Excellence (ASE) in Suleja, Niger
State as one of the outreach events surrounding the U.S. National
Day celebration. The event was celebrated by an audience of over
500 composed of community leaders, parents, faculty, and students.
The lecture was well received and was complemented by an Economic
Challenge game with two teams from the high school students.
EconStaff assisted the faculty by providing sufficient copies of the
U.S. State Department electronic publication, "An Outline of the
U.S. Economy". The questions in the challenge game were taken from
this publication and a Mission judging team monitored each answer.
The game showed how well prepared the students were for the
challenge.
GETTING A CHANCE IN LIFE
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. This school is just over one year old, with a population of over
400. It was established by Enyi Augustine Abu in the Old Water
Board Community area of Suleja to service children with special
needs and was immediately expanded to include street children that
would otherwise not have an opportunity to attend school. ASE is a
non profit private school, without books or desks, where basic
reading, writing, and arithmetic are taught orally and via a
battered chalk board. The children are street gang members, petty
traders, orphans, children of HIV/AIDS mothers and sex workers. The
school teaches students from nursery to grade 12 and emphasizes
craft skills, so the children learn a trade as well as academics.
4. The school's founder Abu has been successfully teaching dialog
skills for resolving conflict, with the support of volunteer members
of the U.S. Mission, and students showed what they had learned by
staging a debate centered on whether dialog or use of violence was
the best way to solve problems. The performance of the debate and
the dialog skill training were lauded by attending community
officials.
5. School founder Abu noted that President's Emergency Plan for
AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has provided support, treatment, and training
for many of the ASE students orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
COMMENT
--------------
6. The community serviced by ASE, like so many others throughout
the country, is very poor and most residents make do on the
equivalent of only a few dollars a day. Many of the children at the
school receive only one meal per day and that food comes from a
community garden that the children help tend. However, the energy
and commitment of the students, and the school staff and teachers,is
both touching and heartbreaking giving the dire circumstances of
their daily lives.
7. (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Lagos.
SANDERS
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS TO USTR- AGAMA, USTDA - FITTS/MARIN
DEPT PASS TO USAID AFR/SD FOR MICHAEL CURTIS AND ATWOOD
BAGHDAD FOR INL MCCULLOUGH
E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: ECON PREL PGOV EAID NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ABUJA ECON SECTION NATIONAL DAY OUTREACH TO
SPECIAL NEEDS AND DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN
1. Summary: Led by Deputy Chief of Mission, EconStaff sponsored
outreach events on February 16, 2009, as part of U.S. National Day
celebration week, held in February because July is the rainy season,
at the African School of Excellence (ASE) in Suleja, Niger State.
DCM also delivered a lecture on the U.S. economy EconStaff staged an
economic challenge game with teams of high school students.
EconStaff assisted by providing copies of the U.S. State Department
electronic publication, "An Outline of the U.S. Economy" to help the
faculty prepare the students. The students are children with
special needs and street children that would otherwise not have an
opportunity to attend school. ASE is a non profit nursery through
grade 12 private school. Although lacking books and desks, students
receive the basic "3Rs" -- reading, writing, and arithmetic --,
which are taught orally and via a battered chalk board. The
school's founder has been successfully teaching dialog skills for
resolving conflict, with the support of volunteer members of the
U.S. Mission. End Summary.
2. On February 16, 2009 Deputy Chief of Mission delivered a lecture
on "How the United States of American Became the World's Largest
Economy" to the African School of Excellence (ASE) in Suleja, Niger
State as one of the outreach events surrounding the U.S. National
Day celebration. The event was celebrated by an audience of over
500 composed of community leaders, parents, faculty, and students.
The lecture was well received and was complemented by an Economic
Challenge game with two teams from the high school students.
EconStaff assisted the faculty by providing sufficient copies of the
U.S. State Department electronic publication, "An Outline of the
U.S. Economy". The questions in the challenge game were taken from
this publication and a Mission judging team monitored each answer.
The game showed how well prepared the students were for the
challenge.
GETTING A CHANCE IN LIFE
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. This school is just over one year old, with a population of over
400. It was established by Enyi Augustine Abu in the Old Water
Board Community area of Suleja to service children with special
needs and was immediately expanded to include street children that
would otherwise not have an opportunity to attend school. ASE is a
non profit private school, without books or desks, where basic
reading, writing, and arithmetic are taught orally and via a
battered chalk board. The children are street gang members, petty
traders, orphans, children of HIV/AIDS mothers and sex workers. The
school teaches students from nursery to grade 12 and emphasizes
craft skills, so the children learn a trade as well as academics.
4. The school's founder Abu has been successfully teaching dialog
skills for resolving conflict, with the support of volunteer members
of the U.S. Mission, and students showed what they had learned by
staging a debate centered on whether dialog or use of violence was
the best way to solve problems. The performance of the debate and
the dialog skill training were lauded by attending community
officials.
5. School founder Abu noted that President's Emergency Plan for
AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has provided support, treatment, and training
for many of the ASE students orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
COMMENT
--------------
6. The community serviced by ASE, like so many others throughout
the country, is very poor and most residents make do on the
equivalent of only a few dollars a day. Many of the children at the
school receive only one meal per day and that food comes from a
community garden that the children help tend. However, the energy
and commitment of the students, and the school staff and teachers,is
both touching and heartbreaking giving the dire circumstances of
their daily lives.
7. (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Lagos.
SANDERS