US embassy cable - 03ABUJA732

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