US offers $250,000 grants for community projects in Nigeria

US offers $250,000 grants for community projects in Nigeria
By Abdullateef Salau | Publish Date: Oct 30 2015 9:29PM | Updated Date: Oct 31 2015
US offers $250,000 grants for community projects in Nigeria
From left: U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Enwistle, presents a certificate of an award to the Project Director, Nature Preservation and Human Development Foundation, Mr Clifford Kekong, at the presentation of small grants by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria to assist groups, neighbourhoods, villages, and communities to help themselves, in Abuja yesterday.. With them is the U.S. Embassy’s Manager of Small Grants Programme, Mrs Olayinka Balogun.

The United States Embassy in Nigeria yesterday awarded $250,000 grants to 35 local Non-Governmental Organisations covering 20 states for community-based projects under the Ambassador’s Small Grants Programme.  The programme, according to US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James F. Entwistle, provides one-time small grants to community development projects.
 The funds, Entwistle said, is expected to cover projects ranging from construction of classrooms, health clinics, community centres, food processing mills to boreholes and latrines. The funds would also provide economic, nutritional and hygienic needs of some communities affected by HIV/AIDS, he added.
 Mrs. Margaret Ologuntoye of the Foundation for Social Justice and Development, who spoke on behalf of the grantees, expressed appreciation to the US government and promised to be transparent and judicious in spending the grants.