Michigan State University and The MasterCard Foundation partner to increase youth employment in Nigeria and Tanzania
LAGOS, Nigeria, 12 May 2017,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The MasterCard Foundation is partnering with Michigan State University (MSU) for the AgriFood Youth Opportunity Lab, a five-year, $13 million collaboration.
This partnership will support 15,000 young people aged 18 to 24 in major bread basket food shed regions surrounding Lagos and Dar es Salaam to access employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. AgriFood Youth Opportunity Lab will encourage youth to participate in the fast-growing horticulture, aquaculture, poultry, cassava and oilseed sectors in Nigeria and Tanzania. The partnership will also assist economically disadvantaged, hard-to-reach out-of-school youth as they transition into employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the agrifood system.
The MasterCard Foundation and Michigan State University will launch this initiative at the AgriFood Youth Opportunity Lab Private and Public Sector Plenary and Launch Reception.
WHEN: Monday, May 15, 2017 from 4:00 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.
Press conference at 5:30 P.M.
WHERE: Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel
Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island
WHO:
* Alemayehu Konde Koira, Senior Program Manager, Youth Livelihoods, The MasterCard Foundation
* Dr. Julie Howard, Agrifood Youth Opportunity Lab Director and Senior Advisor, Associate Provost and Dean, International Studies and Programs, Michigan State University
* Dr. Adesoji Adelaja, Hannah Distinguished Professor in Land Policy, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Michigan State University
* Ms. Oyindamola Asaaju, Youth Agripreneur, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
* Dr. Kenton Dashiell, Deputy Director General for Partnerships for Delivery, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
* Jacob Gbemiga Adewale, Provost of Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology (OYSCATECH)
* Bunmi Akinyemiju, Managing Director and CEO, Venture Garden Group Nigeria
Journalists are encouraged to register by 2 P.M. on Friday, May 12, 2017
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of the Mastercard Foundation.
Contact:
Bola Adekoya
About Michigan State University
Michigan State University (MSU) has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges. For more information, please visit www.msu.edu. Follow MSU at @michiganstateu on Twitter.
About The MasterCard Foundation
The MasterCard Foundation works with visionary organizations to provide greater access to education, skills training and financial services for people living in poverty, primarily in Africa. As one of the largest private foundations, its work is guided by its mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world. Based in Toronto, Canada, its independence was established by MasterCard when the Foundation was created in 2006. For more information and to sign up for the Foundation's newsletter, please visit www.mastercardfdn.org. Follow the Foundation at @MastercardFdn on Twitter.
Source: Mastercard Foundation
