Rory Stewart OBE FRSL MP, is the incumbent Minister for Africa in both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the UK’s Department for International Development who ‘wants to learn from and build relationships with Africa’.
Mr Stewart considers Africa as “an extraordinary continent with so much potential, an incredible number of young people and extraordinary new businesses”.
He is also aware that African youths, especially the marginalised who are in large numbers in northern Nigeria, will hardly be ‘incredible’ without possessing the right skills, knowledge and opportunities, which is why he praised MAFITA for rekindling hope in many girls and boys he met at Mando COSDEC when he paid them a visit.
MAFITA utilised funding from Ukaid to support the conversion of old and non-functioning BATCs to well-equipped Community Skills Development Centers (COSDECs) that offers marginalised youths the opportunity to be trained in market-friendly trades, acquire valuable life skills and be educated on how to access funds.
MAFITA is also working towards building the economies of its focal states through its Local Economic Development strategies and activities.
While commending MAFITA’s effort, Mr Stewart said “I can see girls studying fashion and design. These children often from disadvantaged backgrounds now get an opportunity to learn some practical skills. This is great.”
Mr Stewart was quick to add that “it is great to see Nigerian government working with DFID”.
He was particularly impressed with MAFITA’s ability to achieve ‘modest class sizes, where a teacher is teaching a small number of students at any one time’, concluding by saying “I am very happy with what I saw”.
