African Youth Initiative

Investing in Youths for National Development

The overall goal of this multi-year program is to expand the worldview of African high school students and their teachers from Nigeria and Tanzania by providing them with an academic experience in the U.S. The program is part of a national effort called "Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program" which is being conducted by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State. The program's main theme is transformational diplomacy that seeks to increase the students’ understanding of human differences and tolerance, and to develop their capacity and commitment to bring people together rather than divide them.  In addition to their academic education, they receive extensive training in conflict resolution and constructive dialogue processes.  They become familiar with U.S. organizations, institutions, and processes that promote democratic interaction. These young Africans develop practical action plans that will be implemented when they return to Africa to enhance civil peace and to promote an atmosphere of tolerance and development. 

Our returning alumni have already begun to establish Peace Clubs in their high schools in Nigeria. The 2007/08 academic year will mark the first year of Tanzania in the YES program. To learn more about the YES program click here.                                                                

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WIN Leadership Project

The acronym WIN stands for Women in Northern Nigeria.  It is a 2-year project of the US State Department that aims to answer the question, ‘How do we nurture the development of the next generation of women leaders in Africa and worldwide?’ The First Lady Laura Bush posed the question in Abuja Nigeria on Wednesday, January 18, 2006. The program will be a catalyst for women who aspire to leadership positions in government, business, and other aspects of national life in Nigeria.  

The program targets the Northern Nigeria where there is even more poverty, fewer educational opportunities, and more cultural and religious restrictions on women than in the South. Specific states covered in this project are Kaduna, Bauchi, Plateau, and Sokoto. Some of the goals of the project are:

        Participants will gain the needed skills to motivate women to become involved in education,      private organizations, politics and government.

        The program will foster a sense of global commitment, resulting in formal links between     organizations or governments in Iowa and the four Nigerian states.

        Participants from both countries will gain significant information about the work experiences and cultures of their international colleagues.

        Participants will learn about the structure and activities of non-governmental organizations in a democracy.

        The program will increase women’s access to political education in the four states.

        The program will emphasize and strengthen the role of education in a democracy.

        The program will seek for ways to transform women groups into social enterprises that advance the cause of women.

The first group of participants depart for Nigeria December 2007.

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Promoting Iowa Education Internationally (PIE)
 

IRIS is currently managing a consortium of Iowa colleges, universities and other partners organized to stimulate and sustain cooperative efforts to promote Iowa as a premier destination for education and training for students from all nations. PIE membership is open to two-year, four-year, and graduate or professional level regionally accredited colleges or universities; companies; agencies; and/or individuals in Iowa that support the mission of the Consortium. Members pay an annual fee and designate one or more representatives to the Consortium. Currently there are twenty one members. For more information, check out the PIE website or click on www.studyiowa.org or contact Robert Anderson, PIE Executive director at bob@iris-center.org or 515-292-7103.

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Community Connections

IRIS brought the Community Connections program to Iowa in January 1997 and hosted 52 Ukrainians in the first year of the program.  Since then, IRIS has hosted nearly 400 participants from Ukraine, Russia, Georgia and Armenia.  The participants live with Iowa families and intern with Iowa Businesses for a month. 

This multi-year program is currently managed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and World Learning. Participants are selected from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.  The participants are hosted with volunteer American families and are placed in internships with business and non-profit organizations that are related to their professional responsibilities.  They are provided a broad cross-section of training methodologies including seminars, site visits, consultations, and job-shadowing experiences, among others.

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Bulgarian Library Exchange
Creating Gateways for Global Understanding and Community Information Services

The goal of this project is to increase the capacity of Bulgarian libraries to provide online community information services to local government offices and to Bulgarian citizens.  A group of Bulgarian librarians have interned with libraries in Colorado and Iowa.  While they were here, a system of Partner Libraries was established to share information about our two countries.  A network of Bulgarian and U.S. libraries is being developed that will seek additional funding through philanthropic sources to upgrade the computer capacity of Bulgarian libraries.

Government and Civil Society
Collaborative Partners in a Democracy

A Training Program for Young Nigerian Leaders in Government, Civil Society, and the Media

The purpose of this program is for the Nigerian participants to become familiar with U.S. civil society organizations, governmental institutions, and with democratic processes, and to experience American life and culture. There is currently a great deal of civil strife in Nigeria which can be attributed to religious and tribal animosities. While the groups are visiting Iowa, they will receive considerable training in conflict resolution, constructive dialogue processes, and practices that engage individuals and diverse groups.  They will develop practical action plans that will be put into place once they return to Nigeria. It is expected that while they are in Iowa they will build friendships and personal networks with American counterparts and other Nigerians in Iowa.  These networks will contribute to reinforcing and supporting the participants in their future peace enhancing activities in Nigeria.

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