PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

CPAO Atim George Holds a Welcome Home Session for Returning YES Students
(Abuja: Thursady, June 11, 2009)

2009 returning Youth Exchange and Study program students pose for a group photo. |FULL SIZE

The Counselor for Public Affairs, Atim Eneida George, on Wednesday June 10 held a welcome home session with 21 Nigerian students and a teacher who returned from the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program in the U.S. 

The YES Program is funded through the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.  The program provides opportunities for high school students from countries with significant Muslim populations to live and study in the United States. 

In her welcome remarks, Atim George congratulated the students for being effective goodwill ambassadors for Nigeria. She thanked them for accepting the invitation to participate in the program and expressed the hope that they will utilize the experience of the program to improve their lives.

The students, who shared their U.S. experience, said the one-year stay in the United States had changed their perception of Americans and U.S society. One of them confessed ,“I learned how friendly Americans are and I learned Americans are respectful and welcoming.”  Another student said “I learned to appreciate my family here and how to use information technology (IT) effectively.”

All the students had stories to tell as they prepared for their homeward journey. They explained that the challenges they encountered with the weather and food had increased their appreciation for their homeland and family.  They were happy that their host families were genuinely interested in learning about Nigerian culture such as the preparation and sampling of African cuisine.

“I taught my host parents to make ogbono soup,” said Nkiru.  She also noted that she learned how to be self-reliant and more sociable with people she met.  “You have to work hard and make friends for your life to be easy and fun,” Fatima Musa added.

Some students said they observed that the Americans are very curious people. “They asked many questions,’ said Zainab Abdulwahab, adding that she was surprised her host family did not know a lot about Islam.  She was the first to talk to them about the religion when they asked why she uses the hijab to cover her head.

Garba Munkaila, the only deaf student in the group, said he wished he had known the name of his host family and host school before traveling, adding that he had no problem with American culture and food. The welcoming session wrapped up with presentation of gifts to the returning students.  Atim George presented basketballs and backpacks to each of the returning students, teachers, YES coordinators, and the Country Director for IRIS programs in Nigeria.

The students, who came from Bauchi, Kaduna, Plateau and Sokoto states, were looking forward to reuniting with their families and friends.

The YES Program started in 2003.  With Support from United States Senators Edward Kennedy and Richard Lugar, the program has grown to approximately 1,000 students coming to the United States from nearly 40 countries for 2009-2010.

For more information on the YES Program, visit: http://exchanges.state.gov/youth/programs/yes.html.