U.S. Ambassador swears in new USAID Director for Nigeria

U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Robin Renée Sanders administered the oath of office Friday, July 24 to Dr. Ray Kirkland as the Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Nigeria. Kirkland is a career member of the USAID Senior Foreign Service and previously served as Mission Director for USAID’s Regional Services Center in Budapest, Hungary (covering Europe and Eurasia) and in Tanzania. Since July 2008, he has served as the AFRICOM Director of Programs.

"As free as a bird" - Thanks to USAID fistula care project

Until August 2008, thirty-two-year-old Elizabeth (not her real name) had lived with fistula for half of her life. Long after giving up hope of a remedy, she heard on the radio that women could receive fistula surgery at the Faridat Yakubu Fistula Center, Gusau in Zamfara state as a result of U.S. assistance through USAID.