One World University Opens With Help From US Government and Local Charity
HOLLISTON, Mass., Dec. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute for Higher Education and Technology, also known as One World University, has officially opened in Changalane, Mozambique with the help of major funding from the US Department of Agriculture and Planet Aid, the 11 year-old US charity that recycles old clothes and donates the proceeds to programs in developing countries
The $3.5 million university project will offer bachelor degrees in Education and the world's first "Fighting with The Poor" degree, inspired by the president of Mozambique, to train educators in the struggle against poverty. The university has already graduated more than 190 instructors with bachelor degrees in education who are now working at teacher training colleges throughout the country.
More than 1,000 people attended the university's opening ceremonies on Nov. 21 and guests included the President Armando Emilio Guebuzza, Todd Champan, Charge D'Affair of the American Embassy, Maria Darsbo, Chair of HUMANA People to People, and Marie Lichtenberge, of Planet Aid.
"Rather than situate the university in a provincial or district capital, we chose to build it in a rural location to help inspire and promote progress and development in rural areas," said Lichtenberge. "It was an historic moment to realize this concept has come alive in Mozambique."
The USDA project is carried out by Planet Aid's local implementing partner, ADPP, in close cooperation with the government of Mozambique and their respective ministries.
Ester Neltrup, Planet Aid's president called the project "an excellent example of a private-public partnership. It will help capacity in Mozambicans to become role models and leaders in their own rural community ..."
Planet Aid is committed to helping disadvantaged citizens of the world improve their lives. It supports people and communities in some of the poorest regions of the world through programs addressing health, education, food production and income generation. It is one of 32 members of the Federation for Associations Connected to the International Humana People to People Movement.
Planet Aid currently supervises two USDA Food for Progress grants in Malawi and Mozambique, working to train teachers, organizing farmers, and helping communities and individuals effected with HIV/AIDS. Through the collection and sale of used clothing in the US and the two USDA grants, Planet Aid generated nearly $12 million in 2007 in support of 45 projects in 13 countries.
SOURCE Planet Aid
