Pen and Pad on Resources Available to Combat Coronavirus, Today at the White House

Today, Friday, February 28, the White House will host an on the record “Pen and Pad” roundtable with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, acting Director of Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought and White House Director of Legislative Affairs Eric Ueland, to discuss available resources directed towards the Coronavirus.  

White House, State Department, and U.S. African Development Foundation Announce Funding for the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs

Today, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump announced a new
partnership in support of the White House-led Women’s Global Development
and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP).  The partnership between the U.S.
Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
and the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) will expand the
Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE).

AWE was created in 2019 and launched in 26 countries around the world
to support W-GDP, which aims to economically empower 50 million women
in the developing world by 2025.

“W-GDP is the first ever whole-of-government approach to women’s
economic empowerment, developed intentionally to inspire collaboration
on best programs and partnerships,” said Advisor to the President Ivanka
Trump. “I am proud to see the State Department and U.S. Africa
Development Foundation partner together to expand the Academy for Women
Entrepreneurs (AWE) in support of W-GDP. W-GDP is focused on scaling
programs that will have maximum impact for women and communities around
the world.”

In 2020, to help achieve W-GDP’s goals, ECA is expanding AWE
globally, doubling the number of countries to reach more women, and
partnering with USADF in Africa on this important effort.

This new U.S. government interagency partnership will provide select
AWE graduates in Africa with seed funding to start and scale their
enterprises.  Beginning this year, through 2025, USADF will provide up
to $10 million in grants to the most promising African AWE graduates. 
In 2020, funding will be awarded to AWE graduates from the following
countries: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa,
Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

USADF believes Africa’s growth and prosperity will be driven by
women.  In 2019, women social entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises
constituted approximately 66% of USADF’s total investees.  USADF is
partnering with the State Department on AWE to promote African women’s
entrepreneurship and increase their access to capital, markets,
technical assistance, and mentorship.

AWE supports Pillar 2 of W-GDP by providing women with the knowledge,
skills, and networks needed to create sustainable businesses and
enterprises.  Through an inclusive learning community and mentoring
opportunities, women from around the world will explore the fundamentals
of business, including creating business plans and raising capital,
with the goal of building a better future for their families and
communities across Africa and around the world.

Mayor Turner's statement on expanded White House travel ban

"I am deeply concerned that the White House has expandedthe
travel ban to six new countries. Public safety should be a top priority
at every level of government, but there is no room in a civil society to
ban travel to the United States based on a country’s predominant
religion, race or culture. The rationale for the expansion of the travel
ban cannot be based on discrimination.

"Houston has more than 150,000 residents of Nigerian descent which is
one of the largest Nigerian communities in the United States.

"Our city is the national leader in refugee resettlement These
immigrants and refugees contribute greatly to our economy, our culture,
and as our neighbors.

"They come here seeking freedom and opportunity. They find it in Houston. We are glad to welcome them to our city."