U.S. Asst. Sec. for Educational & Cultural Affairs Evan Ryan Travels to Uganda and Rwanda

Office of the Spokesperson
Department of State
Washington, DC
January 31, 2014

Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs Evan Ryan will travel to Kampala, Uganda February 2-3, and Kigali, Rwanda February 4-5. While in Uganda she will sign an entrepreneurship grant in support of President Obama’s Young Africa Leaders Initiative (YALI), a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. The YALI initiative will train young African leaders in skills to spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across the continent. She will also visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Center and meet with government officials, U.S. Fulbright scholars, and other exchange participants.

Assistant Secretary Ryan will then travel to Kigali, Rwanda to meet with government officials and to join the TechWomen delegation at the U.S. Embassy. The TechWomen’s visit and participation in a U.S. Embassy girls’ technology fair in Kigali is TechWomen’s first in Sub-Saharan Africa. TechWomen is a State Department signature program that empowers, connects, and supports the next generation of women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from Africa and the Middle East. The program provides women the opportunities needed to advance their careers and mentor other women and girls in their communities. This event brings U.S. mentors together with TechWomen alumnae from the region.