CODE board member receives US honour for humanitarian service

Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja

One of Connected Development’s board members, April Thompson has been awarded with the United States President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honour offered in recognition of volunteer humanitarian service to the country.

The award is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, a group created by President George W. Bush, to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers make to the nation.

“Service is arguably the most important and rewarding act of humanity. It’s wonderful to see it recognized at the highest level of government and an honour to receive this award,” Ms. Thompson said, when asked how she felt about the recognition.

Ms. Thompson’s volunteer work made limelight when she volunteered to help an international development agency with a focus on social, agricultural and environmental issues, Winrock build its next phase of F2F to incorporate assistance to the post-harvest sector in Senegal through the Winrock Farmer-to-Farmer Programme funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) programme provides volunteer technical assistance to farmers, agri-businesses as well as education and extension providers in developing countries to promote sustainable improvements in the agricultural sector.

CODE’s Chief Executive, Hamzat Lawal, congratulated Ms. Thompson on this presidential recognition, stating that “giving our time and effort to help others is the most rewarding service. We get to see the immediate impact of our work–we enjoy the smiles of the people we work for.”