John Kerry, U.S. State Department to recognise Zuriel Oduwole

For the very first time in the history of the United States Government, John Kerry and the US State Department will recognize 14-year- old Nigerian – American girl, Zuriel Oduwole, for her Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up and the film making project.

She is being recognised by the United States through the US State Department, which itself champions the Girls’ Education and Women’s
Development issue across the globe, on behalf of the American government.

This is because of the unexpected attention she is bringing to the issue of girls’ education in Africa at such a young age, since she was 10 years old, and the measurable difference she is making in children’s lives across the continent through some of her programmes, such as film making classes for the underprivileged.

Kerry would personally commend and recognize her efforts in Africa, especially in the area of girls’ education, and also her first speech at the United Nations (UN) last September, when she spoke about the effect of Climate Change on Education.

Although Kerry traditionally meets mostly with world leaders and other foreign ministers, his meeting with Zuriel is to symbolise the recognition of the US Government, with her efforts.

As part of her campaign for girls’ education, she has now met one-on-one with 23 presidents to talk education policy issues, spoken to more than 24,900 youths across 11 countries, and taught more than 305 youths in her “Film Making 101 Class” across Namibia, Mauritius, Nigeria, and last month in the Mathare slums and SOS Orphanage Village – Kenya. A student from her very first film class in February 2016 – Namibia’s Anna Kalola made her first film last month, in Windhoek, and she is now shopping it to television stations in that country.

She makes additional history as the youngest person in the world to be formally scheduled to meet with a sitting US Secretary of State in his office, to talk policy related and global issues: #LetGirlsLearn.