Where does M.D. stand on protecting the environment?
M.D.’s sponsorship of two projects is a sign of his commitment to environmental protection. The first, KAREFOR the Campaign for the Reforestation of Katsina State, uses a small staff and numerous volunteers to pressure the government to end the cutting of trees in Katsina, a practice which hastens decertification. Launched seven years ago, KAREFOR establishes communal forest areas and encourages the government to restore the forests which have been decimated. The second project, Sunrays, encourages the use of solar energy. Sunrays has built model pumping stations and has erected village lighting systems. What has M.D. done to help Nigeria’s poor? M.D. was an initial sponsor of the Growing Businesses Network, a program launched in 1997 which helps poor village women receive small business loans. The Network has succeeded in getting regular bank financing for the women so that the funds can increase as the market requires. Women receiving these loans are among the poorest in Nigeria, w
