Thione Niang Speaker Program (March 14-18, 2011)

Speaker Thione Niang

As part of its capacity building and youth empowerment program, the U.S. Mission in Benin is holding a speaker program in Cotonou, Natitingou and Parakou during the period March 14 - 18, 2011 with Mr. Thione Niang, U.S. citizen, activist, mentor, international consultant and lecturer. During his visit, Mr. Thione Niang will be conducting a series of conferences, workshops and meetings with young people, women, youth leaders and entrepreneurs to share ideas and experiences on the theme:  "Leadership and Youth Empowerment, How to Succeed in Professional Life, the Importance of Learning English and How to Serve One's Country."

Born into a poor family of 28 children, Thione Niang immigrated to the United States in 2000 with only 20 dollars in his pocket and moved to New York city without any knowledge of the English language. As a resourceful adventurer, he faced the many challenges and handicaps he came across with determination to succeed in America.  After graduating from Myers University where he got a Masters degree in Public Relations, he started his political career with his active collaboration with the Cleveland City Council. There started his political career. Thione Niang climbed the steps of success, and in 2008, he became one of the regional organizers for the campaign team of presidential candidate Barack Obama. Today, Thione Niang is the National Chairman of the Young Democrats of America College Caucus, a position requiring him to speak to young people all over the world.

Thione Niang strongly believes that life's ideal is to share his experience and to allow his community to profit from it, and that the success of a man is measured not by the magnitude of his achievements, but by the number of lives he manages to change. After the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009, Mr. Niang launched the Give1project, a non-governmental organization that trains youth and engages them for community development. The main objective of the Give1project is to select, train and guide the world's future leaders. Today, Give1project has its headquarters in United States and has branches in France and Senegal.