When Americans host international visitors through the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), they often ask: What difference does this make? The answer is: more than you can imagine.
In 2017, a couple in Pensacola, Florida—Mike and Karen—welcomed an IVLP participant from Nigeria into their home. During the visit, they shared stories, a meal, and a small gift: a dream catcher. A simple gesture. A moment of kindness.
That encounter inspired something far greater than anyone could have expected.
Years later, that visitor launched the Dream-Catchers Ambassador Programme in Nigeria. Designed to support youth affected by conflict, banditry, and displacement, the program helps young people like Godiya—a survivor of armed attacks who became a peer leader through mentorship, skill-building, and hope. Today, Godiya is helping others find their voice and reclaim their future.
This is not just a story of inspiration—it’s a case study in soft power, security, and mutual prosperity.
When Americans open their homes and communities to global leaders, they build relationships that reduce extremism, foster stability, and promote U.S. values abroad. The Dream-Catchers program is helping to counter the very root causes of insecurity in West Africa—radicalization, hopelessness, and despair. And it started with a handshake, a conversation, and a symbol of hope in Pensacola.
Through the IVLP, Americans are helping shape a more secure and connected world—one relationship at a time. That’s the power of citizen diplomacy. That’s the return on investment.
IVLP participants in Pensacola in November 2017