Friends of Niger are terribly sad to learn of the recent passing of Barbara Kirker. A Niger RPCV serving in Diffa in the the 1960s, Barbara and her husband, Dr. William Kirker, established the Maine-Soroa hospital (not to mention Africare), forever impacting the lives of many Nigeriens. His Excellency Maman S. Sidikou, the Ambassador of Niger to the United States, has these kind words to say about Mrs. Kirker in this open letter to Dr....
PBS is currently airing an intriguing new documentary about one of the largest prehistoric human burial grounds found in the Sahara. As with many of these discoveries, this one is located in the remote deserts of Niger. From the show: Over 10 years and five expeditions, Sereno has found more than 200 burial plots, each more intriguing than the last: a man buried with his head in a pot; another buried sitting in a turtle shell; a girl with a...
As a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger in the late 80's, Leslie Natzke noticed that there were very few young women and girls going to school. Since then, she's launched a non-profit aimed at developing leadership skills in young women in West Africa to empower them to become pillars in their communities. Natzke introduces us to her organization, Expanding Lives. Listen to the WBEZ Worldview interview here on SoundClound. Full...
The New York Times reports in a recent article on the progress made by a group of surgeons -- with the support of Times readers -- who insisted on finding a way to help young women suffering from fistula. There is nothing more wrenching than to see a teenage girl shamed by a fistula, and I've written before about the dreams of a couple of surgeons to build this fistula center here in Danja. Times readers responded by contributing more than...
The Millennium Challenge Corporation hosted its quarterly town hall meeting on the 20th December 2012. At this meeting, the Board selected Niger for the first time as a country eligible for a Compact program with MCC. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) created by the U.S. Congress in January 2004 is a U.S. foreign aid agency that is fighting against global poverty. MCC has two forms of grants: Compacts which are large 5 year grants...
Niger RPCV Guy Immega has released a new e-book, Ancient Egypt's Lost Legacy? The Buduma Culture of Lake Chad, featuring much detailed information about the culture of the very remote, eastern parts of Niger. Guy has generously shared his book with us as a PDF file, that you can download and read here (PDF, 7.2 MB). Full URL: http://friendsofniger.org/pdf/Buduma_Master_V4.pdf You can also get a special version of the e-book on the Apple...
This Associated Press story provides a chilling look into the reality facing many nomads in the face of famine and drought. From the article: In markets all over Niger, hungry people are selling hungry animals for half their normal value, giving up on the milk and money of tomorrow so that their children can eat today. Their plight is a sign of how far the economy of the desert has broken down, leaving its people unable to feed themselves in...
Reporters Without Borders has released its 2011-2012 ranking of Press Freedom around the globe, with Niger showing the biggest improvement of any country in the world. From the full version of the press release: Niger (29th) rose 75 places in the index, the biggest leap by any country in the world this year. The economic environment for Niger's media is very precarious but they are free and benefit from favourable legislation. Media freedom...
With causes ranging from policy failures to marginal help from development agencies, The Economist argues in a July 7, 2012 article that even inadequate irrigation in the region can be overcome through long-term planning: Read more: Full URL: http://www.economist.com/node/21558315
