(What follows is an informal article on the recent Peace Corps Niger reunion, written by a former English teacher who likes to indulge himself by writing about interesting things. And this was really interesting! Please pardon me for errors and omissions. Corrections and additions are welcome! –Gary Steele, Niger RPCV ‘66-’69) The Peace Crops Niger Reunion of August 2022 was fabulous! It was a long weekend of wonderful reminiscence,...
“Alheri gadon barci ne.” Hausa proverb A kindness is never wasted. Dear Friends of Niger Members, Isn’t it true that during your time in Niger you were the recipient of countless alheri? Certainly, we would stand up and attest that Nigeriens are some of the kindest people we have ever met! You and I represent a tiny fraction of the population that knows anything at all about Niger. From having lived and worked there, we have a...
We note the passing of Irma Poots, who was affectionately called "Poots" by her Peace Corps cohort in the Zinder region. She was a public health volunteer serving from 64-66 in the Niger III group. Here is a tribute and enjoyable ode to volunteer service by Linda Schulman: Excerpts from a letter written to the daughter of Irma Poots, (Niger III 64-66 Public Health) from Linda Schulman (64-66) . . . . . I’m writing to you with my deepest...
Friends of Niger acknowledges the passing of our colleague and friend to so many, Sue Rosenfeld, who spent many years in Niger. We are sharing this brief obituary from her brother Josh below and we invite you to share your thoughts using the comment function on this page. Sue Rosenfeld, 72, a New Jersey native who spent the majority of her life as an educator in Africa, passed away on October 10 in her home town of Niamey, Niger, after a...
Friends of Niger, Heavy rains, extreme
flooding starting in August, and the collapse of the dam near Niamey have led
to severe property destruction, displacement, malnutrition and now the spread
of malaria in many parts of Niger. As of
September 15th, 71 people have died due to drowning or injury, and
over 350,000 have had to leave their homes.
The most severely impacted regions include Dosso-Tillabery, Niamey, Tahoua,
Maradi,...
Friends of Niger is
currently reviewing several requests from organizations for flood assistance
and we hope to provide some support through them to those in need soon. The Nigerien expatriate group CONUSA has already raised over $2,000. To donate now, you can
either go to http://friendsofniger.org/donate/donate-via-paypal/
to use PayPal, or write a check payable to Friends of Niger and mail to:
Friends of Niger PO Box 452 Haverford, PA 19041....
Visual tour of Agadez November 2019. Hotels, galleries of cultural artifacts, restaurants. 5th largest city in Niger, with a population of 124,324 (as of 2011)
Road Trip Niger Sunday, February 5, 2:00pm, at the Ojai Valley Community Church, 907 El Centro St., Ojai, California. Born to Play Productions presents a film about the adventures of the filmmakers in a country as far from home as imaginable, to discover the nomadic tribes of Niger, the vast, unforgiving and breathtaking Sahara desert, and the work of the Nomad Foundation. Film, music, appetizers, no host bar & silent auction to benefit...
Memorial Day is about remembering those who have sacrificed their lives in service of this country. Let's not forget that there is another kind of service for our country, and take a moment to remember the nearly 300 Peace Corps Volunteers who lost their lives during their time abroad: the Fallen Peace Corps Volunteers. Fallen Peace Corps Volunteers is a web site dedicated to these volunteers, with the ultimate goal of honoring their...
Several years ago we told you the story of five RPCVs who traveled back to Niger in 2008 to create a documentary capturing the experiences of the entire group of 65 idealistic volunteers who landed in Niger in 1966. Fortunately they completed their documentary, and the entire 75-minute production is available on YouTube for you to enjoy. Read more and watch the video...
