Former PC Niger staffer (and Togo RPCV) Mark Wentling has just released the second book in his African Trilogy. Published by Peace Corps Writers, Africa's Release is available at Amazon.com. It will be made available as a Kindle e-book in the coming weeks. From Amazon: Journey to another time and place in Mark Wentling’s magical new novel, Africa’s Release. The residents of Gemini, Kansas, have grown used to the odd man who goes by...
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...
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...
Music with a message of peace. On April 5th, 300 people, along with the Ambassadors of Niger and Gabon, danced, clapped and cheered for Tuareg sensation Bombino at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH to support RAIN's programs in Niger. Bombino at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH At the reception before the performance, Portsmouth Mayor Eric Spears was on hand to deliver to Bombino and the Ambassadors a special welcome and to proclaim April 5, 2012...
During this year of the 50th Anniversary of Peace Corps the Board of Friends of Niger would like to encourage Friends of Niger members to distribute copies of the DVD of Brother from Niger, which follows former Friends of Nigerpresident Jim Schneider in 2002 as he returns to Niger, a country he once called home, a country that is still as poor as when he left it in 1966. In a 'Brother from Niger', award-winning journalist Andrew Younger...
Five Returned Peace Corps Volunteers began filming their experiences during a return trip to Niger in 2008. Now they are hoping to turn these experiences into a full-length documentary. Jic Clubb, Filingue 1967 From the documentary web site: In the summer of 1966 a group of 65 idealistic Peace Corps volunteers headed for Africa and landed in the dusty, heat-scorched desert of Niger. We stayed for two years working in agriculture, digging wells...
In case you missed it, come check out our April 2009 Camel Express (PDF, 1.3 MB), posted directly below, for the heartwarming story about how a Peace Corps volunteer from the early 1970's reunited with his old Nigerien friend over thirty years later, and they continued to enrich each other's lives. John and Idy reunite after 31 years John Baird first met Idy Gondah while living in his village as a volunteer in the early 70's. John never thought...