By Amber Persson Source: Wikimedia The small Saharan desert town of Ingall is lit up with an explosion of color and culture when thousands of nomadic herders from the Tuareg and Wodaabé clans come together in celebration of their traditions for Niger’s annual Cure Salée festival. The festival symbolizes the end of Niger’s rainy season,… Read more »
COVID-19: A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
By William Beeker Source: Wells Bring Hope The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted many systemic problems in societies around the world, but maybe none so clearly as those in our education systems. Here in the US, adapting to the challenges presented by the pandemic was difficult, but manageable. Many schools were able to implement some form… Read more »
Women Musicians in Africa Open the Door for Important Conversations
By Amber Nicolai Source: Koliou Noundou In a time where much of the music coming out of the West seems to be about superficial subjects like dating, clubbing or living the high life, women-led musical groups across Africa are showing the world how powerful socially conscious music can be. These talented musicians are producing everything… Read more »
Climate Change Makes Life Increasingly Difficult for Niger’s Farmers and Nomadic Herders
By Amber Nicolai As with many issues faced by developing nations, climate change is intensifying many of Niger’s existing difficulties, such as the lack of access to land for farming and grazing. About 80% of Niger’s population relies on farming or herding for sustenance, and suitable land is becoming increasingly difficult to find. Source: Peter… Read more »
Contraception and Family Planning
By William Beeker Source: Wells Bring Hope Modern contraception is a vital tool in women’s empowerment and the fight for gender equality. In countries like Niger, where gender inequality is still highly prevalent, contraception use for married women is about 14%, compared with 30% across Africa and 55% globally. This is troubling for a few… Read more »
The Prospect of Renewable Energy in Niger
By: Adhithi Sreenivasan Source:Pencils for Kids, Libore, Niger With the progression of climate change and a greater awareness of the harm that non-renewable energy can cause to the environment, there has been a greater push around the world to utilize more sustainable sources of energy. Niger in particular is taking more direct initiatives to adopt… Read more »
Refugees and Displaced Peoples in Niger
By William Beeker Source: Mali Refugee The UN recently issued a report on the state of the humanitarian crisis in Niger that’s resulted from sectarian violence in the region. “The insecurity has forcibly displaced more than 537,000 people across the country,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. “It has also affected… Read more »
The Risk of Malaria During Pregnancy
By Amber Persson As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage around the world, there is a silent killer that claims the lives of thousands in countries like Niger. The plasmodium parasite in mosquitoes causes malaria, a potentially fatal disease if left untreated. Malaria is responsible for 50% of all recorded deaths in Niger. Pregnant Mothers… Read more »
Niger’s World Heritage Sites
By Kayleigh Redmond Although day-to-day life can be difficult in Niger, it is a country rich in history and culture, with historical and natural wonders that have lasted for centuries. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) assigns a World Heritage Site status to natural or man-made landmarks that are deemed to have… Read more »
It’s Hard to Imagine…
By Barbara Goldberg Since starting Wells Bring Hope 13 years ago, I’ve learned a lot about the impact of unsafe water in rural West Africa and how truly life-transforming clean water can be. Yet there was one thing I didn’t know until recently: many health clinics in rural Niger have no water at all. This… Read more »
