Artificial Rain Could Create a Silver Lining

By Will Beeker Source: Wells Bring Hope Despite heavy rains and flooding this fall, ongoing drought continues to pose a problem for Niger, especially late in its dry season. Niger often deals with periods of drought, but the country’s southeast is currently experiencing its lowest rainfall in 30 years, exacerbating food shortages. In August 2022,… Read more »

It’s Calypso Time! – Wells Bring Hope’s 2022 Fundraiser

On Sunday, September 18th, Wells Bring Hope’s founder and president Barbara Goldberg welcomed over 100 guests to the home of Carol and Howie Cohen for the organization’s 14th Annual Fundraiser. The theme was “It’s Calypso Time!” and featured the steel drums of Alan Lightner and a décor that set a mood that was upbeat and… Read more »

Africa’s Great Green Wall Initiative is Evolving

By Will Beeker In 2007, a group of African countries in the Sahel region came together with an ambitious plan: planting a 5,000-mile line of trees stretching from Senegal on Africa’s west coast to Djibouti on its east coast to be completed by the year 2030. The aim was stopping the Sahara Desert from creeping… Read more »

Tuareg Guitar Sensation Mdou Moctar Partners with Wells Bring Hope

By Ankita Taneja The most innovative artist in contemporary Saharan music, Mdou Moctar, is a Nigerien musician with an international reputation. He has gained immense popularity and love for his modern adaptations of Tuareg guitar music and his songs of revolution. We are excited to announce a new partnership with Mdou Moctar and his band!… Read more »

Surviving the Pandemic: Microfinance Training for Women

By Amber Persson The COVID-19 pandemic has devasted countries across the world but has also led to an increased sense of community and compassion between people. In countries like Niger, community-building can help families survive the ongoing pandemic. One such community-building activity is the creation of women’s savings groups, which help families persevere amidst the… Read more »

Cure Salée: Festival of the Nomadic Herders

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 »

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 »

13th Annual Fundraiser

On Sunday, October 17th, Wells Bring Hope’s founder and president Barbara Goldberg welcomed 75 fully-vaccinated supporters to her home for the organization’s 13th Annual Fundraiser. Inspired by Barbara’s beautiful home and serene backyard, the theme was “Sunday in a Japanese Garden.” To carry out the theme, there was a dedicated sake bar, with guests sampling… Read more »

2020 – A Recap and the Gift of Gratitude

By Lara Khosrovian Source: Jonathan Cutrer With some loops more bearable than others, 2020 was a rollercoaster of a year that we can all agree we would not want to ride again. The most prominent challenge of this year, COVID-19, gave us so much to reflect on. It caught us by surprise, tested our abilities… Read more »

Ouma Laouali: A Pioneering Nigerien Pilot

By: Adhithi Sreenivasan Source: U.S. Embassy Niamey Around the world, women are often severely underrepresented in aviation. The thought of a pilot typically conjures an image of a male in a uniform with epaulettes and insignia. Despite women having been involved in the origins of aviation and aircraft development, women represent a mere percent of… Read more »