By Stephenie Griffin If the world is an ocean, Niger is rowing against a mighty current but refusing to be pulled under by the waves of adversity. Nigerien society remains in the midst of civil unrest, food insecurity, and long periods of drought. Many people lack the most basic necessity of all – potable water… Read more »
Launch of the BIOFIN Initiative Brings Hope for a Sustainable Future in Niger
By Kayla Ruff Source: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) was officially launched in Niger on March 22, 2023. BIOFIN is a global partnership launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Commission, and the initiative works to measure existing biodiversity expenditure levels, assess future financial needs, and design… Read more »
African Drone and Data Academy Empowers Nigerien Youth
By Amber Persson Imagine that a mother of five in rural Niger suddenly develops a fever, headache, and nausea; the diagnosis—malaria. She must receive treatment as soon as possible before the swift-acting disease develops further. Unfortunately, her community is largely inaccessible by road, and there are no hospitals in the vicinity. It could take several… Read more »
Water Access Can Reduce Violence
By Will Beeker Access to clean drinking water in Niger provides numerous benefits, one of which is a reduction in violence in its many forms. Studies have shown a connection between water scarcity and violence in the Sahel region of Africa, but also anywhere there is limited access to clean water. Even small variability in… Read more »
Secretary Blinken Makes Historic Visit to Niger
By Will Beeker Source: Secretary of State meets Nigerien authorities In March, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a historic visit to Niger during which he praised the country for upholding democracy as neighboring countries have fallen prey to coups and political upheaval. This is the first time in history that a U.S…. Read more »
We Zarma Love
By Megan Campbell Niger has a wide variety of indigenous languages, which are usually majority languages that are natively spoken in a certain area. Hausa, spoken all over Niger, is the most widely spoken indigenous language. Zarma is the second leading language, and it is spoken primarily in the Southwest region of Niger, and… Read more »
7 Gallon Challenge
What: For one day, attempt to limit water usage to seven gallons of water a day, which is a high estimate of how much the average rural Nigerien uses in a day. For every gallon over seven that you use, donate $1 to Wells Bring Hope. Film yourself sharing the results of the challenge. At… Read more »
Kossom Association Provides Employment for Women with Disabilities
By Amber Persson Female empowerment is one of the most powerful growing movements of the 21st century. Countries around the world are making changes, slowly but surely, to close the gender gap that exists professionally and culturally. For Nigerien women living with disabilities, the gender gap is even more pronounced. As a result of widespread… Read more »
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 »
Finding Hope for Wildlife Conservation in Niger
By Kayla Ruff While Niger provides habitat for some of Africa’s most notable wildlife species, such as the hippopotamus and Nile crocodile, the country is also home to many lesser-known yet critically endangered species. It’s clear Niger’s rare desert species are in dire straits: Only about 100 addax desert antelope are left in the wild,… Read more »
