Blogs from Niger, Africa

28 février : Aujourd’hui, petite pluie matinale sur Dosso. Visite des communes de Dan Kassari et de Doutchi. Déjeuner avec Lukas, le Polonais, 1 thé, 1 café et un morceau de pain, environ 0,60 $ dans une cabane en tôle en face de l’hôtel. 1 mars : Pour le déjeuner, retour au super resto en face de l’hôtel avec Lukas. Visite des communes de Garan Kedey, de Sakadamna et de Kiéché. Anniversaire de Laura, l’Italienne, petit gâteau d’anniversaire fait avec des frites et des carottes ! Pas super bon. 2 mars : Visite des communes de Kasera et Tessa ainsi que du village de Koptitanda. Un autre anniversaire, celui de Lukas, ce qui me donne droit a quelques shot de vodka ! 3 mars : visite des communes de Doumega et de Guéchémé. 4 mars : ... read more

17 janvier : Arrivée finalement à Niamey vers 5:00 AM. Arrivée à l'hotel vers 6:00. Dodo vers 7:00, totalement claquer ! Déjeunre/diner un spaghetti vers 12:30, mon premier repas en terre nigérienne. On assiste à un briefing de 14:00 à 19:00 : finance, docteur, sécurité, IT, etc. Souper : sandwich jambon/fromage. Première douche froide du voyage. On est confiné à nos hotel, pas le droit de sortir pour visiter la ville de Niamey. L'hotel devait être très bien dans les années 60-70, maintenant, c'est un peu défraichit ! A part l'équipe de l'UE il y a quelques militaires français qui y logent. Mes premières impressions du pays : il fait chaud et c'est très poussièreux. 18 janvier : Dernière journée de briefing à Niamey : analyse juridique, analyse politique, cadre électoral, contexte politique, relation avec la ... read more

This update encompasses nearly two years of effort in Niger and at the village of Handaga, Tera region. I have now made some six separate trips to the village initially to visit my sponsored child and then followed by humanitarian trips. Thes trips have taken place in October 2008, December 2008 / January 2009, May 2009, September/October 2009,February 2010, June 2010 and now August 2010. Each trip made gradual progress instilling confidence in the village Chief, his elders and the villagers of some 750. Inevitably we found evidence of malnutrition, hunger and abject poverty. However, what shines through is that these beautiful people deserve our help in providing a sustainable future together with educational assistance. In the village school we are providing new desks ,equipment, books and facelifts to the classrooms. This August trip is timed ... read more

Here is a nice mobile pharmacy in Dosso...anything and everything you could possibly need! Jaundice, gonorrhea, diarrhea, stomach problems, diabetes, fever and much, much more! Doesn't it make you feel better already to see your potential treatments being served out of old trash cans, gas cans, plastic bags, and dirty water bottles?... read more

When I crossed the border by buss I was really positive and meditative. The hot wind blowing furiously in my face, as the bleached scenery rushed by, drenched in the strongest Sahelian sun. It was a pleasure to see slight hills, and eventually a valley in which the Niger flowed, as we drove into Niamey, the capital. This is Niger, remember, not Nigeria! This is a country of some 14 million people, considered to be the poorest country in the world for third consecutive year, and there were no severe droughts those years, so one can see the state of things thought that fact alone. It seems to be holding on to democracy tough, just, and that will be put to the test in the next few months as the next election comes up, and we ... read more