Blogs from Niamey, Niger, Africa

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

So, I had to stay an extra three days in Niamey because the airport staff are on strike. I went out to find some soap and the only thing I could find was this "Lendemain Difficile" or, "The Next Day is Difficult"...Anti-hangover soap. I haven't been drunk in well over 20 years, but where was this stuff when I was 15? Notice the back side, soap+man=woman to the second power (or squared)...what does that mean? Anyway, it promises to save your morning and bring you back to life after a short and restless night! Maybe Peace Corps should purchase this in bulk! It smells like lemons by the way...... read more

After the awful bus from Cotonou dropped me off in Fada, I met up with PCVs Beth and Aisha. We happened to be in Fada on the night of a Floby concert, what luck! (Floby is a popular Burkinabe singer.) The next morning we joined PCV Courtney on a bus to Niamey. There was a big fiasco in which the bus company sold us tickets and then didn’t want to let us get on the bus, but we managed to get some spots standing in the aisle. It was about an eight hour trip including a long stop at the border. While we waited for the border guards to stamp our passports we found some omelet sandwiches for lunch. As soon as we were seen ordering food we were surrounded by young garibous. In Muslim communities ... read more

February 25, 2008 Goodbye Niger It is our last day here in Niamey, Niger. We work for the morning and I complete the pedology map and copy maps we have worked on over the past few days to Amadou’s computer. We go to lunch at the Italian restaurant. There is a special lunch menu that you can choose between two options for each appetizer, main course, and dessert, for the cost of 7000 cifa’s. We are given a pen to mark our choices, and I have the tomato basil salad, the spinach ricotta ravioli and vanilla ice cream for dessert. It is another good meal. After lunch, we return to the office for awhile and decide that we will go out at 3 to see some sights. The first stop is to the Canadian Embassy, for ... read more

February 18, 2008 Another day, another airline. This evening we flew Air Senegal from Bamako, Mali to Niamey, Niger. This is a new airline for me to travel on and it was a good flight. At the airport, we had to go through a passport check, then a health check (making sure immunizations were up to date), then pick up our bags and finally a baggage claim check. It took a bit of time, but it was relatively smooth. Once we got past the first two checks, Amadou was there to meet us. This is my first time meeting Amadou. He is a very nice man, very friendly! It was dark upon arrival in Niamey, so do not have a good idea on what Niamey looks like. I know the main road is paved, and it ... read more