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One Hundred Years Of Archeology In Niger
Niger has always been a rich country for archeological research. This blog post links to a research paper outlining some of the more notable archeological finds and their significance.
It’s highly technical information, but it’s interesting to get an idea of all the work going in in the country relating to the history of mankind.
Niger RPCV Plans Cross-Country Fundraiser for World Food Program
Andrew Marinelli, a recent RPCV from Niger, is planning an ambitious “Third Goal” service project. Beginning in March of 2009, he will begin a 6,000 mile bicycle ride from Key West, Florida, to San Francisco, California, stopping at primary and secondary schools along the way to give talks about his experiences in Niger, and help spread awareness about global hunger, rising food costs, and areas affected by conflict, while raising money for the World Food Program
With a goal of raising $100,000 for the WFP, Andrew will cross fifteen states, and visit ten state capitals and dozens of college and university campuses. He will also be contacting local media across the country with the hopes of reaching a target audience of millions of people.
To learn more about how to help via sponsorship or other activities, you can contact Andrew by phone or email:
Andrew Marinelli
World Food Program – Fundraiser Event Coordinator
Phone: 803-443-9343
andrewmarinelli@gmail.com
Peace Corps RPCV Career Event To Be Held February 10-13 In Washington DC
Reconnect with the Peace Corps community and give your job search a jump start with four days of career-development workshops and discussions for recently returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
This is a FREE event for RPCVs. Pre-registration is required for all sessions, and attendees are responsible for their own travel, food, and lodging costs.
For more information, visit:http://www.peacecorps.gov/rpcv/events.
EstroGenius Festival Presents Voices Of Africa
Partnership With Peace Corps Niger And Friends Of Niger Supports Young Girls Scholarship Program
The Estrogenius Festival’s Voices Of Africa (VOA) is a collaboration with Peace Corps Niger. This unique collaboration, featuring stories, poems and songs written by young Nigerien women, will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2008.
Ginger O’Neill, a former Estrogenius Festival volunteer, created the Pangea Festival in Niger along with co-creators Michelle Stoner and Sheena Washington while serving a two-year Peace Corps appointment in the country. Pangea brings together people from diverse villages and features events for girls and teens that help them to express their voices through music, poetry, prose, yoga, dance and other creative disciplines.
During the Pangea festival, young Nigerien women wrote poems, stories and songs that were translated into English and sent to New York City to be performed as part of Voices of Africa. 100% of the funds raised from the performances will be donated to the Young Girls Scholarship Program, which sends girls in Niger to school and the Pangea Festival in Niger.
The event will be held on Saturday, November 1st, at the Manhattan Theatre Source. Please visit their web site for tickets, or to make a tax-deductible donation:
Tickets are $15, and you can also make a tax-deductible donation here:
https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/store/931
All proceeds benefit the Young Girls Scholarship Program which provides academic scholarships to Nigerien girls.
Taking Action on Climate Change
NPCA Profiling Volunteers
Help Take Part By Contributing Your Own Submissions
The National Peace Corps Association is looking for Peace Corps volunteers, returned or current, who are taking action on climate change. The goal is to show how climate change affects their country of service, and to spotlight the activities that they are involved in to help reduce humanity’s effect on the environment.
The advocacy team at the NPCA is calling for submissions in the form of videos or testimonials that you would be willing to share with others showing how climate change affects communities in Niger. This is a great opportunity to showcase how this important issue affects the fragile environment that so many Nigeriens depend on.
You can contact the NPCA advocacy office by email: advocacy@rpcv.org, or through the NPCA web site.
If you don’t have videos, you can also contribute by submitting a Climate Change Profile, to highlight the work you do on a professional or personal level to fight climate change.
Please visit the NPCA’s web site to submit your own profile:
http://www.rpcv.org/pages/survey.cfm?id=60
You can see the profiles that have already been submitted here.
http://www.rpcv.org/pages/sitepage.cfm?id=1412
Thank you for helping to raise awareness of this critical issue!
NPCA Launching MorePeaceCorps Campaign To Increase Support for Peace Corps
100 House Parties Across United States
Targeted For September 6, 2008
MorePeaceCorps is a campaign launched in 2008 by the National Peace Corps Association with the goal of increasing support for the Peace Corps, eventually doubling its budget and worldwide volunteer base by 2011, the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps.
MorePeaceCorps will begin by throwing 100 House Parties across the United States to rally support for this crucial goal.
You can help out by hosting a party, arranging for donations, coordinating publicity, writing letters and/or op-ed pieces, or simply attending your local house party!
If you are interested in becoming an official MorePeaceCorps local organizer or simply learning more about 100 House Parties, please contact May Wilkerson at MorePeaceCorps, or visit the official MorePeaceCorps web site.
Full URL:http://www.morepeacecorps.org/
newsevents/entry/100_house_parties_september_6_2008
Niger Documentary Filmmaker Wins Golden Giraffe Award
Ingrid Patetta’s documentary, At The Center Of The Earth – Of Wells and Men, has recently won a Golden Giraffe award at the International Environmental Film Festival of Niamey.
Honoring the traditional know-how of the Hausa well-diggers of Niger, the film reveals the pride, the tradition, and the determination of these Sahelian men who dig the earth with their bare hands in order to access water.
The film has also been chosen as an Official Selection the represent the African continent for the International Water and Cinema Events World Water Forum, taking place in Istanbul in March of 2009.
We congratulate Ingrid and hope she continues to produce more wonderful and educational films about Niger.
Nomadic Festival August 9 in Ojai, California
Leslie Clark and the Nomad Foundation are putting together a festival on a ranch in the hills above Ojai, California to help raise money for the Center for Nomadic Life.
The Center for Nomadic Life is designed to meet the basic needs of nomads living near Ingall as their life becomes increasingly challenging. Tickets are still available at the Nomadic Festival web site.
Come spend the day enjoying art, exhibitions, food, music, and more, all for a great cause!
Adventures In Service
Former Peace Corps director Jim Bullington has released a book about his service in Niger. In Adventures in Service with Peace Corps in Niger Jim gives the reader “an informed perspective on poverty, development, politics, culture, and security” in our favorite region of the Sahel.
Come check out this and other books in the Books section of our web site.