Category Archives: News

News Stories

Team Niger Competing in “FIRST GLOBAL CHALLENGE 2017”

The International Robot Olympics is in less than one week!  Never before have the world’s many nations come together for a competition of this nature, and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to take part in history.

A team from Niger is competing, and nothing would be more meaningful to them than support from their brothers and sisters abroad. A loud chorus of cheers from the community would make their trip to America all the more worth it, and we hope you can help us provide that for them.

The world’s future leaders, in the future’s greatest industry, are coming to Constitution Hall (1776 D St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20006) from July 16-18 to test their mettle against each other in the next great mental sport. They have worked hard to get here, some of them adjusting their designs under cover of darkness because the rain was too strong that day and the power cut out, some of them working from their homes because the only road in their village flooded and they couldn’t get to school. They have learned a lot on their way here, and they are ready to share their experience with the world.

Bring the family, make signs, and above all be ready to cheer for your team of choice! Our opening ceremony is from 5:30 to 7:00 the night of July 16. Prior to that, from 4:00-5:00, the teams will be available for a meet and greet with the community, and all are welcome to speak with any teams you wish to meet.

This event is a unique blend of science and culture, and we are happy to share it with the D.C. community. Day-of arrivals are welcome, but be sure to RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/426907000980500/

You can also find a list of participating countries on our website at:http://first.global/fgc/attending/

Team Niger: Team mentor Moumouni Mounkaila Souley, Rafiqua, Abdoul-Aziz, and Aida Ibrahima Abdou

Team Niger

“Road Trip Niger” Film Premier to Benefit the NOMAD Foundation

Road Trip Niger

Sunday, February 5, 2:00pm, at the Ojai Valley Community Church, 907 El Centro St., Ojai, California.

Born to Play Productions presents a film about the adventures of the filmmakers in a country as far from home as imaginable, to discover the nomadic tribes of Niger, the vast, unforgiving and breathtaking Sahara desert, and the work of the Nomad Foundation.

Film, music, appetizers, no host bar & silent auction to benefit the Nomad Foundation.

Special Tuareg guests from Niger:  
Boucha Mohamed, Nigers minister of livestock & Sidi Mamane, Niger rep of the Nomad Foundation, & mayor of Ingall

And a live sampler of music from the film singer/songwriter, Ned Clark and guitarist, Bob Wright.

Get your tickets here: http://roadtripniger.brownpapertickets.com

Web site: http://www.roadtripniger.com

Remember Niger Coalition announces Rally events across the United States to unify resources for educational programs

rnclogoPress Release

Char Harouna

September 16, 2016

rncrallyfornigerRemember Niger Coalition (RNC), a U.S. non-profit with the mission “to unify people and mobilize resources in order to expand quality educational opportunities in Niger”  will host several “Rally for Niger” events around the United States from September 24th through October 9th, 2016.  Each Rally event supports a specific RNC project location.

Kara VanderKamp, the Director and Founder of the organization proudly states, “RNC is unique in that we partner with and support Nigeriens who have a remarkable vision for their country. Without healthy partnerships our programs would not be as successful as they are.  We need each other.”   For example, RNC provides teacher training and student sponsorship, but local committees efficiently operate the schools.  The combination of efforts leads to a higher level of quality in the classroom.  Specifically, RNC teachers and staff are trained to individually monitor students and provide wrap-around-services for exam preparation.  Thus, the average 99% matriculation exam passage at RNC partner schools is  extraordinary compared to the country average of 56%.

rnc1“It is very encouraging to the RNC community Nigerien officials continually recognize our impact as progressive leaders in educational development and support the expansion of our programs,” states a RNC Board Member.   “Recent international reports indicate that elementary school access has drastically improved in the developing world, but it is not the final answer for student involvement and success.  Thus, the global tide is turning toward access, plus quality.”

rncclass1Currently, there are seven program locations mostly in the southern regions of Niger (two in the Maradi area, two in Zinder, one in Madaoua, Niamey and Dogondoutchi).  However, there are strategic plans to extend RNC over the next several years.  With funds from the 2016 Rally for Niger events and on-going donations, RNC will reach Tahoua City and build additional classrooms in already existing communities.

rncclass2The Tahoua City initiatives are particularly exciting because RNC will engage two new partnerships.  One for an elementary school and the other a model of education for girls  that addresses the drop in matriculation from elementary school to upper level grades and provide life skills training for out-of-school-adolescent girls at-risk for early marriage.

For more information on all Remember Niger Coalition programs and how to support or attend a Rally for Niger event near you, please visit www.rememberniger.org

 

Issoufou Alfaga Abdoulrazak Wins Niger’s First Olympic Medal in 44 Years

Niger’s Issoufou Alfaga Abdoulrazak won his country’s second Olympic medal on Saturday as he clinched silver in the men’s over-80 kilogram taekwondo competition, boosting the number of medals won by African fighters at Rio to five in a sport typically dominated by Asian countries.

Read more: http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN10W03S

“I want to win for Africa,” said Abdoulrazak, whose medal is only the second for Niger after a 1972 boxing bronze.

See more info about Abdoulrazak here.

Académie Bilingue Cornerstone Raising Money To Build Schools In Niger

Académie Bilingue Cornerstone is looking to raise money to expand its schools in Niger, particularly in villages where there are no schools.

abcschools2

From the founder, Amina P. Alio, PhD:

It is said that a good education is the foundation for a positive future for all children.  Unfortunately, for many children in Niger this is not a reality.  Niger was designated the poorest country in 2015, with over 90% of the population lives below the poverty line.  Many families cannot afford school fees and supplies for their children.  The number of schools is insufficient and existing classrooms are overcrowded.  As a result, only 25% to 35% of the population in Niger can read and write, with women and girls having the lowest literacy rates.

Our mission is to move Niger forward – one school, one child at a time – through the establishment of schools that offer quality education, the powerful key that will unlock the doors to the future.

Friends of Niger does not endorse any particular religion, but we do strongly support education at all levels, and we encourage you to read up about ABC Schools and other organizations, and consider helping them help improve education in Niger.

President Issoufou of Niger Speaks at World Humanitarian Summit

UN WEB TVMahamadou Issoufou (Niger), World Humanitarian Summit (Istanbul, 2016), Member States and Stakeholders Announcements
The first-ever World Humanitarian Summit, in Istanbul on 23-24 May 2016, is a global call to action by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The Summit has three main goals: 1. To re-inspire and reinvigorate a commitment to humanity and to the universality of humanitarian principles. 2. To initiate a set of concrete actions and commitments aimed at enabling countries and communities to better prepare for and respond to crises, and be resilient to shocks. 3. To share best practices which can help save lives around the world, put affected people at the center of humanitarian action, and alleviate suffering.
Watch via UN WEB TV:

http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/watch/mahamadou-issoufou-niger-world-humanitarian-summit-istanbul-2016-member-states-and-stakeholders-announcements/4907482981001

African Film Festival To Feature New Nigerien Movie

From March 11 – 18, 2016 the American Film Institute will be hosting the 12th annual New African Film Festival This year,  twenty films from fifteen different countries will be shown, including a very special screening from Niger.

Descriptions of these films can be found on the AFI website, but all are meant to celebrate the unique cultures of Africa. Featured this year is the Nigerien RAIN THE COLOR BLUE WITH A LITTLE RED IN IT, a musical drama that tackles the ambitious goal of borrowing the stylistic musings of Prince’s 1984 classic PURPLE RAIN. Featuring stunning musical performances from Mdou, the film tells the universal story of a rock star trying to overcome jealous competitors, family conflicts, the trials of love, and even his own hubris. This one-night event plays on Friday, March 18, at 7:15 PM.

Trailer for RAIN THE COLOR BLUE WITH A LITTLE RED IN IT / AKOUNAK TEDALAT TAHA TAZOUGHAI

The screening will take place at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in downtown Silver Spring, starting on Friday, March 11 at 5:00 with the Ethiopian film LAMB. Tickets will be $13 for adults (with special rates for seniors and children), and can be purchased either online here, or in-person at the AFI Silver box office.

Where: American Film Institute (AFI) Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland

When: March 11 – 18, 2016

Link: New African Film Festival

Conference in NYC: Economic Prosperity, Human Rights, and the Role of Free and Fair Elections – Case Studies Haiti and Niger

Friday, February 19 at 6:30 PM at the NYC Seminar and Conference Center, 71 West 23rd Street (6th Ave & 23rd Street)

Economic Prosperity, Human Rights, and the Role of Free and Fair Elections – Case Studies Haiti and Niger

A country’s economic development depends on its institutions: its system of government, property rights, land tenure, civil service, and justice. The Inter-Parliamentary Union notes that “In any State the authority of the government can only derive from the will of the people as expressed in genuine, free and fair elections held at regular intervals on the basis of universal, equal and secret suffrage”. What are causes, consequences, and lessons of a breakdown in the electoral system?

Elections are scheduled in Haiti and Niger in the very near future but the campaigns are far from free and fair. In this seminar Dr. Gladys Melo-Pinzon reviews the situation in Niger, and Kim Ives considers the case of Haiti.

Dr. Gladys Melo-Pinzon is the Senegal / Niger Country Specialist of Amnesty USA (AIUSA), the Amnesty International’s Section in the US and part of the global movement of people fighting injustice and promoting human rights.

Kim Ives is a journalist, broadcaster, documentary filmmaker, and an editor with Haiti Liberte.

Organized by the Henry George School of Social Science

Wells4Wellness Kicks Off Spring Fundraiser For Niger

Wells4Wellness, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing safe, sanitary water wells to the people of Niger, Africa, is holding a spring walk event fundraiser. The Moline-based organization is hoping to raise enough funds to add to the drilling of the next group of 6 wells.
The fundraiser kickoff event is scheduled for Sunday, March 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Milltown Coffee, 3800 River Drive, Moline.  Guests will sample American and Niger food and desserts, as well as enjoy entertainment and a silent auction. Walkers and walk teams may obtain walk information there. The event is free.
Wells4Wellness is encouraging Quad Citians to walk 10,000 steps per day and pledge pennies towards accumulated miles. Teams are challenged to cumulatively complete a 6,000 mile walk to Niger. Faith Lutheran Church, Moline, and the Reverend Mark Gherke and Parish Nurse Barb Marlin are the first walk team to sign on.
A former nurse turned Executive Director for Wells4Wellness, Pat Herath, Moline, says her many health missionary trips convinced her to help the people of Niger. “There, a child dies every 20 seconds from the effects of contaminated water. Drilling modern wells has a dramatic impact on the health and commerce of the people living in these rural desert communities,” she said.
About Wells4Wellness:

Wells4Wellness is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to improving the health of rural Niger, Africa by drilling modern water wells. The organization has a goal of drilling 33 wells to help the people of Niger gain access to clean, safe drinking water. For further information, please visit www.wells4wellness.com or phone 309-236-1301.

Peace Corps Values – a Message From Glen Blumhorst

The Friends of Niger board would like to send out the following message from Glen Blumhorst, the president of our National Peace Corps Association,

http://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/2015/12/when-our-peace-corps-values-matter-most/

He talks about being deeply disturbed by the recent chorus of negative and aggressive speech targeting Muslims and refugees in our countries. He urges us to reach out, in large ways and small, to Muslims, refugees and other minorities in our communities.

Now is the time for us to rededicate ourselves to this third goal of the Peace Corps, to commit ourselves to education and constructive dialogue – to the open hand of America, rather than the closed fist.

A great reminder for the new year. Thank you and best wishes for 2016!