L'aventure Nigérienne (The Nigerien Adventure): October 2008

Friday, October 3, 2008

The Embassy of Niger

Here is the website for the Nigerien Embassy in Washington D.C.

http://www.nigerembassyusa.org/index.html

This is an excellent resource for familiarizing yourself with all things Niger. And I mean all things. It has information ranging from current political news to national holidays to the kind of clothes to bring on a Nigerien vacation.

Happy discovering!

My Mail Address!

This is my very first post on my Peace Corps blog! I'm really excited about this.

I now have my mailing address in Niger.

Emily Haghighi, PCV
Corps de la Paix
B. P. 10537
Niamey, Niger

Of course, Niamey is the capital and my post will be miles away, but for now this is the best address I have. When I am placed in my permanent location, I can get a post office box closer to my area. Stay tuned for the address change (that will only apply after my preliminary three-month training period in Hamdallaye) . Also, if you would like more detailed information about how you can communicate with me during my Peace Corps service, let me know and I have a disclaimer from the Peace Corps with more information.

Niger FAQs

Where is Niger?
Niger is located just below the Sahara Desert in a landlocked region of Western Africa. It is southeast of Algeria and due north of Nigeria. See the map.

What is the population?
14.2 million people (according to the 2007 UN census)

What is the official language?
French. Hausa, and Zarma

What are the major religions?
About 90% of the population practices Islam. Other beliefs include Christianity and Animism.

What is the geography, climate, and terrain like?
Niger is almost twice the size of Texas. The northern half extends into the Sahara. The Sahel is a strip of semi-arid land south of the Sahara that goes through the middle of Niger (east to west). This area is used largely for farming and animal husbandry. The Niger River runs through the southern extreme of Niger, which is a tropical region. Niamey, the capital of Niger, is located along the Niger River.

Niger borders Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria, Chad, and Libya.

The Saharan region of Niger is almost all unsettled land, while the Sahel region supports a large proportion of the population. In general the Nigerien dry season is from October to June with the hottest temperatures lasting from March to May (reaching 44 degrees Celsius/110 degrees Fahrenheit). The rainy season lasts from June to October and the coolest months are November through February (averaging 10 degrees Celsius/50 degrees Fahrenheit).

Is the government stable?
Niger is a republic. It gained its independence from France on August 3, 1960. Until 1991, the country was held under single-party military rule when public pressure forced the government to hold multi-party elections. By 1993, the transition to a democratic government was complete. Although political unrest in the 1990s resulted in coups and disruption in the federal government, Mamadou Tandja (of the National Movement for Society and Development) became president in 1999 and again in 2004. He has been praised for maintaining stability in Nigerien society and politics. However, Niger is still considered one of the least-developed nations in the world, according the the UN.

There has been concern for unrest building from the Tuareg rebel group, the Niger Movement for Justice (MNJ). The Tuaregs are a nomadic group of the Sahara in Niger and Mali. The MNJ and other Tuaregs have grievances against the national government for its lack of Tuareg representation and a general marginalization of the nomadic peoples. In February 2007, the MNJ was formed due to continued frustrations by Tuaregs in Niger. There have been a series of attacks on government facilities in northern Niger. However, the BBC explains that the governments of Mali and Niger are working toward reconciliation with the Tuareg insurgents and call upon the international community for greater support. See the related BBC article.

So what's all this talk about Niger?

In May 2008, I graduated from Soka University of America. This unique university was founded on the Buddhist principles of peace, human rights, and the sanctity of life. Based on my own interests in sustainable development, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, I decided that a natural continuation to my university education was to join the Peace Corps. For the past year, I have been moving towards this path and on October 10, 2008, I fly to Hamdallaye, Niger to begin a life as a Peace Corps volunteer. I feel very strongly about having a balance between academic education and practical education. In the past four years, I have read stacks of books, journal articles, and news reports about sustainable development and Africa, I have completed a thorough Capstone Project on water resources development in Africa, and now it is time for me to bring my knowledge to the field.

In Niger, I will only spend three months in Hamdallaye. The next two years will be spent in a small village (the specifics are yet to be disclosed to me) working with local farmers and agencies to develop a sounder and more sustainable farming system based on the specific needs of the villagers and local economy. I am proud to go to Niger where grassroots efforts in various examples (with no outside funding, mind you) have shown tangible environmental improvements. Please watch an excellent NY Times video on this subject here.

So please enjoy this little blog about my new life in Niger. Check in from time to time to see what I'm up to and the great things I am learning from these amazing people of Niger!

L'aventure Nigérienne (The Nigerien Adventure)

Friday, October 3, 2008

The Embassy of Niger

My Mail Address!

My current address in Niger

Blog Archive

About Me

Niger FAQs

So what's all this talk about Niger?