Ali, the nurse who runs our clinic at Tamesna now has a new vehicle which he will use to visit remote camps, check on the midwives in training, see patients, bring supplies and go to Agadez to replenish medecine. He is obviously very happy–so are we–and the nomads will be soon when they know they […]
It’s a Wodaabe party–bring the cows!
The Wodaabe are nomads–so when they go to a party they don’t leave their house behind–they bring it with them along with all their herds, wives, kids and whatever. Until I met the Wodaabe I had never seen anyone wear a squirt gun or a flashlight as a piece of jewelry–how about […]
To the Wodaabe Gerewol
After days of dithering in Niamey with appointments and false starts we headed to Agadez with the information that a military escort was no longer necessary. This from the authorities in Niamey and the governor of Agadez. Apparently the governor of Taouha (about 2/3 of the way) had not gotten this news and at the […]
Fruit trees for the desert
It is not really possible here to go to a nursery and get whatever you want. I have been trying to get grafted fruit trees for some time and finally realized I had to order in advance. So last March I went to ICRISAT, an organization working on sustainable ecological farming in Niamey, and ordered […]
Puppies
It is always busy in Niamey rushing around trying to get out of town, seeing people I want and need to see and buying stuff you cannot get in the north. I always stay with my good friend Susan Rosenfeld, director of the Boston University study abroad program in Niamey. She has been a good […]
Arrival in Niamey
I I always try to get to the Grand Hotel while in Niamey to see the sunset from the terrace.
New mission starts now!
We are headed back to Niger to do a third solar training session, and train midwives among the Tuareg and Wodaabe nomads of Niger. The existing 18 solar students will start manufacture of panels to create demonstration sites from which they can sell solar equipment. Five initial midwife and health care liaison trainees have been […]
