The generation of young nomads heading into adult life with no education, skills or opportunity pose a distinct threat to the stability of the region. The only skill they possess other than herding is their knowledge of the desert. If they have no way of earning a living at home they may be tempted by a life of banditry, drug smuggling or terrorism. The Nomad Foundation’s microcredit program offers loans of $200 each to 4 members of a community and another $200 to a mentor and manager who selects candidates, distributes the loans, advises and collects repayments. After 6 months the repayments are offered to new candidates. Our pilot program proved successful, all loans were repaid and we are now seeing that young men, anchored to their communities by these loans, are choosing to stay home rather than leaving to seek opportunities in dangerous areas and occupations.
The Tamesna festival is a way to attract a large number of youth groups to come and figure out what will make it possible for them to stay home and work in their own country Last year we distributed $6,000 in microcredit to three communities and a total of 27 candidates plus three managers. The credit was to be repaid in six months, by August 11. When we saw that this pilot program was a success, Rotary club stepped up to increase the amount this year to $10,000. So many youth organizations showed up that we decided to increase the number of communities. Instead of giving $2000 per community we gave each $1000 and were able to credit 10 communities and 40 candidates with the balance going to mentoring and follow up.
So many people showed up we could not fit inside the classroom as we did last year, so we went outside.
I could’t fit them all in one picture
We started by speaking about why we were doing the microcredit: to encourage them to stay home and work in their own lands. I told them them we were here to work together to better their lives. That the peace and security of their country was in their hands and without peace and security we could not come.
From left, the Tuareg chief Ishilane, Sidi, mayor of Ingal and representative of the Nomad Foundation in Niger, Leslie, president of the Nomad Foundation and Imada, rebel chief.
We first received the repayment from last years’ communities and complimented Moutapha, the manager at Ehalgene on being on time and having all successful ventures, most of which were commerce. We then gave this money back to them to re loan to other candidates.
One by one we gave the representatives of each youth group the $1000 destined for their community. Sidi called them up, I gave them the money and report form.
Behind me Moussa writes down the names of those who will receive credit and the proposed activity.
And I photographed the form.
We did not want to leave women out of the program even though they are not as at risk of becoming terrorists, but their well being is always the foundation of a stable community. They rarely form organizations so with our encouragement two communities did and so 2 of our 10 are women’s groups.
louis de Ryckel
November 12, 2015 at 12:51 amtresbonne idée ces micro credits et tres belle photos bien suggestives de l’ambiance.J’aimerai avoir plus de détails sur ce qu’ils font avec ces 1000$ ;il est indiqué “commerce” mais que cela signifie t il concrètement?De plus comment choississez vous les “youth group ” qui recoivent ce credit? pourquoi “Youth”? et pourquoi pas de femmes?
Leslie Clark
November 13, 2015 at 10:42 pm“Youth” because they are the ones who may leave the country for lack of opportunity and become terrorists or traffickers–leading to general instability and poverty in the country. There were two women’s groups among our loan recipients, but that only because we encouraged them to organize. They are now starting to do so, but this is not a common thing for women. Commerce indicates buying or selling anything from tea and sugar to animals. The youth groups who show up to Tamesna festival and demonstrate that they are functioning with their chiefs and communities support and are well organized are chosen. With those qualifications it is first come first served.