International Day of the Girl Child

Today - October 11, 2012 - was the first International Day of the Girl Child!

In December 2011, the United Nations adopted October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child to "to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.”  The focus this year, of the inauguration day, is bring attention to and combat child marriages.

This is a reality that has become more real in my life since moving to Niger.   And admittedly, one of my hardest culture shocks/struggles since returning to Canada this summer for my year home assignment.

It has been a shock to see that in the 4.5 years I have been gone – the “novelty” of teenage pregnancy has seemed to have gone mainstream in the acceptance level of society.  Certainly, there will always be situations when this occurs (perhaps more so as our society moves continually away from “abstinence until marriage”) . . . but it appears to me that our society has moved from accepting this as a reality to instead aggrandizing teenage pregnancy.  I now read magazine articles and watch commercials promoting tv shows which follow the lives of teenage moms. 

And I wonder when this became so “normal” as to have a tv show which glorifies in our society something that is being fought against around the world.

Admittedly, I have not watched these tv shows, so I do not know if the message is one intended to promote or highlight the difficulties to counteract the growing population of teenage moms.  But whatever the intent – teenage pregnancy has become popularized.   In speaking with a former high school principle last week, I learned that the new craze in schools are groups of teenage girls making “pregnancy pacts”.

In what seems a world away – life in Niger is so very different: this is normal, but we fight against it – fight for the young girls to keep their childhood.  And efforts of development organizations around the world are focused on elevating the status of teenage girls and an effort towards education of girls and eliminating child brides.

In the villages where I work – I have surveyed families of mothers who were married in their teens.  One couple I surveyed, recently married, reported that the new bride was 14 years of age – the husband 17.

In Niger – the only development statistics that we score the highest in are those to the negative:

• highest adolescent fertility rate, due to teenage brides: 2.7 out of 10 women giving birth in their teens
• highest fertility rate in the world: women giving birth to an average of 6.9 children
• worst maternal mortality rate on the planet: at a 1:7 risk (compared to maternal mortality in developed nations at 1:4000)
• infant mortality rate second highest in the world: 116 deaths to 1000 live births

When a young teenage girl is married and gives birth in her teens, she is at risk for many problems:

• does not finish school (if she was in school) – illiterate
• increased chance of HIV/AIDS
• increased risk of fistula in giving birth
• isolation

In Niger, my team has started a school called Niger Vocational Training School.  The girls who attend this school are aged 12-18 – and their parents sign a contract that while their girls attend, they will not be married.  While a few girls of the original 60 have left the school to get married, this year marked the end of the first two-year session and a number of the girls graduated!!

What do they learn at the school?

The girls program is focused on training the girls in a marketable skill – sewing and learning to be a tailor. 

When the girls graduate, they will own their sewing machine and the have the knowledge to start their own business.

The girls also learn to do various other helpful skills in life:

1. knitting – so they can make clothes for their children in cold season

2. learning to plant a garden, for vegetables to cook healthy for a family

3.  and some of the girls participated in a micro-enterprise type project where they learned to bead necklaces, bracelets and earrings for sale.

          

They learn skills to help them with their business, such as learning to read and write, math and french:

           

And finally, the girls learn about health and nutrition topics so they can be healthy and raise their children in a healthier environment:

 Because of this program – these girls have a step up in life!  They can live a little longer as children and not wives and mothers at the ages 12-18.  They will graduate with a marketable skill.  They will graduate with knowledge and skills regarding health, nutrition, safety – so that when they are wives and mothers, their families will have a greater chance at breaking the Niger statistics in health and poverty.

Finally, because these girls have attended this program – they now have a sense of worth – as women, as individuals . . . one loved and cared for!

This school is now entering an optional third year for those girls who chose to return.  They will continue in their studies and learning to be tailors.

God has blessed the Niger team to be able to make a difference in the lives of these girls . . . . and a step towards making a more lasting change difference in the lives of future Nigeriens – one girl, one family at a time!

Field Work: Rainy Season and Growth

The week that I left Niger to return to Canada was the start to rainy season in Niger.  In fact, one of the villagers of Kongu called my director’s cell phone at midnight to report that the rain was falling and he was going to start planting his fields the next day!  Apparently he was so excited that he kept repeating “the rain is falling, the rain is falling, the rain is falling!!!”.  I’ve had a few midnight calls from various villagers – and though it disrupts my sleep, their news always “makes my midnight”!  (My apologies to Brenda who had to intercept this phone call . . . but I think the news “made her midnight” too.)

In Niger, we look forward to rainy seasons for many reasons:

1. it is the first moisture in 8-9 months (aside from the occasional mango rain)
2. it breaks the heat of hot season – though I personally prefer the dry heat of 48+ degrees to the humid heat of 35+ degrees
3. it brings new life and the hope of food for the next year

The villagers of Kongu have much to be excited about this rainy season – following the teaching of new planting techniques and the distribution of a new millet seed that we did in May. 

My teammates and I are also excited for this rainy season to see the fruit of labour that the villagers will put in to plant the new seed . . . to see their granaries fuller than ever before.  We have spent much time in prayer for the rains to come to the land of Kongu.  Traditionally, the rains arrive in Kongu two weeks later than in the capital city – the 10-25 km distance making a vast difference in their rainfall and growing capacity.

I would have loved to have been there this summer – to see the seed being planted and growing, but my teammates have sent me some wonderful pictures:

July
The new millet growing:                    Comparison – old to new millet seed:
 

In the picture on the right, you can see the comparison of the two millet seed varieties.  The new millet seed in the background, and the old/traditional millet seed in the foreground – barely growing and sparse.

August
My teammates visited three of the village areas in Kongu to survey the fields, the villagers are very excited for the harvest to come!
Kongu Gonga:


This is Abedi – he lives in Kongu Gonga (gonga = truth).  He is a Tuareg man, and the midnight caller . . . he was so excited about the new seed grain, he bought enough seed to plant all his fields with the improved millet seed!

He reports that a normal yield for his fields in an average year is 300-400 bundles of millet.  Last year, he harvested 30.  This year, if the rains continue, he estimates that he will harvest 1000!!!

Kongu Faldjam:
The new millet growing:                    Comparison – old to new millet seed:
 

This is Amadou standing in two of his fields – again comparing the new millet seed to the traditional millet seed growth.  It is amazing to see the difference and the hope that the new millet seed brings for a better harvest.

Kongu Golfumba:


This is Midou Boureima, one of the village committee members standing in his field of the new millet seed.  I love that he is smiling – the Fulani rarely smile for photos (it is a serious event!) – but here he is smiling in his happiness over his field growth!!

September
Kongu Golfumba:
Again, back in Kongu Golfumba which is the centre of the radius that encompasses all 10 of the Kongu village areas.  This is the land where the chief lives – here is his son Abdoulaye in his father’s field.



The new millet is looking good and almost ready to harvest!  However, it needs another 1-2 rains to finish the maturing process - there is a white powder on the heads of grain yet that needs to come off before they can harvest.  By all appearances, this new millet will be a bumper crop for this village who have not had a good harvest in 3 years!

Please pray that rain will continue in this village area.  This millet needs to come off the field!  As well, the traditional millet seed that most planted also still needs rain in order to grow and mature – it will not be ready for harvest until closer to October.
Finally, pray that both fields will harvest before locusts arrive.  Locusts in Africa are still a problem – moving from country to country.  In a normal year, the locusts will hatch in one country and fly to the neighbouring country – eating the fields on their flight – and then lay eggs there.  The next year, the locusts will hatch and then move on to the next country.

This year, however, there will be a second hatching of locusts as the rains came early in Mali – the country directly to our west.  This means, that the locusts will hatch around October and fly to Niger – just in time to eat the millet at harvest time. 

Due to the political instability in Mali, we first heard that no measures would be taken to control the locust nesting ground in Northern Mali.  However, recently we have heard that something is being done (will be done?). 

Our prayers now are two-fold:

1. that the efforts to eradicate the locust eggs in Mali will be effective
2. that the fields all across Niger will be harvested before any locusts which may hatch and arrive to eat the crops

For a history on the food crises in Niger, and the reason for our prayers and excitement that this new millet seed will harvest well, read this news article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17506421

Field Work: Training–Distribution

Following the field work training of two days – my teammates and I distributed, to all those who attended the training, enough supplies to plant one hectare (2.14 acres) of their fields.

The villagers of Kongu had indicated that they were reluctant to try the new millet seed – though they had heard the new seed was better, they considered it too great a risk to leave what they knew (even though they knew it was bad) for something unknown which could be better . . . or could be worse.  The seed grain that we provided allowed to plant with minimal risk and try the new seed, alongside the old millet type, to see for themselves the difference. 

Each of the villagers received:

• 5 kilo sac of the new millet seed grain
• 10 kilo sac of non-organic fertilizer
• 1 small packet of micro-dose pesticide

As we distributed this seed, we prayed that the rains would be good this year and the training we provided would prove to be a better harvest yield for Kongu.

We headed to the chief’s land for the distribution and the men of the village came in to retrieve their packages:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sacks of non-organic fertilizer arrived in  

 

20 kilo sacs, so they needed to be divided

 

for the receipt of 10 kilos per villager.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos Courtesy of Chantelle McIver

Unfortunately, as we unloaded the seed, we discovered that the supplier had buried into the load some sacks of old seed which was likely not even the new seed type.  As we were delivering close to town, we called the supplier and insisted on his replacing the sacks. 

The next morning, I headed out to the village with the millet sacks for grain delivery:



Then as I arrived back in town at noon, the new seed grain 5 kilo sacks were delivered to the office.  So, I loaded my truck back up, stopped in town for a lunch of rice and sauce and headed back to the village.  As they had all walked in that morning for their food delivery, I decided to head into the village myself this time to deliver the remaining sacks.

I dropped four sacks off at the first district out of town and headed to the toll booth to meet my guide for the trip out to the furthest village area, 25 km from the capital.  Thankfully, I had brought homework along with me – I waited at the toll booth for an hour, as he phoned me every 15 minutes to assure me that he and his bike were on the way!

He finally arrived and we were on our way.  We stopped at his hut first to drop off his sack and those of his neighbours.  Then it was off to Kongu Karibangu.  I was excited to be heading here, as I had not yet been to this village area! 

About half way there, my guide asked me if I wanted to drive the short-cut through the field or the longer route on the road.  As I could see the sun leaning towards sunset, I choose the short-cut.  Well, half way through the field, as we came down the lee-side of a dirt clod hill, I heard a loud POOOOOF!!  I pulled my truck over and sure enough – I blew my tire!

Now for those who have followed my blog from the beginning, you know that I
learned to change a tire for the first time in Niger.  Though I have changed a few flats in town since, as I stood in the desert far from town, 
and looked at this flat tire – I knew this was the reason that I persisted in learning this essential skill!  The last time I changed a tire, it took me 45 minutes . . . I was not looking forward to the task, but I knew I could do it. 


(It took my guide and I a record 15 minutes to change my tire that day . . . Praise the Lord!) 



The villager living in the huts for which we were aiming saw us stuck in his field and walked out.  By the time he arrived, we were ready to go and we drove slowly through his field to reach his hut.  His family warmly welcomed me with many smiles and the typical Fulani offer of warm milk.

He had not yet unloaded his sack of millet from the grain distribution and posed with the sack of grain for his family that month – along with the warm milk and millet mush drink that is a staple in the Fulani family.



I was then gifted with my first live gift . . . a pintade (wild guinea fowl) . . . which he tied down to the sand ladders in the back of my truck for the ride home!



As we were preparing to leave, the family wanted to know about the blown tire.  I explained that we chose to drive the short-cut through the field.  The were not happy with my guide and I explained again that I had been given a choice and that I had chosen to drive through the field.  My host then declared “Always the road Khadiza, you should always choose the road!”  He then climbed into my truck as well, to show us the road back as my guide was not 100% sure. 
 
We headed off down the “road” . . . more like a worn donkey cart trail in the dirt.  Until at one point my new guide indicated I should turn left – into another field which would connect us to the next road over.  As we drove through this field, my new guide declared to the first guide: “Now, you know the road”!!!  It was all I could do not to shake my head and laugh!  But, we made it through this field with no hazard and I headed back to the edge of town for my final delivery.

The next day, I inspected my tire and discovered that it was not even salvageable! 



I thank the Lord often for His safety and protection on the “roads” as I travel around the village!

Field Work: Training–Day 2

Back in May – I wrote a blog post on the field work training that we conducted in the Fulani village of Kongu.  All in an effort to stem the tide of famine and consistent food shortage due to rainfall.  Our team is helping the villagers to work with a new millet grain which will mature in half the time as the traditional grain.  So, even as the rains may decrease, the millet will be ready to harvest in August instead of October!  This new grain should also harvest a larger crop, and as the years progress and the villagers continue to replant this grain from harvest, the harvests will continually increase in yield.

The first day of training in May – the villagers learned how this new grain works, learned planting techniques and how to use organic and non-organic fertilizer to increase their field productivity.

The second day of training was designed as a pratice day - going into the near-by fields to practice the lessons of the previous day.  I headed off to the third training area of Kongu Faldjam to see how the training was going in this location. 

When I arrived, the training had already moved out to the field, so I headed out to meet them.  The trainer choose this field specifically as it was wind-scarred land, and he wanted them to understand that this land could be revived and productive with the new planting techniques.

 

The trainer stood to the side and watched the villagers dig the holes in the ground with their hoe – judging to see if they understood the spacing and placement of the holes correctly.  It must be hard work – for a few of the men took their turns each digging one row.

  


In the picture above – you can see that the holes are staggered row to row, so that the rain flows into each hole with seed.



First the micro-dose of non-organic

fertilizer is dropped into the hole






Then, the organic fertilizer is dropped on

top to cover the micro-dose completely.

The hole will then be left open until the rains

arrive and fill the hole, mixing the two fertilizers

together.  Then the seed will be planted and the

hole covered over.






Now – in this picture, you see one of the most useful and necessary implements of African village life:

What, you may ask, does a plastic teapot serve in field work . . . how is it used to plant millet seed?

Well, it serves no purpose . . . to the planting of fields.

This plastic teapot is the African toilet paper!!  The water inside is used for washing after going to the “outhouse” (or behind the nearest bush).  I love the fact that the toilet paper was carried around all morning to each location we travelled!  I suppose it makes the best sense – as we were far from the huts, the teapot I am sure came handy and saved time so that those present did not have to return to the huts whenever nature called!

After the work in the fields, we headed back to the village centre and gathered under the tree for the final teaching and Q&A time period.



And – men in Africa multi-task! 



As the trainer teaches, the men are stripping grain bags down to strings and then braiding the strings together into a rope which will be used as either as a tether for their goats and sheep or tied to a bucket with which to draw water from the well.

Stay tuned for the final installment of “field work” posts – coming soon: Distribution!

Courageous Readers–Final Installation

Well – here are the final articles written about the Canadian Food Grains Bank projects in Niger – written by a reporter from the Winnipeg Free Press.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/crescent-moons-stave-off-starvation-151228385.html

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/paradox-of-hunger-in-niger-151353745.html

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/more-mouths-but--less-to-feed-them-151493155.html

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/diverse-yet-peaceful-151667635.html

And two more articles from the BBC website – it appears Niger is making a fair amount of international news this year!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18111384

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18074093

Oh Lord – Have Mercy!!

Field Work: Training–Day 1

As I mentioned in a previous blog post – my team is working in the village of Kongu this year to provide grain aid for the villagers without food from last year’s failed harvest and to provide field work training so the villagers can improve this harvests of this year and the future.

Every time I visit this village, I look at the dry and scorched, wind scarred land and I wonder how these people manage to grow any food at all. 

 

When the rainy season comes though, the landscape morphs into a lush and green land – it is oft-times unfathomable that all this life is dormant below the surface . . . waiting for the rains!



This land can grow grain!  But, it needs help.  You can look across these fields and see the effects of desertification.  As I sit here week after week, teaching in the village – I see the sand blow off the fields and you can track the wind pattern on the ground in the scars it leaves behind. 

The chief’s son tells me that when his father was a child all their land was like a forest of trees – they lived by roaming these lands with their cows.  (He also mentioned once that when his father was a child, the lions lived here . . . I am glad that I do not need to sit in the village and wonder if there is a lion behind yonder scrub bush!) 

The Fulani were once a nomadic tribe, yet now, they have settled on land (or are semi-nomadic) and plant fields.  This generation is the first to plant fields! 

Earlier this month, we divided the village into three teaching locations and held a two-day training with national agents teaching on field work. 




The training was done in Djarma (another national language) so I only caught a few basics as I watched the demonstrations.

The first day of teaching, the farmers learned two methods of using a micro-dose of  insecticide powder in combination with non-organic fertilizer:

1.  micro dose of fertilizer with seed grain



2. non-organic fertilizer



3.  digging a hole – mimicking the action of a small wooden hoe



Even though we divided the village into three training sites, in order to reduce the distance some had to walk, there were still those who walked up to five kilometres to the training!  (as opposed to 15 km)  As the training was two full days, we provided lunch each day, so that the men did not need to walk home for lunch and then back in the afternoon.   

I started off the first morning on the chief’s land for the training and ate lunch there before heading off to the second training site for the afternoon.  The women set up their kitchen just off the side of the shelter, so we could smell lunch cooking – I wandered over to take pictures.  It is quite the process, each pot of the many serving a function: cooking the oil, onions and tomatoes; cooking the rice; cooking the sauce; frying the hot peppers in oil.





















For the afternoon, I drove out to the second training site.  After a short time, lunch was served here to the teacher (the men having eaten earlier . . . I was confused) but this meant second lunch for me!  Culturally, I cannot refuse the food, so I ate again but thankfully it was sufficient this time just to eat a few handfuls to satisfy the cultural politeness.

In the second session, we learned how to use a combination of non-organic and organic fertilizer (yes – manure!) along with a new method of using the fertilizers.  The Fulani do use manure – for all through the dry season, their cows, sheep and goats graze their way through the fields, leaving their droppings behind.  However, the manure is left on top of the ground, never mixed in with the soil.

For this session – a child of the household was sent out to collect some manure of sheep, goats and chickens from around the hut.  Then the teacher taught how to dig a hole, line it with a small amount of non-organic fertilizer and then cover it with manure.  This is then left open until the rains come and mix this together – then the seed is planted in the hole and finally covered:




And of course no day would be complete without tea!

 

Stay tuned for Field Work: Training – Day 2 . . . coming soon to this blog post near you!