Lulu Takes Niger: back to da bush

After being in Niger for a while, my sense of compassion became oddly dulled.... dirty, naked, hungry children, began to seem sort of normal, and the filth and frustration of the poorest country in the world seemed less shocking. Returning from America allowed me to see it with the eyes of the first world, again. The compassion in my heart grew in my first week as I saw the children's torn clothing( or none at all), their malnourished distended bellies, and their toys consisting of dead rats and cow dung as play-doh. Instead of seeing my friends, my home, I could see Niger for what it is: one of the poorest countries in the world. Seeing the poverty with fresh eyes had reinspired me and gave my projects a new importance.

Unfortunately...sometimes, I wonder if this place can possibly change. I received such a warm welcome when I returned from America, and I was excited to work on my projects. So just a few days after being back I tried to round up the men to do work with the gum arabic trees. After an hour, only 4 men came. What? In a village of over 1000 people there are only 4 capable men? The other men, all sitting around idly, even had the audacity to ask where the money is that I brought for them from America because "America has money."

So if "the developing world" continue to bring them food aid, water pumps, health care, etc. will they ever change and work for themselves or just keep on waiting?

Aside from my frustrations, it's been a great couple of weeks back in the village. I didn't sleep much, since everyone in the entire village came to greet me. Additionally, shortly after I got back my next door neighbor got married (bride: age 15, husband: age 30+?). The celebration brought lots of people from the area to my village, as well as three nights of blaring crazy music and 3 days of random people wanting to see my house. And what do you do at a Nigerien wedding? You eat! Dance! Give money!! Women sit around gossiping and every few minutes more food gets passed around. For 3 days. It was fun, and everyone was happy. With a new bride and groom they decorate the house and give them furniture, dishes, and hang cloth on the wall. The new bride even got a chandelier!

My projects have picked up, so I've been busy planting Moringa with the women, tapping gum arabic trees with the men, and working with the school for GLOBE (environmental education). About 2 weeks ago I figured out that only 1 out of 12 girls in the 6th grade class can read/write. The literacy reports say that about 15% of girls in Niger can read. But in the bush, i wouldnt be surprised if that number was more like 1-2%, as I don't know a single older woman in my village that is literate. What to do? I'm trying to organize a literacy group with the school girls. Sadly, they just don't have the time to come, since the parents make them stay home to get the housework done. I'm trying to figure out incentives to have them show up at my house....any ideas?

I also saw a piece of wildlife....