Mentoring for At-Risk Nomadic Girls in Rural Niger

 Are Mentors Really that Important for Rural Nigerien Children? 

The short answer is well, yes. Of course, it is far more complicated than that, so let's dive in, shall we? First things first, what is a mentor? A mentor is a person that guides you or supports you through a portion of your life or education. In Niger, the numbers of students that make it to middle school are shockingly low. Niger is rated last in the United Nations' Education Index which is determined by what the expected number of years of schooling should be and the actual number that citizens are attending. Girls on average only attend school for 3 years and boys 5 years.

So how do you flip the script and give these children a leg up in a struggling world? That is a big question...here is what our organization is doing. Rain for the Sahel and Sahara partners with local women to help primary school children understand the value of education and to encourage them to stay in school, all while, giving lessons in traditional crafts, and practical skills.

Children that have a mentor have shown to have a 5% higher retention rate at school than their non-mentored peers. Our partner mentors are dedicated to the cause. Assamhat, a mentor in the Tillaberi region, walked 10 miles in triple-digit temperatures when one of her students was absent from class. That is the kind of people our mentors are.

"RAIN's Mentoring Program permitted us to complete the entire academic program... When practically every school in the country was closed, we remained open.”
- Abdoul Aziz, Aouderas Middle School Math, and Physics-Chemistry teacher

Our mentors have become a force in the community, many regarded as "wise woman." They become advisers to village elders in regards to the school in the community. This respect allows them to talk with parents that would otherwise be against sending their children to school.

After all, it is hard to invest your child's time into education when the family may not have food that night. However, the support that mentors give is felt throughout the community and by the families of children mentees. Even those reluctant to send their children to school admit there is a positive change in the
community.

The reason why the mentors are so impactful is that of the scope of their work and the dedication to the students, parents, and community. They care about their community and they want to prepare the next generation with the knowledge that can be used to better their lives.

Niger is a country where the literacy rate is 15% among rural and nomadic people. Children have very little access to education. Many villages don’t have a middle school. Many families struggle just to send their child to elementary school. Even fewer get a higher education or make it passed high school. Rain’s Agadez Learning Center gives the opportunity for secondary education to motivated nomadic children of the surrounding area. The Agadez Learning Center is a safe, friendly and educational orientated program.

 

       “If I was not at the center I would have a lot of other work to do. I would prepare my own meals to eat. There would not be enough water, no light, no meat, no bed, no cooks, etc. My father would have to buy food so that I could study. Even to study I would have to use a kerosene lamp to learn. Truly there are many difficult things. I would have to buy things for school like pens, the uniform, and notebooks. There would also be no tutoring. Finally, there would be no fans or projector.” – Student Dafada.

 

      The alternatives to the ALC are bleak or non-existent. Most students would have to leave their villages and be given money by their parents, burdening their families still further. At these middle schools like the one in Ingal, thirty-five kids are stuffed into one room and are given few books or supplies. They have to find their own food and pay for school supplies, which is a challenge. 

 

       At the ALC the students want to become everything from builders to doctors. All the students come in with the purpose of helping their community. It is truly inspiring to witness these students push against the odds that are placed in front of them. Many of students use this opportunity to the best of their ability taking advantage of afterschool classes and the ability to study during the night.

 

        Really I am happy with RAIN’s center because they give me a bed, a mattress, a sheet, a blanket, and a mosquito net. There is also afterschool tutoring, the school uniform, and school supplies. Every Sunday we have lamb meat and there is a cook that prepares meals for us and a guard that watches the center. – Student Maoude.

 

         By donating you are changing young girls’ and women’s lives. Your continued support allows those from impoverished areas to come together for a better chance, full of opportunities. Make a child smile today and change her life forever.