Bring Lights, Books and Computers to Niger

We are trying to expand the Agadez Learning Center using sustainable energy practices and fantastic local architects. The Agadez Learning Center in Agadez, Niger is a home away from home for many rural and nomadic students that would otherwise have no access to education. Our 25 students receive boarding, food, tutoring, traditional craft training and much more. These students are being mentored to shine and perform so they may have more opportunities and success.

All of our students are grateful for the chance to study at the ALC. If they had chosen to continue their schooling without being accepted into our program they would have met many hardships. The government of Niger doesn’t fund schools adequately and staffing shortages give the rural population limited options.  Because of these unfortunate circumstances many children are left behind in their education. As one student Ghissa, from the ALC described the alternative:

“If I were not at the center things would be difficult in terms of my studies because in our village there is no middle school. It’s necessary to go to Ingal (60 miles) to study. But there is no tutoring for students after school. Also, we would have to prepare our own meals. Our parents must send money to buy food, and it is hard.

I am very proud to be at the center because there is tutoring, food, light, water faucets, a cook and guards. We also have beds and mattresses and school supplies that we would not have on our own. There are also good rules at the center. They have built nice rooms for us. There are always good meals for us.”

Our goal is to create a solar library and additional housing so we can bring more children access to education and sustainable skills. We hope to bring in an additional 25 students to the ALC. We already help hundreds of students across Niger with our mentoring program, but we need your support.

• The 595 students--78% girls -- are succeeding in school with the help of 127 RAIN women mentors.
• Programs this year, reached 14,000 people.
• 25 nomadic students pursuing secondary schooling with scholarships to the our Agadez Learning Center.

Please help us reach more at-risk girls and boys in Niger. You’ll be helping a child grow and creating sustainable livelihoods.  

            Rain for the Sahel and Sahara’s Agadez Learning Center, (ALC) is a place where disadvantaged girls and at risk-boys can come to continue their education. Without this center these rural and nomadic children would have stopped their education at primary school. Thanks to the inviting staff and tutors these students are given a “leg up” in their academics. Parents are afraid of their children going to the city to learn, but will occasionally send their sons to make the journey. They call their daughters “little eggs that we must protect,” but with the ALC their fears are alleviated. The center is a boarding facility that provides room and board along with many other services.

            Some of these other services include mentoring from local women and tutoring. They teach the girls and boys traditional crafts to create income. They explain to students about hygiene and why the school is important giving examples from their own life how education would have helped them. Tutoring is another tool that is given to these students. The local middle and high schools provide teachers to do after school catch up and extra help sessions.

            The Center is looking to expand to allow more children to seek education. RAIN has been given funding to start the project of creating a solar lab after the rainy season comes to an end. This solar lab will act as not only a classroom, but also a library, and study area. The power of the internet to connect young people to the world is only growing. With computers, these underprivileged student can see the world in a completely new way and gain important skills like typing and computer literacy.

The solar library will give a new opportunity to students that truly want to empower themselves and who want to succeed. The continued support and growth of the learning center are vital as it allows more students the ability to get an education have support, and guidance. RAIN needs your help to build this special space. Having a place that promotes opportunity is so rare in West Africa. Support for these remarkable people comes in many forms from RAIN, but its best is education. Come join Rain for the Sahel and Sahara as we push students toward their dreams and ambitions.

Hear from the students themselves they are excited about this new opportunity:

Naoudi (14)

“At the Center, I like the electric light that makes everything clear as if it is day; the availability of water at the pump without long walks, and no loss of time to draw water. After-school courses are taught by teachers who have mastered their subjects; food is available and suitable for us; bedroom items are available for each student (bed, blanket, sheet, trunk to store our belongings, notebooks, pens....); practical and other learning activities are offered. And finally, RAIN’s staff make available for us everything needed to make our lives pleasant at the center and to allow us to succeed in our schooling. ”

Abdoulwahab (13)

“This year’s school is different than last year’s (primary school in the bush) because it is so big. There are many classrooms. They just keep on going and the yard is even bigger. There are a lot of teachers. I want to be a middle school director when I’m big. It does not seem that tiring. He goes around and makes sure everybody is doing a good job. He works in his office and does everything for the school.”