Saturday, October 29, 2005
Niamey, Niger
It is the current poster boy for mass famine. Some NGO's are claiming that over 2 million people are at risk of starvation. New York Times writer Kristoff called it "the most wretched place on earth." The UNDP's latest report on development ranks it dead last in the world. This is Niger and many people here are extremely pissed off.
From volunteers to local residents, I have been constantly assailed from the moment I arrived by people who think that their country has been wrongly maligned. Even the President of Niger got into it recently, criticizing some relief organizations for profiteering on poverty and the international media's coverage for their unabashed sensationalism. This debate is not new. Development projects are often blamed for creating more problems then they solve.
In Niger, poverty is a way of life for many people. Every year scores of Nigeriens tighten their belts during the lean season while they anxiously wait to harvest their crops. This is also not a phenomenon unique to Niger. This is the way of life for many sustenance farmers across much of Africa. Yet many people here maintain that Nigeriens themselves are not poor.
I have heard frequent mention of Niger's unquantifiable riches, including the overwhelming hospitality of its citizens, the general stability of the country, the ethnic pride and rich cultural heritage of its citizens, and the low levels of violence and crime prevalent in its more affluent neighbors. While this won't necessarily put food on the table, these factors are often overlooked in creating a foundation for a healthy society.
In contrast, Nigeria is regularly hailed as the 'economic powerhouse' of West Africa. Yet in Nigeria there is a great disparity in the distribution of wealth and religious conflict is widespread. With police and military fighting each other in downtown Lagos, kidnappings in the Delta region, military blockades of entire cities in the north and routine carjacking's broadcast daily on the news from Nigeria, Niger doesn't seem so 'wretched' after all.
However, I have only been here one week. I have not yet traveled deep into the bush nor visited the areas most affected by this year's drought and locust invasions. All I have at the moment to base my judgments on is second hand accounts, partisan reports and passionate appeals to view Niger with unclouded eyes. In the coming month as we see more of Niger, I hope to come to a greater understanding of the situation here and reconcile the vastly different perceptions of Niger’s current 'crisis'.
It is the current poster boy for mass famine. Some NGO's are claiming that over 2 million people are at risk of starvation. New York Times writer Kristoff called it "the most wretched place on earth." The UNDP's latest report on development ranks it dead last in the world. This is Niger and many people here are extremely pissed off.
From volunteers to local residents, I have been constantly assailed from the moment I arrived by people who think that their country has been wrongly maligned. Even the President of Niger got into it recently, criticizing some relief organizations for profiteering on poverty and the international media's coverage for their unabashed sensationalism. This debate is not new. Development projects are often blamed for creating more problems then they solve.
In Niger, poverty is a way of life for many people. Every year scores of Nigeriens tighten their belts during the lean season while they anxiously wait to harvest their crops. This is also not a phenomenon unique to Niger. This is the way of life for many sustenance farmers across much of Africa. Yet many people here maintain that Nigeriens themselves are not poor.
I have heard frequent mention of Niger's unquantifiable riches, including the overwhelming hospitality of its citizens, the general stability of the country, the ethnic pride and rich cultural heritage of its citizens, and the low levels of violence and crime prevalent in its more affluent neighbors. While this won't necessarily put food on the table, these factors are often overlooked in creating a foundation for a healthy society.
In contrast, Nigeria is regularly hailed as the 'economic powerhouse' of West Africa. Yet in Nigeria there is a great disparity in the distribution of wealth and religious conflict is widespread. With police and military fighting each other in downtown Lagos, kidnappings in the Delta region, military blockades of entire cities in the north and routine carjacking's broadcast daily on the news from Nigeria, Niger doesn't seem so 'wretched' after all.
However, I have only been here one week. I have not yet traveled deep into the bush nor visited the areas most affected by this year's drought and locust invasions. All I have at the moment to base my judgments on is second hand accounts, partisan reports and passionate appeals to view Niger with unclouded eyes. In the coming month as we see more of Niger, I hope to come to a greater understanding of the situation here and reconcile the vastly different perceptions of Niger’s current 'crisis'.
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