Welcome to the Peace Corps/Niger.

This site was created to share Peace Corps experiences and resources with others.

 

Brief History of Peace Corps/Niger: The first Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in Niger on September 7, 1962 with seven Volunteers teaching English.  Since that time, nearly 3,000 Volunteers have served productively in Niger as teachers, education specialists, agricultural extension agents, natural resource managers, community health agents, and in a variety of specialized positions. With this strong and unbroken record of service, the Peace Corps is well-known and highly respected by the government and people of Niger. The year 2007 marks the 45th anniversary of Peace Corps/Niger.

 

Currently, Volunteers in Niger are working in five of the seven regions (Tillaberi, Dosso, Tahoua, Maradi and Zinder) in five programs: agriculture, natural resources management, community health, community and youth education, and the brand new municipal and community development. Those in the first three programs are stationed in small (200–1,000 population) rural villages, while education Volunteers are in regional capitals, small towns, and large rural villages; municipal Volunteers are posted in both smaller and larger towns. A few Volunteers are assigned to work with special projects and local or international NGOs.

 

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Niger

 

Country Overview

History: People have lived in Niger since prehistoric times, when the Sahara was much wetter and supported abundant wildlife. Hunter-gatherer societies left some magnificent rock art to record their presence. Islam came to Niger across the Sahara in the 12th century and gradually spread throughout the country. There were several Muslim kingdoms that spread into what are now Chad, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Mali.
In the late 19th century, the French extended their colonial rule from the Atlantic eastward through Chad, and Niger became part of French West Africa. It gained its independence in 1960.

 

Government: At independence, Niger became a constitutional democracy, with an elected president and a National Assembly. However, there have been frequent military coups and a great deal of political instability. A 1996 military coup led to the departure of many international aid agencies, including the U.S. Agency for
International Development. In late 1999, however, democratic elections were held, and the new government of President Mamadou Tandja brought renewed stability. Tandja was reelected in 2004, and elections were also held for the newly created local government bodies. With the restoration of democracy, many international donors returned, and there has been renewed economic growth.

 

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The Peace Corps has changed my life and given me a new way to look at people. Joe Dodson Current Volunteer in Pluto