Q: If extra money is raised beyond
what will be needed for the wells, how will it be used?
A: There are many ways extra money could
be used. The existing well needs some repairs. The inside
of the well cracked last rainy season. The area around the
well had a village-made apron, but overuse has almost completely
ruined it so now there are a lot of puddles and dirty standing
water, which is not good.
There is a man in my village who needs a wheelchair but can't
afford to buy one. I've looked at chairs both in Gaya and
Niamey. Two days ago I went to an NGO here and they'll give
him a big discount (66%) on a chair but it's still a bit out
of his price range. Extra money could be used for his wheelchair.
The men in my village have talked a lot about starting a
men's co-operative. They want to sell fertilizer but don't
have the money needed to buy 15 bags of fertilizer necessary
for start-up.
The inside of the school has some minor cracks we could repair.
We could also use extra money to outfit the school with supplies.
Things like chalk for the teacher, slate boards for the kids,
pens, workbooks, etc.
Some of the hardest working villagers have really big gardens
that they fence using millet stalks but they need to be redone
after every rainy season. Extra money could be used to buy
metal fencing. I could go on and on.
Q: What is an NGO, and what role do they play in
Niger?
A: An NGO is a non governmental organization.
They work in both development and aid. Development is usually
in the form of things like wells, schools, hospitals, and
infrastructure projects. Usually development work is not in
the form of gifts. Communities that benefit are asked to contribute
either small amounts of money or labor, sometimes both.
Aid is usually in the form of food or medical treatment.
It's mostly used in emergency situations. Last year when we
had the pockets of famine here, Niger was flooded with aid
organizations bringing food, water, and medical treatment.
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