Fifty years, fifty countries: Niger

To mark 50 years of Tearfund, we’re sharing about 50 countries where we’ve worked, celebrating God’s provision and power to transform, and praying for each of these nations. This week we’re in Niger.

Niger is a landlocked country in West Africa, named after the River Niger. It’s the largest country in this part of Africa, and one of the world’s poorest. Of its 19 million population, 46 per cent of people suffer from chronic malnutrition, and access to basics such as safe sanitation and education is shockingly low.

Tearfund has been working in Niger since 1994. It’s a challenging place to work, due to instability in the country itself as well as neighbours such as Libya, and other factors including the climate and landscape. But, together with our partners, we are committed to empowering people in Niger, seeing them become able to overcome poverty.

We’re focusing on water and sanitation, access to food and more. And with 50,000 people in Niger living with the HIV virus, HIV and AIDS is another focus for our staff and partners, transforming lives like Hadjara, a widowed mother of five...

Hope in the face of HIV
Hadjara found out she was living with HIV in 2010. She fell ill, and her mother took her to a hospital run by Tearfund’s local partner, SIM, where she was diagnosed with the virus.

‘People would say that people die straight away [from HIV],’ says Hadjara. ‘But here I am, I have made it this far,’ she says.

Tens of thousands of people have benefited from our partners’ work with people living with HIV in Niger. Not only are people like Hadjara diagnosed, they are supported to access the medication they need to lead full lives, as well as emotional and social support.

We are also working to reduce the spread of HIV, and break down stigma and misunderstanding surrounding it. Much of this work is done through local churches.

‘I am so pleased,’ says Hadjara. ‘I have found healing here, praise God.’

Please pray

• Praise God for the lives transformed in Niger in the 26 years we’ve worked there, and pray that many more people will experience hope and healing through our partners in the years to come. Pray that Hadjara and her children will continue to experience the goodness of God in their lives.
• Pray for an end to extreme poverty in Niger, and for a lasting solution to the conflict and instability fuelling it.
• Many in Niger are suffering as a result of torrential rain this August, destroying homes and livelihoods. Pray for those affected, and for our partners responding.

If you would like to know more, please visit our Niger page.