NOMAD FOUNDATION

In northern Niger, a politically unstable region whose impoverished population has been largely abandoned due to the threat of terrorism, the Nomad Foundation has established a solid track record working with nomadic tribes for 15 years. Nomads are a difficult population to serve due to their mobility. The Nomad Foundation's solution to this problem in 2009 was to build the Tamesna Center for Nomadic Life strategically located along the annual migration route of Niger's nomads. Tamesna was designed to consolidate services, so nomads could come to the center for assistance and training without giving up their nomadic lifestyle and primary economic activity of herding. The Nomad Foundation concluded that a multi-faceted center such as Tamesna is the most efficient, effective means of reaching this scattered population of herders. Today Tamesna includes the first medical clinic, boarding school, and education center for nomads. Ongoing infrastructure construction now includes veterinary corrals, a garden, 2 dormitories, a teacher's residence, a nurse's residence, two wells and latrines. The programs: midwife and maternal healthcare, preventive health care, agricultural, nutritional, environmental erosion control, solar panel fabrication and earth bag building offer “training while doing” so that in addition to the infrastructure improvements built during the training, the skills remain for the local staff to continue and train others. A microcredit for at risk youth program addresses the larger issue of peace and stability. The Tamesna Festival, begun in 2013 to promote cultural tradition and expand the programs, is now attended by thousands of nomads where they learn about the opportunities available at Tamesna to improve their lives.