HEKS provides humanitarian aid for drought victims in Niger
HEKS has been providing humanitarian aid for victims of the drought in Niger since the end of May 2010. Seven million people were affected by the drought last year. Children in particular are still suffering from its long-term effects today. HEKS has extended the funding for 22 feeding centres for a total of 3500 children under the age of five until the end of May 2011.
Photos: HEKS/Annette Boutellier
Feeding centres for mothers and children
Since the end of May 2010, together with its partner organisations, HEKS has been providing aid in the drought-afflicted departments of Tchintabaraden, Abalak and Konni/Illela. In feeding centres children under the age of five are given food, which is specially adapted to their needs and made mainly from local ingredients. The project was expanded in September 2010 in response to the overwhelming demand. The 22 feeding centres are provisionally open until the end of May 2011. They have already saved the lives of many children and continue to be very important. Young children will continue to need nutritious food in the future if their health is to improve and stabilise. At present, HEKS is trying to fund the project for a few more months.
The “Cash for work” projects, another element of humanitarian aid, have finished: for a daily wage of 2 francs, women and men in selected villages built small stone walls and dams to tackle erosion, to protect arable and pasture land from drying out completely and to improve soils for sustainable crop production.
HEKS has been active in Niger since the 1980s, where the focus of its work is development cooperation and humanitarian aid in the Tahoua region. Long-term goals are to improve livestock farming, agricultural production and the marketing of produce. HEKS projects cover the following areas: irrigated market gardening in the dry season, drinking water supplies, village feeding centres for young children, operation of grain and animal feed banks, reclamation of arable and pasture land, and measures against erosion. In tandem with this, HEKS funds measures which strengthen rural grassroots organisations and which impart technical skills so as to be able to guarantee the success and stability of the development process.
Account for donations: PC 80-1115-1 Mark “Drought in Niger”
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April 2011
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