Update from Niger: How your donations are being used

I’m writing from Niger, the country worst affected by the West African food crisis. Yesterday I visited a World Vision supported health and feeding centre in the outskirts of the capital city, Niamey. I wanted to share with you what I have seen of the work being done here – lives are literally being saved and if you’ve already donated to the World Vision appeal, you’ve helped make it possible.

Arriving early in the already hot sun (it can reach almost 40 degrees centigrade here) I saw that health centre consists of a few small buildings amongst red, hard packed dust and dirt. It didn’t look much, but what was going on inside was remarkable.

stephen-w-mothers-and-children.jpgDespite the early hour, a large group of women and children were already waiting to be seen. The children sat on their mother’s laps waiting to be assessed as to whether they are malnourished. The child’s weight for height measurement is recorded as well as their mid upper arm circumference. The scales for weighing the children consist of little blue ‘harnesses’ attached to the scales, into which the child is put and readings taken.

It was here that I met two mums, Ramatou and Zali who told me a bit of their story. Both of their children, Aissa and Fatoumata, had recently suffered malaria, pushing them over the edge into malnourishment. Aissa had been given her first food package 2 weeks ago as part of the World Vision feeding programme and was coming back yesterday for her first weigh-in since starting. Fatoumata has been receiving food slightly longer and when looking at her records I saw that she had already put on half a kilogram – it was so encouraging to see.

stephen-weighing-child1.jpgThe clinic itself was a hive of activity, with health workers and World Vision volunteers measuring and weighing children and taking records. Yet despite all the hard work going on, the queue of mothers and children stretched out the door.

As a father who tries to provide for my family I can only imagine the emotional anguish that must be felt by parents here as they try to provide for their children. The pain as they see malnourishment and disease grip their sons and daughters must be horrific and it breaks my heart.

Visiting the clinic yesterday brought me face to face with the suffering caused by this food crisis, yet it also left me with hope – meeting Aissa and Fatoumata had shown me that we can make a difference.

If you want to be part of our immediate response you can donate to our West Africa Appeal here. All donations will be matched £ for £ by the British Government so your money will go twice as far.

Please do also keep your questions coming – either about the food crisis in general or about what life is like here in Niger. Just post them below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Mark Bulpitt is Head of Humanitarian Emergency Affairs for World Vision UK.

  • Isame
  • Komabangou
  • Niger
  • Sirba
  • Tera
  • West Africa Food Crisis

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