POVERTY
Problem: One poverty problem facing Niger is starvation. This is caused by crops not growing due to droughts. Many people are left with nothing to eat, and this problem effects children the most.
"Niger experiences chronically high rates of malnutrition under even normal circumstances. But now, at least 5.4 million people are currently estimated to be food insecure, representing nearly 35 per cent of the country’s entire population.
This is particularly worrisome for children – especially those under 5 years old – who are most vulnerable to the devastating health complications linked to malnutrition, including heightened risk of opportunistic diseases such as diarrhoea and skin and respiratory infections. UNICEF and its partners now estimate that nearly 331,000 children under age 5 in Niger will need to be treated for severe acute malnutrition over the course of the year."
Solutions: This video shows a solution given by the World Bank to combat the droughts.
Problem: One poverty problem facing Niger is starvation. This is caused by crops not growing due to droughts. Many people are left with nothing to eat, and this problem effects children the most.
"Niger experiences chronically high rates of malnutrition under even normal circumstances. But now, at least 5.4 million people are currently estimated to be food insecure, representing nearly 35 per cent of the country’s entire population.
This is particularly worrisome for children – especially those under 5 years old – who are most vulnerable to the devastating health complications linked to malnutrition, including heightened risk of opportunistic diseases such as diarrhoea and skin and respiratory infections. UNICEF and its partners now estimate that nearly 331,000 children under age 5 in Niger will need to be treated for severe acute malnutrition over the course of the year."
Solutions: This video shows a solution given by the World Bank to combat the droughts.
I think it the World Bank's idea is a good one. Since the weather will not change, it is up to the people to change the way the get food, by planting crops that can withstand the droughts. It is also a good idea to find a way to get water to the villages to use for farming. I think one way this could be done is by setting up a system where a certain amount of water gets delivered to each village every month or every two weeks. The amount given would have to last the people till the next time the water comes. People in Niger could be a part of this delivery system by driving the water to the villages, almost like a mailman.
Another solution to this problem would be to gather up food storage. This would need to be food from outside Niger most likely, since they are not getting a lot of food from the crops. This non-perishable food could be donated from other countries until Niger was growing enough food that they could store some away. If possible they should plant crops, that once grown, can be dried and saved for later.
EDUCATION
Problem: A problem withing Niger is that of the lack of education. This lack of education has a huge impact on the way Nigeriens live. It even contributes to the poverty they suffer from. "Niger's situation in education is catastrophic: a primary gross enrollment rate of 27 percent in 1993/94 places Niger among one of the five countries in the world where primary enrollment is below 30 percent. The level of education of the head of household shows a strong correlation with poverty. Not surprisingly, the incidence, depth, and severity of poverty are greater for less educated groups." Niger is one of the countries with the lowest amount of students getting a primary education. The men or "head of household" with a better education are better able to provide for their families. People just need the chance at an education, and then they are capable of helping themselves. Poverty could be fixed if people were able to get an education in Niger. "Education in Niger like that of other developing nations, particularly in the Sahelian region of Africa, faces challenges from poverty and poor access to schools." Part of the problem of education is that people cannot easily get to a school. It is not like here in America where it takes only five minutes to get to school. Since people cannot get to school, they get little or no education. They never the basics of learning to read or write ."With little primary education, Niger has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world." It seems from this quote that most the people in Niger cannot even read and write. Out of the entire world, Niger has one of the lowest literacy rates. This greatly inhibits the ability to Niger's people to do many things. Education is extremely important, but many in Niger are not given one.
Solution: To fix the lack of education in Niger, I would first do something to make physically getting an education better. This could be done either by building more schools, getting more teachers, and organizing more schools. Building schools so they are closer to students could motivate more people to come and learn. As we have seen in the video "Time for School", some students had to walk two hours each way to school. I think more people will gain an education if they do not need to spend so much time to get to and from school. Money should be spent to build more schools that that are spread out so students do not need to walk so far to get there. Schools could even be put in other buildings used simultaneously as school and whatever else the building is used for. This way money would not have to be spent to build a new building. Schools could also be organized within the villages for students to attend. The school could be at someone's house, and everyone gathers there to study and learn together. Teachers will also be needed. These teachers could be volunteers from other countries, but I think the best teachers would be people from Niger. They would understand how important an education is for their students, and they would understand the struggles their students must go through to get an education. Having teachers from Niger would also leave no problems of language barriers probably. Also, Nigerien teachers would better understand the culture their students come from because it would be the same or similar to their own. As the people of Niger of better able to get an education, to learn to read and write, it will better their lives immensely . Having an education will affect how well they can take care of themselves, and determine whether they live in terrible poverty. Having an education is the best way for Niger to rid itself of poverty and illiteracy. With an education they can figure out ways to reduce poverty and starvation within their country and help their people. Once the problem of little education is solved in Niger so will many other problems be fixed.
Another solution to this problem would be to gather up food storage. This would need to be food from outside Niger most likely, since they are not getting a lot of food from the crops. This non-perishable food could be donated from other countries until Niger was growing enough food that they could store some away. If possible they should plant crops, that once grown, can be dried and saved for later.
EDUCATION
Problem: A problem withing Niger is that of the lack of education. This lack of education has a huge impact on the way Nigeriens live. It even contributes to the poverty they suffer from. "Niger's situation in education is catastrophic: a primary gross enrollment rate of 27 percent in 1993/94 places Niger among one of the five countries in the world where primary enrollment is below 30 percent. The level of education of the head of household shows a strong correlation with poverty. Not surprisingly, the incidence, depth, and severity of poverty are greater for less educated groups." Niger is one of the countries with the lowest amount of students getting a primary education. The men or "head of household" with a better education are better able to provide for their families. People just need the chance at an education, and then they are capable of helping themselves. Poverty could be fixed if people were able to get an education in Niger. "Education in Niger like that of other developing nations, particularly in the Sahelian region of Africa, faces challenges from poverty and poor access to schools." Part of the problem of education is that people cannot easily get to a school. It is not like here in America where it takes only five minutes to get to school. Since people cannot get to school, they get little or no education. They never the basics of learning to read or write ."With little primary education, Niger has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world." It seems from this quote that most the people in Niger cannot even read and write. Out of the entire world, Niger has one of the lowest literacy rates. This greatly inhibits the ability to Niger's people to do many things. Education is extremely important, but many in Niger are not given one.
Solution: To fix the lack of education in Niger, I would first do something to make physically getting an education better. This could be done either by building more schools, getting more teachers, and organizing more schools. Building schools so they are closer to students could motivate more people to come and learn. As we have seen in the video "Time for School", some students had to walk two hours each way to school. I think more people will gain an education if they do not need to spend so much time to get to and from school. Money should be spent to build more schools that that are spread out so students do not need to walk so far to get there. Schools could even be put in other buildings used simultaneously as school and whatever else the building is used for. This way money would not have to be spent to build a new building. Schools could also be organized within the villages for students to attend. The school could be at someone's house, and everyone gathers there to study and learn together. Teachers will also be needed. These teachers could be volunteers from other countries, but I think the best teachers would be people from Niger. They would understand how important an education is for their students, and they would understand the struggles their students must go through to get an education. Having teachers from Niger would also leave no problems of language barriers probably. Also, Nigerien teachers would better understand the culture their students come from because it would be the same or similar to their own. As the people of Niger of better able to get an education, to learn to read and write, it will better their lives immensely . Having an education will affect how well they can take care of themselves, and determine whether they live in terrible poverty. Having an education is the best way for Niger to rid itself of poverty and illiteracy. With an education they can figure out ways to reduce poverty and starvation within their country and help their people. Once the problem of little education is solved in Niger so will many other problems be fixed.