Oxfam GB :: Where we work

What we do: Campaign for change; Emergency response; Development work; Why we do it

Issues we work on: Climate change; Conflict and natural disasters; Health; Education; Debt and aid; Gender equality; The right to be heard; Global Food Crisis; Trade; Private sector

Where we work: Countries we work in

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Niger

Bermo on market day, a Peul grandmother and her grandchild waiting for vouchers. Photo: Jenny Matthews

In Niger, Oxfam's focus is on helping people affected by drought get back on their feet and find ways to cope better with future crises.

Helping people cope in a crisis

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. The country suffers from regular drought and annual hunger periods from May to October.

Widespread poverty amkes people particularly vulnerable to crisis when drought hits. During the drought of 2005-6 many pastoralists lost up to 70 per cent of their animals.

How Oxfam is helping

We help families affected by drought get back on their feet and find ways to cope better with future crises. During lean times we employ people to work on community projects as a means of earning money. We also hold animal livestock fairs, vaccinate animals against disease and run public health campaigns in conjunction with improvements to community water supplies.

The rains have meant there is more grass, but people are too poor to buy more animals. So our goal is to help them rebuild their flocks and in that way rebuild their wealth.

Sani Idrissa, Oxfam partner AREN

Oxfam's partnership with Dubai Cares

2,000 children are to benefit from a partnership between Oxfam and Dubai Cares to develop and implement primary education programmes in the Niger.

Oxfam and Dubai Cares launch of primary education programmes with Oxfam

Learn more

Read more examples of our work in Niger:

Emergencies

Oxfam's work in Niger in depth

West Africa Food Crisis, 2005-6

Severe drought, following a locust invasion, devastated crops and plunged huge parts of West Africa into crisis in 2005.

Mali, Niger and Mauritania were particularly badly affected with an estimated 1.2 million people faced with starvation.

How Oxfam responded

Oxfam was one of the first organisations to respond to the crisis. Our initial focus was on distributing food, vaccinating animals and providing subsidised animal feed. Further activities helped people become self-sufficient again.

This is our pasture land, we need to preserve it and save our cattle. Thanks to Oxfam, this work is being done.

Ibrahim Doua, Kouggou village

Find out more about Oxfam's West Africa Food Crisis response