ABOUT NIGER
Niger is a landlocked country in West Africa named after the Niger River and 80% covered by the Sahara Desert. The United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP) ranks Niger 189th out of 189 countries on the Human Development Index.
Niger is one of, if not the poorest countries in the world, with food insecurity affecting 20% of the population (nearly 30% during periods of poor rainfall). Exacerbating Niger’s food security issues is the dramatically rising population; at 4% per year, Niger has one of the highest growth rates in the world, with an average birth rate of seven children per woman and over two-thirds of the population are under 25 years old. Most families work in subsistence agriculture and access to formal education is limited. Only half of children attend primary school and 20% are enrolled in secondary school. The Remember Niger Coalition is working to address Niger’s educational infrastructure by supporting Nigerien partners in their endeavor to transform their society by expanding educational opportunities. |