Just a few months ago, this happy scene would not have happened. Like so many other families in the West African country of Niger, Fati’s family was struggling to put food on the table after two years of very poor harvests. World Renew responded to this crisis by providing six months of food rations to 28,000 people – including Fati.
Just a few months ago, this happy scene would not have happened. Like so many other families in the West African country of Niger, Fati’s family was struggling to put food on the table after two years of very poor harvests. World Renew responded to this crisis by providing six months of food rations to 28,000 people – including Fati.
Fati was one of the people who received World Renew rations as part of a food-for-work program. Her 27 year-old son participated in the community projects on behalf of the family by repairing local roads and putting rocks along the edges. This project made it easier for animals, people and donkey carts to travel. The rocks along the edge also prevent water from flooding the fields when heavy rains come.
Gifts to World Renew’s West Africa Drought Response that are made by Canadians before Sunday, September 30 will be matched by the Canadian Government’s Sahel Crisis Matching Fund
In exchange for this work, Fati and her family receive monthly supplies of millet, oil, and sorghum.
Fati’s family was also one of the ones who received improved seed as part of World Renew’s response. Gesturing to the thriving sorghum and millet crops nearby, Fati reports that the new seed is much better than the seed she had used previously and has been able to thrive even in difficult conditions. She expects a good harvest in October.
As she is speaking to us, Fati’s neighbor runs to pick some okra which is large and plentiful this year. The new okra seeds have produced many okra on one plant. This year is definitely better than the last.
Fati is excited to share her story and gives thanks to World Renew for bringing her family through this past season with enough food to feed her and her nine children.
However, your support of this ongoing program is still needed. World Renew has one more month of food distributions to deliver. In addition, it hopes to continue working with communities to make them more resistant to the impacts of future droughts. Gifts to World Renew’s West Africa Drought Response that are made by Canadians before Sunday, September 30 will be matched by the Canadian Government’s Sahel Crisis Matching Fund, to which World Renew and other qualified organizations will be eligible to apply.
If funds donated exceed the needs of this particular project in Niger, World Renew will direct them towards important drought response work being carried out by other Christian organizations in other parts of Niger as well as Burkina Faso and Mali. Many of these programs are in urgent need of additional funding. World Renew is also determining its response to the August flooding in parts of Niger. Please give generously.
To give to West Africa Drought online, please click here.
Or mail your check marked "West Africa Drought" to: