Niger
Stories from change-makers in Niger
Accelerated learning got Ramatou back on track to success.
After an attack on her village in Nigeria when she was just 13 years old, Ramatou and her family fled to a neighboring city across the border in Niger. Hundreds of schools in the area were closed because of conflict, denying Ramatou access to her education. When an accelerated learning project by Plan International came to her community, Ramatou asked her parents to enroll her.
“I was so happy when they told me I was going to go to school,” Ramatou says. “I made a lot of new friends and learned to read and write.”
Over nine months, Ramatou and other displaced children in the area received intensive catch-up lessons so they could enroll in the formal education system. With the support she needed, she was able to begin secondary school and is now one of the top students in her class.
"I had an average of 16/20 last year, and now I’m third out of 97 students,” Ramatou says. “My favorite subject is biology.”
One of her biggest supporters is her father, who is determined to do everything he can to keep Ramatou and her 11 siblings in school despite their financial struggles.
"My father likes me to go to school, he told me that I can study as long as I want,” she says. “He gives me advice and encourages me to focus on my studies. That’s what has kept me going so far.”
Learn more about our work in Niger
“I was so happy when they told me I was going to go to school,” Ramatou says. “I made a lot of new friends and learned to read and write.”
Over nine months, Ramatou and other displaced children in the area received intensive catch-up lessons so they could enroll in the formal education system. With the support she needed, she was able to begin secondary school and is now one of the top students in her class.
"I had an average of 16/20 last year, and now I’m third out of 97 students,” Ramatou says. “My favorite subject is biology.”
One of her biggest supporters is her father, who is determined to do everything he can to keep Ramatou and her 11 siblings in school despite their financial struggles.
"My father likes me to go to school, he told me that I can study as long as I want,” she says. “He gives me advice and encourages me to focus on my studies. That’s what has kept me going so far.”
A dynamic young woman displaced by Boko Haram fighting in the region, Mariatou is determined to change her community for the better.
“I promote child protection through awareness raising,” she says. “We go into the community to discuss issues including child marriage and its harmful consequences. We also speak about the roles and responsibilities that we all have in ensuring children are protected, and how to identify and report child protection cases.”
With one of the highest child marriage rates in the world, about 24% of girls in Niger are married by the time they turn 15, and nearly 80% by age 18.
Marietou had to drop out of school when she was 12 because her family could not afford to support her education. “If I had had the chance, I would have loved to be a teacher … Since I could not continue my education, I wish to learn tailoring in order to become a fashion designer. I would like to sew for myself and for others, and make some money to cater for my needs and also to train other girls who are in the same situation as me.”
To support her advocacy work, Marietou received a portable speaker from Plan International, accompanied with a USB stick containing child protection and gender-based violence messages, as well as health information on COVID-19 prevention measures. Solar panels were also provided to charge the speakers, so they can be used in even the most remote areas.
Marietou has already stopped six child marriages in her community. “My wish is in a few years’ time, to see all the community members aware of the rights of the child and let girls become adults before getting married.”
Meet more young people advocating for change
With one of the highest child marriage rates in the world, about 24% of girls in Niger are married by the time they turn 15, and nearly 80% by age 18.
Marietou had to drop out of school when she was 12 because her family could not afford to support her education. “If I had had the chance, I would have loved to be a teacher … Since I could not continue my education, I wish to learn tailoring in order to become a fashion designer. I would like to sew for myself and for others, and make some money to cater for my needs and also to train other girls who are in the same situation as me.”
To support her advocacy work, Marietou received a portable speaker from Plan International, accompanied with a USB stick containing child protection and gender-based violence messages, as well as health information on COVID-19 prevention measures. Solar panels were also provided to charge the speakers, so they can be used in even the most remote areas.
Marietou has already stopped six child marriages in her community. “My wish is in a few years’ time, to see all the community members aware of the rights of the child and let girls become adults before getting married.”
Agriculture and livestock account for 80% of Nigerians’ livelihoods.
But agriculture is impacted by significant challenges, such as droughts and floods, poor soil quality and lack of access to seeds and fertilizers. As a result, malnutrition rates are high.
Ouisseina’s mother received two goats through Plan International’s food security program. To support vulnerable families, Plan International distributed a breeding pair of goats to 440 households. They were distributed to female-headed households who have at least one malnourished child under the age of five. Not only do goats provide nourishment for hungry children, they also can help families to start small dairy businesses, selling milk and cheese at the local market.
“I’m glad my mother received these goats,” says Ousseina. “I’m going to help her take care of them and I’ll be able to drink as much milk as I want from now on.”
Help more families with livestock gifts
Ouisseina’s mother received two goats through Plan International’s food security program. To support vulnerable families, Plan International distributed a breeding pair of goats to 440 households. They were distributed to female-headed households who have at least one malnourished child under the age of five. Not only do goats provide nourishment for hungry children, they also can help families to start small dairy businesses, selling milk and cheese at the local market.
“I’m glad my mother received these goats,” says Ousseina. “I’m going to help her take care of them and I’ll be able to drink as much milk as I want from now on.”
Plan International has been working to improve children’s lives in Niger since 1998.
Our work in Niger
Office & operations
Plan Niger’s country office is located in Niamey, with program unit offices in Tillaberi, Maradi and Dosso.
Technical areas
Plan Niger focuses on the following program areas: education, health and protection
Number of sponsored children
As of June 2022, Plan International sponsors 21,312 children in Niger.
Gender equality is a fight we must all take on together. Through sponsorship, you can change lives and create long-term impact in communities.
The full circle of Fate
When you sponsor a child through Plan, you form an incredible friendship.
But that’s just the beginning. With Plan, you also have the unique opportunity to:
Send them birthday gifts and cards.
Give them special holiday presents called Little Treasures.
Subscribe them to Plan’s educational kids’ magazine, Sunny Days.
— Visit them (pending any travel restrictions), with individual travel assistance from us.
Each gift offering is safely hand-delivered by us, and given to your child with personalized cards from you. It’s likely that the child you sponsor will have never seen anything like these gifts, and with the exception of Little Treasures they’re available year-round to make the bond between you and your sponsored child even stronger.
Meet a child to sponsor