Funding Area: Poverty Alleviation
Rain for the Sahel and Sahara (RAIN) partners with rural and nomadic communities in Niger to enable enduring and relevant livelihoods through educaon and opportunity. We envision a world where even the most hard- to-reach communies have the skills, knowledge, and infrastructure to become resilient to the shocks and stresses they face. RAIN 1) empowers communies to build environmentally sustainable food and water systems; 2) strengthens the pipeline for educaon in rural and nomadic communies; and 3) supports women to build the skills to become entrepreneurs, caring for themselves, their families, and their communies. Ultimately, our programs provide the building blocks for community resilience that will last far beyond the end of RAIN’s involvement.
Our involvement: The Tomberg Family Foundation has financially supported this organization.
Projects We Support
Creating Opportunity Though Sustainable Agriculture for Rural and Nomadic Women
Rain for the Sahel and Sahara (RAIN) forges partnerships with rural and nomadic peoples in Niger to enable enduring and relevant livelihoods through access to education and opportunity. We envision a world where even the most remote communities have the resources to become resilient to the environmental and socio-political stresses they face daily. Through our Sustainable Agriculture Program, RAIN will work in Ankaf, a remote community in Agadez, Niger which currently lacks the water, infrastructure, and specialized training to reap the benefits of their land in an environmentally and economically sustainable way.
With the Tomberg Family Philanthropies’ support, RAIN will drill a borehole well and install an irrigated community garden to ensure access to nearly year-round crop yields. In concert with our garden installation, RAIN’s Field Agents will train community members in environmentally sustainable agricultural practices such as organic techniques, how to monitor and improve soil quality, and the impact of chemical pesticides.
To increase community buy-in and build sustainability and resiliency, RAIN-supported wells and gardens are managed by elected committees of residents, including women leaders. These committees receive training and are responsible for well-maintenance and establishing a savings fund to cover costs. Typically, committees assume full responsibility within 3-4 years of program implementation.
Support Dates: March, 2022 – March, 2023
