This project will provide the health and sanitation component of the Tamesna Center for Nomadic Life. This permanent resource center will offer education, health care, training and economic opportunities to nomadic people without requiring them to move to the city and surrender their traditional way of life. It is a bold, new pro-active initiative to benefit the nomads in Niger. The Center will be located on property donated to the Nomad Foundation. It has a plentiful well, and is accessible to all the nomadic groups in the region because it is on the annual migration routes of all nomads in Niger.
Four previous matching grant projects (funded by 19 Rotary clubs from four districts) and three current matching grant projects will provide key elements necessary to drastically improve nomadic life in the whole region. The Center will include:
• WATER – well, solar panels, pump, water storage tower
• FOOD – demonstration garden, cooperative gardens, cereal bank warehouse
• HEALTH – medical clinic, latrines, trained medical workers
• EDUCATION – elementary and high school, dormitory, teacher training
• WORK – veterinary center, vaccination corrals, fodder banks, artisan sales and training
• PEACE – meeting rooms, guest house, internet center, clearing house for information about regional developments affecting nomadic life
Rotary Clubs of Ojai, CA, and Westlake Village Sunrise, CA (both D5240), and Rotary Club of Sierra Vista, AZ (D5500) are developing three interlocking matching grants to fund parts of the Center for Nomadic Life. The Nomad Foundation is financing construction of buildings, and individual and corporate donors are also making generous contributions. This is all made possible through the consistently outstanding working relationship with the host club, Rotary Club of Agadez, Niger, and The Nomad Foundation. This is the equivalent of a 3-H grant in scope of project.
This grant will equip the clinic, build latrines for the clinic and school, train the health workers and provide a motorcycle so they can get to remote communities.
The Ingall region has a population of 40,000 and no doctor. The Tamesna clinic will provide full time nurse, medicines, vitamins, medical equipment and facilities for visiting doctors, both foreign and local. This will be the beginning of the first significant public health program in the region, involving regular training of representatives from all the nomadic communities in basic first aid, preventative care, sanitation and immunizations. |
