Caritas Développement Niger (CADEV Niger), one of Development and Peace — Caritas Canada’s partners, is working to improve the living conditions of displaced people, refugees and persons with a disability in Niger. It was established by the Catholic bishops of Niger to harmonize and improve the effectiveness of the two charitable and development organizations it replaced, in order to make beneficiaries self-sufficient.
Accompanying displaced people and refugees
In 2020 and 2021, repeated flooding in Niger resulted in the loss of lives, property, crops and livestock in several regions. CADEV Niger quickly responded by providing basic necessities to displaced families.
This year, in the context of the hunger crisis, CADEV Niger is providing, among other things, agricultural assistance to around 3,780 producing households (26,460 people) and unconditional cash transfers to 1,665 households (11,665 people), thanks to the support of Development and Peace donors. In addition, in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Niger, our Caritas partner has helped victims of the flooding build dykes to stop flood waters from overflowing in future.
CADEV Niger also works with people who have fled the conflict in Mali and taken refuge in Niger. Since 2012, it has been providing them with constant support. Women in particular are accompanied. They are, for example, organized into several groups that meet once a week to carry out income-generating activities for their families, such as sewing. Our Caritas partner has also introduced a weekly membership fee, which is being used to create a community granary for the benefit of all.
Accompanying people with a disability
Our partner also provides assistance to people with a disability. For example, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, people with reduced mobility were provided with basic information on how to protect themselves against the coronavirus. Later, they were trained on how to prepare liquid soap and perfume in order to make a living. This training has transformed the lives of Sakina Ali and her husband, who previously had no source of income to feed their three children other than the generosity of others:
Thanks to this training given by CADEV Niger […] we have totally and completely put begging for a living behind us!
Sakina Ali
It is with the same joy that other beneficiaries living with a disability give thanks for this training and are relieved to be able to provide for their families in dignity.
Your generosity enables our partners help families like these build their lives even as the regional hunger crisis escalates.
