The Mercy Corps Blog
A daily look into the work, thoughts and ideas of our team around the world.
Blog Post Posted August 31, 2009, 11:47 am by Roger Burks
Climate change and Niger
Topics: Urban, Rural, Migrants, Hunger, Food/Nutrition, Emergencies, Climate Change, Agriculture
Global warming is not only causing already-meager water supplies in the West African nation of Niger to dry up — it's also driving young men from drought-stricken rural areas in search of work to provide for their families. This migration to increasingly-overcrowded urban areas is further straining the resources of one of the world's poorest countries.
Mercy Corps has been working in Niger since 2005, the year a catastrophic drought and food shortage left millions fighting for survival.
In a piece he wrote for ONE, Mercy Corps Action Center Executive Director Robert Sherman describes the still-unfolding situation and presents a video that provides insight through a Nigerien farmer named Namata Abba.
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Roger Burks is Senior Writer for Mercy Corps, based in Orem, Utah.
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The power of remembrance
Posted August 31, 2009 2:42 pm by Roger Burks
This weekend's eulogies for Senator Edward M. Kennedy made me think of an elegiac piece I’ve always admired, posted to this website four Augusts ago.
Previous Post
A worthy cause
Posted August 27, 2009 1:49 pm by Mary Tam
With so many important issues out there, it is sometimes difficult to decide which ones to focus on. Every once in a while, there is a story that stands out above others.
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On Sunday, September 6, 2009 (8:52 pm), DELORES CARLSON wrote:
jUST HEARD THE STORY ON DATELINE TONIGHT! i HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE IN THEIR REALM, i AM ANGERED AND ALSO HAPPY . i AM ANGERED BY THE ACTIONS OF THE POLICE AND AND THE BELIEVES OF THESE PEOPLE AND YET I AM HAPPY THAT THESE TWO WOMEN HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT THEIR LIVES ARE WORTH MORE ! I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE STORIES WITH BOTH OF THEM. IN ACTUALLITY WITH ALL OF THEM. WOMEN ARE JUST THE SAME AS MEN, WE MIGHT LOOK AND ACT DIFFERENT, YET WE NEED TO FEEL LIKE OUR LIVES ARE WORTHWHILE. WE STAND FOR SOMETHING. WE ARE NOT DIRT AND WE ARE NOT ANIMALS. WE ARE HUMANBEINGS WITH FEELINGS AND WANTS AND DESIRES. HOPES AND DREAMS FILL OUR MINDS WHEN WE ARE NOT BEING BEATEN DOWN.
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