Country Description:

CARE Niger was established in 1974 in response to famine and has worked on several food security projects since then. The program currently focuses on health and nutrition, naturalresources management, education, local governance, conflict resolution, women’s empowerment, microfinance, disaster risk reduction, and emergency preparedness and response. Niger is the birthplace of CARE’s successful and often-replicated Village Savings and Loan Associations program, which economically empowers women and raises their social and political status. The project is known as ‘Mata Masu Dubara’ (MMD), or “ingenious women” or “women on the move.” Since 2009, CARE Niger has been focusing on creating partnerships with civil society to encourage more sustainable development. The Strategic Plan for 2010-2015 emphasizes disaster risk reduction, strengthens emergency response and prevention, and aims to help create sustainable livelihoods for 150,000 households in extreme poverty.

CARE has been worked in Niger since 1974 and has implemented more than 50 projects, representing a value of more than $ 70 million. CARE’s programs are in livelihood security, civil society organization development, governance, gender, health, HIV/AIDS and micro-finance. CARE Niger has solid experience in conflict resolution and community mobilization around water, food security and natural resources management.

CARE’s vision in Niger is to create a new spirit of development, working in partnership with families and communities. CARE is currently conducting 15 projects in all seven regions (Tillaberi, Dosso, Tahoua, Agadez, Maradi, Diffa and Zinder) of the country and focuses on protecting households’ assets to increase their capacities to face shocks and food insecurity. Other programming principles include gender and diversity, partnership development with CBOs and local NGOs and building capacity for emergency response.