About RAIN

Celebrating Ten Years of Transforming Nomadic Communities

education holds the key to new opportunity

FrancaisRAIN believes that education provides the path to thriving in today's world for nomadic people. Parents in Niger, West Africa agree. RAIN partners with these motivated parents to develop grassroots programs so that their dreams of educating their children and themselves become a reality.

nomadic children must have food at school

Many parents can only send their children to school if they know they will have food to eat. Nomadic children must either live at school or walk many miles each day to attend. School Market Gardens bring children to school to stay and learn.

sustainable development in a land of extremes

The Sahara and Sahel region is famed for extreme climate and harsh conditions. Food shortages are a constant threat; floods and drought common, one doesn't know what the next year, next month, or next day will bring. RAIN strives to introduce sustainable agriculture suited to arid conditions, build programs that provide consistent schooling and meals for children that families can count on, and encourage an interwoven support system that is there in times of scarcity.

partners in transformation - a community investment

"We work at the base; it is we Africans ourselves developing our communities. How do we measure the results of our programs? The success is in the engagement of the community, the benefits to the people helped, the long-term success of each garden, each program.” - Abdouharamane Koini, RAIN Agriculture Coordinator

All of RAIN's programs begin with community dialogue, and each one is headed by committees elected by the community. Everyone participates - parents, teachers, children - digging wells, planting gardens, and supporting schools. These grassroots programs foster ownership and great investment in the programs to succeed.

a focus on women and girls

The United Nations has declared that investment in the world's women and girls is the key to alleviating poverty, malnutrition, poor health and lack of education. RAIN agrees. We've been at the forefront of cultivating girls' education in Niger, West Africa and empowering women to spark transformation in their communities.

cultural preservation

RAIN believes in the right of indigenous nomadic people to preserve their traditional heritage, and our programs reflect these values - we find new ways for nomadic people to support their families while still anchored in their own unique culture.

Room to grow

There are hundreds of nomadic peoples that are ready to partner with us asking for our help. RAIN chooses as our partner communities those that are among the poorest in Niger, West Africa who:

Receive little or no aid from outside sources
Have an active school with at least 100 students
Include nomadic people and other underserved populations
Have a core of parents committed to education

the future is now

From one person’s response to a great need, RAIN has grown to become an effective and trusted grassroots program organization. Our nine employees in Niger are Nigeriens. We are regarded as the prime organization in the nomadic regions that works consistently with the people to bring about sustainable change.