Access to Education

In 2022

2,116 Children
received support to succeed in school

The UN’s Education Index ranks Niger last – 187th  of 187 countries.

Niger has one of the fastest growing populations in the world and a landscape that has resulted in significant geographic gaps in school coverage. Over 50% of all Nigerien youth ages 7-16 do not attend school. The reality for RAIN’s target demographics is even more severe – only 15% of rural students attend middle school and with just 9% of girls completing primary school, far fewer of them continue onto middle school. 

Education is the most powerful tool to counteract Niger’s high rates of population growth, malnutrition, and illiteracy, all of which trap entire families in poverty. Children who stay in school have more options when they graduate, bear fewer children, make better decisions regarding their children’s well-being, and are more likely to enroll their own children in school. 

We focus on strengthening the education pipeline for youth, particularly girls, at-risk of dropping out of school to ensure that they are given meaningful opportunities for mobility. We believe education empowers individuals to be active agents in their own futures.

The Agadez Learning Center

The Agadez Learning Center (ALC) is a residential center for rural and nomadic students who do not have access to a middle school in their surrounding communities. In addition to providing room and board, the ALC also provides extensive academic, extracurricular, and social support.

Finally, the ALC serves as a safe and inclusive community for students who come from ethnic minority groups and who speak different local languages than the majority of students in Agadez.

Primary & Secondary School Mentoring

Our Mentoring Program trains local women to advocate for youth enrollment, support students in their studies, and provide or connect them with the resources they need to succeed. Mentors serve as liaisons and interpreters between the school system and students’ families, helping parents, many of whom have no or limited experience with formal education, navigate the school system and advocate for their children.

Mentors are also trained to work with students across issue areas that impact their ability to succeed including gender equity in education, basic leadership skills, nutrition and hygiene practices, and sexual and reproductive health.