By Kyana Burgess | Communications and Outreach Manager
While the political whirlwind continues across Niger and West Africa, inside the Agadez Learning Center, our girls are keeping their long-term goals in mind. In class and with their study partners after school, they are building on core skills in math and French and tackling new material in chemistry and physics. Watching their determined efforts at such a fraught time makes RAIN even more excited to be supporting 92 middle school girls at the ALC this year - the largest group we have ever hosted!
Seeing these girls remain focused on their future reminds us that they are the future - Niger is facing a mountain of challenges and Nigerien youth will be the ones to lead their country forward. To do so, they need the opportunity to study. We are proud of the 92 girls currently in our care and we know there are more girls who want - and deserve - the same chance. RAIN is focused on the future of the ALC and the expansion that is needed to support even more girls to access the education they have a right to.
In Niger, our team collaborated closely with local architects and builders to refine building plans to fit the needs of RAIN’s students and staff. Community and student feedback played a crucial role in the process, ensuring the plans would meet the community’s needs effectively in the years ahead.
The design leverages traditional earthen building techniques to provide for a more sustainable and climate-adapted expansion – key in Agadez’s desert climate. Extra-thick earth walls and windows aligned with breeze patterns keep cool internal temperatures year-round and eliminate the need for costly fans or AC units.
The layout supports growth for the center, adding in more dormitory, bathroom, and shower space, while safeguarding the ALC’s communityfeel. Designed around communal gathering, learning, and dining spaces, the building will increase capacity without diminishing the intimate nature of communal life.
These plans were developed collaboratively and everyone is excited about them - from the students and their parents to the Director of the ALC and the cooks who provide 3 nutritious meals a day. This project is critical to the girls of the Agadez region – but with nationwide sanctions driving inflation, we are racing the clock. Alongside the architects and masons, we have worked to assess and adapt to evolving material and labor costs post-coup. The sooner we can raise the needed funds for this project, the sooner we can give these girls the environment they need and deserve in order to pursue their dreams and build a brighter future for their country.
Please consider giving today and sharing this initiative with friends and family who might be inspired to give alongside you. Your generous support empowers rural and nomadic girls to continue their education and build a stronger, more resilient future. They believe in themselves, and they deserve the chance to show us what they can do.
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