Hunger crisis in Africa

In Mali and Niger, the climate crisis, 
poverty, and violent conflicts are 
converging – with dramatic consequences 
for the people. The partner organizations 
of Aktion Deutschland Hilft,
Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB) and 
arche noVa, are committed to close 
cooperation to sustainably improve the 
lives of affected families.

People struggle with natural disasters and hunger
In the border regions of Gao in Mali and 
Tahoua in Niger, life is characterized by 
extreme insecurity: droughts and floods 
alternate, harvests fail, livestock die, 
wells dry up, and drinking water becomes 
increasingly scarce. Nearly 80 percent of 
the people living here depend on agriculture 
and livestock farming. For many families, 
daily life is a struggle for survival:

“Numerous families are facing not just one 
crisis, but several simultaneously. The 
effects of climate change have drastically 
worsened food security and water supplies. 
And the military coup in Niger in July 2023 
exacerbated the situation,” reports ASB 
International Aid Officer for 
Sub-Saharan Africa.

Cooperation Instead of Borders
To address this complex emergency, the 
alliance organizations 
Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB) and arche noVa 
have been working together more closely than 
ever since 2022. The idea arose when 
arche noVa contacted ASB with the proposal to 
develop a joint project that transcends 
national borders.

The people of Gao and Tahoua not only face the 
same challenges, but also share markets, family 
communities, and traditions.

Learning from Each Other
A lively exchange takes place across the border 
every day. Since the project's inception, both 
alliance organizations have been working with 
local partners and have divided their activities 
across different regions:

ASB is active with its local partner Adkoul in 
the Tahoua region of Niger, and arche noVa with 
its partner Nouveaux Horizons in the Gao region 
of Mali. Project planning and reporting are 
carried out jointly, as are regular workshops, 
training sessions, and online exchanges.

“Our local partners also benefit from the close 
collaboration. Each organization contributes its 
own strengths. We are constantly learning from 
each other and can thus improve the quality of 
our humanitarian work. The collaboration also 
creates valuable synergies and avoids inefficient 
duplication of effort,” explains Country 
Representative for Mali and Uganda at arche noVa.

Aid with a Vision
The measures of the cooperation project are diverse, 
but always pursue a common goal: to alleviate the 
acute suffering of the people and to strengthen the 
resilience of the communities in the long term.

For example, staff distribute food and cash to 
households affected by hunger. Families receive 
climate-adapted seeds and tools to sustainably 
increase their agricultural production of grain 
and animal feed.

Improved Living Conditions for Women
In addition, the aid teams renovate water points 
and supplement them with solar pumps. They build 
latrines and train the population in hygiene 
practices. In six schools in Niger and Mali, over 
1,800 students receive a nutritious and varied 
meal every day.

Around 12,000 women and girls are being educated 
about reproductive health and menstrual hygiene 
and are receiving menstrual products. In both 
countries, communities are learning how to better 
protect themselves against droughts and floods as 
part of disaster preparedness. They are also 
learning how to resolve conflicts collectively.

Sustainable use of natural resources
This collaborative project between ASB and arche noVa 
combines humanitarian aid, development cooperation, 
and peacebuilding in a so-called nexus approach.

This approach not only creates short-term aid but 
also long-term perspectives. In a region where 
resources are becoming increasingly scarce and 
conflicts are on the rise, this collaborative and 
sustainable aid approach brings about lasting 
change across borders.

Thank you for your kind donation!