Tarbiyya Tatali

Supporting Fablabs in Niger

Marie-Françoise — 2025-11-29T10:08:51Z

What is a Fab Lab?
A Fab Lab (short for fabrication laboratory) is a space open to the public where all kinds of machine tools are available for designing and creating objects.
Fab Labs are for students, researchers, and the general public who want to express their creativity and move more quickly from the concept phase to the prototyping phase, or repair broken objects themselves.
They are the spaces for meeting and collaborative creation of tomorrow, disseminating research (...) - Economic Initiatives / Niamey, AECIN, RAEDD, Economic Initiatives

Management training for women

2024-06-07T09:31:05Z

Training in Dankassari

In June 2023, the RAEDD organized a 4-day management training in Dankassari, funded by AESCD through the MEAE (Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs), targeting 119 women beneficiaries of microcredit from the 10 villages in the Dankassari commune.

The objective of the training was to help women master the mechanisms for creating income-generating activities so that they could initiate, strengthen, and/or diversify their individual and collective income-generating activities and derive sustainable benefits from them.
A participatory approach was used to introduce and develop the topics, facilitating understanding among the four groups of 30 participants each. Theory was combined with practical case studies to ensure that participants fully assimilated the key points in the implementation process of income-generating activities.
The training was conducted by the Dogondoutchi departmental service of the Ministry of Women's Promotion and Child Protection.

Microcredit Report

The training session also aimed to conduct a survey on microcredit beneficiaries at the request of the city of Cesson-Sévigné, and each participant filled out a form. It appears that their incomes, initially very low (on average €486 per year), increased by over 26% following the allocation of microcredit. The average age of these women is 45 years old, ranging from 25 to 75 years old. On average, they have just over 6 children. All the women were literate and only 16 out of 119 had gone to school. They are mostly married, but 21 are widowed and 4 are divorced. Among the married women, 46 are the only wife (average age 35 years), and 48 have at least one co-wife (average age 50 years). This corresponds to the average situation in Niger, where it is estimated that only 50% of married women are the only wife. Obtaining microcredit has allowed most of them (78 women) to diversify their activities, particularly through livestock farming, while continuing their previous activities such as making cakes or others. Others (32 women) are improving the conditions of their previous activities (trade, livestock) thanks to microcredit. Only a few women (9 women) were without activities or practiced only rainfed agriculture and have started livestock farming or small businesses. Microcredits are often allocated multiple times to the same women's groups during repayments. It can be estimated that since 2017, the microcredits awarded (1,306) have benefited around 450 different women.

Women's micro-loan operation in Dankassari

Marie-Françoise — 2018-05-09T17:10:06Z

Since 2018, the microcredit program for literate women has been operating within the framework of the « Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in the villages of Dankassari », « Coordinated actions for the Sustainable Development of the villages of Dankassari 2021 -2023 » and « Coordinated actions for the sustainable development of the villages of Dankassari 2023-2024. This micro-credit initiative is supported by the city of Cesson-Sévigné.

At Guizara and Karkim Mallam

This operation has been launched following a request from the Literate Women of Guizaza and Karkim Mallam.

As of the beginning of 2018, the micro-loan operates within the program ‘Going Ahead toward the Sustainable Development Goals in Dankassari Villages.' Four groups of 25 women from the villages of Guizara, Karmi Mallam, Kamrey, and Dogontapki are involved. They are entitled to a loan of 50000 CFA francs (about 80 euros) once they have paid an entry fee of 5000 CFA francs, and they have to pay it back within 6 months.

Interviews of four of the recipients of the micro-loan can be read in the Magazine (number 8).

Extract from the article ‘Literacy and Micro-Loans', magazine n°8

What income-generating activity are you involved in?

Mariamoun: “Personally, I practice small-scale trade. I make millet pancakes and
sell them during school break or in the village, the station, really
anywhere people are. I only have scarce means, otherwise I would practice large-scale trade.“Sagni:”Fattening cattle, mostly small ones, as I lack means.“Fati:”Like all the other women, informal commerce and fattening. It is better than doing nothing. A few coins under your pillow helps to solve problems, doesn't it?“Zafa” When we were handed 50,000 CFA (euros), my husband told me: ‘That money isn't given for ceremonies or baptism: remember that you have to turn it to profit. So you have to be very careful. Whatever happens, you must avoid shame for us (which could follow if not paid back).” So, following my husband's advice, I practice informal commerce, after having bought small cattle for fattening. "

At Dogontapki and Kamrey

By the end of 2018, micro-credit will be operating within the project Sustainable Development in Dankassari 2018-2020, Two groups of literate women benefit from it in the villages of Kamrey and Dogon-Tapki They are eligible for a loan amounting to 50,000 CFA (around 80 euros) after paying an entrance fee of 5000 CFA, and the loan must be paid back within 6 months,

2019 : enhancing and follow-up

In August 2019, a supplement of 25000 CFA (about 40 euros) was granted to the ladies of Guizara and Karki-Malan (62 women altogether), A 50000 CFA (about 80 euros) micro-loan for each woman was implemented at Chanono for two new beneficiary groups (50 women altogether), Chanono is an area devoted to breeding, and all the women are involved in the same activity (fattening small cattle (goats, sheep) and when possible cows,

Kamrey and Dogontapki have been targeted for a follow-up mission. Most women are located in farming areas, and most of them are involved in cattle raising and move with their cattle to plentiful pastures.

In 2020, a 50,000 CFA micro-loan was created in Tounzourawa and Gofawa, and the amount provided was raised to 75000 CFA for previous groups in Kamrey and Dogontapki.

In 2021 a 50,000 CFA micro-loan was created at Toudou Makera and the provision rose to 75000 CFA for earlier groups at Chanono with two groups, as well as Touzounrouwa and Gofawa with one group.

In 2022, funding of 75,000 CFA was allocated to Goubeye and Bayan Doutchi, with a repayment period extended to one year.

The assessment conducted during training in the management of micro-credit beneficiaries at revealed that from 2018 to 2022, approximately 450 women benefited from micro-credit, often multiple times. With the system of redistributing microcredit within the same village after repayment, the distributed amounts totaled €128,290. Beneficiaries' contributions through a mandatory 10% entry fee amounted to 8,415,000 CFA (€12,829), while the contribution from the city of Cesson-Sévigné was €39,000.

In 2023, funding of 75,000 CFA per woman was allocated to Mailo and financed by the decentralized cooperation budget of the city of Cesson-Sévigné. However, the cooperation agreement between the two communes was not renewed in 2024 and Cesson-Sévigné's funding came to an end. AESCD committed to completing the process for all groups that had started literacy programs by mobilizing its own funds. In 2023-2024, funding of 75,000 CFA per woman was allocated to Mailo and Bawada Dagi, and in 2024 to Lillato.

Fertilizer Store in Dogondoutchi.

Marie-Françoise — 2016-01-02T00:14:30Z

Thanks to subsidies from Cesson-Sévigné, a fertilizer store was created in 2006 in Dogondoutchi.
The initial stock was bought thanks to the subsidy. The farmers could buy cheap fertilizer at the weekly market, enabling them to improve their stock. The payments were used to complete the stock.
This action lasted only 2 years. - Economic Initiatives / Environement and Food Safety, RAEDD, AECIN, Ville de Cesson-Sévigné, Dogondoutchi, Economic Initiatives

Energy in the villages of Dankassari

Marie-Françoise — 2014-02-09T16:52:19Z

Context and objective

The villages in the rural commune of Dankassari, and more generally in the communes of the Dogondoutchi department, lack access to electricity supply, from the national network provider (Nigelec), however, their needs keep growing. The existing equipment consists mainly of generating sets and some cases solar panels.

The goal of the project is to develop power equipment progressively, according to priorities on the one hand, and financial supply on the other hand. Needs are met through systems that are accessible to local technicians, to guarantee better maintenance.

Priorities

The project is to bring electricity supply to each service of the Dankassari communal center. The requirements of the village are carefully identified, and some appliances have already been installed, namely a borehole fitted with a pump powered alternatively by PV cells and a generating set.

Priority for electricity supply has been conferred on the following facilities:

Water: pump power for at least 15 hours per day (to guarantee 75m³ with 5m³/h flow), including 5 h nighttime pumping.
Welfare Center: power for a refrigerator, a fan, medical equipment, and appliances, and nighttime lighting (3 h, and at will in emergencies).
School: lighting 3 hours at night.
Millet mills: power in day time.
Electricity power for computer and multimedia appliances, and charging mobile phone batteries.

Priority actions

During the Mayor of Dankassari's visit to Cesson-Sévigné in November 2013, the first two targets were identified, namely :

Lighting, at a highly symbolic and prominent school for the commune, as it goes back 50 years (anniversary in 2014).
Providing power to the Medical Center (lighting, refrigerator, current for computer) where the only doctor is based.

Two pieces of equipment were achieved in 2015.

Funding: participation of the Young People's Town Council, of the Cesson Town authorities, Contribution under the Oudin Bill of the SDE 35, Participation of the Dankassari commune (installation)

Equipping Bawada Guida and Gofawa in energy

It entails installing two multifunctional platforms: one in the Gofawa village, with financing from Energy Syndicate 35 and the AESCD partners, and the second in Bawada Guida village, financed by the Nigerien State.
The Gofawa platform, devised by an entrepreneur from Dogondoutchi, is innovative insofar as it includes a generating set that starts the engine. It ensures more comfort and safety for the users who only need to push a button to get it started.
The innovative platform can make it possible to create a mini network in the village.

Equipment of a Maternity, Integrated Health Centers, and health huts

The entrepreneur Omarou Dan-Kounou, known as ODK, based in Niamey, was responsible for all of these installations. Since 2022, he has been accompanied by his deputy, a young person he trained locally for the installations.

In 2016-2017, three further Integrated Health Centers were equipped in Dankassari, in the Goubeye, Bawada Guida, and Rouda villages, thanks to new provisioning from Syndicat de l'Energie 35, the town of Cesson and AESCD's funds.

By the end of 2018, the new Dankassari maternity ward, located close to the CSI, was fitted with solar energy thanks to further financing from the Energy Syndicate 35, from Cesson Town Council, and AESCD's funds.

At the start of 2020, the integrated health center of Gofawa and the two health huts of Bawada Dagi and Dogontapki were equipped with solar energy thanks to new funding from the Syndical de l'Energie 35, the city of Cesson, the Brittany Region. and AESCD's funds. An electrician from Dankassari was introduced to solar energy by observing the installation made by a person from Niamey.

Late in 2020, the Integrated Health Center in Karki Malam and two health cabins in Kaoura Lahama and Kamrey were allotted solar energy thanks to further funding from Energy 35 Syndicate, from Cesson Council to Brittany Region, and AESCD own funds. Recently, a further power line dedicated to charging cellular phones was installed at Kaoura Lahama, Kamrey, and Kari Malam.

Late in 2021, further actions are planned: endowing Saourin Kaihi, Douzou, and Kore Gabass with health cabins, and creating further lines to load cellular phones in the six other health cabins already fitted out with solar panels. A training session is planned for maintenance staff.

At the beginning of 2022, the equipment of the health structures of Saourin Kaihi, Douzou, and Kore Gabass was carried out, as well as the installation of an additional line to charge cell phones in five other health structures already equipped with panels, in Gofawa, Rouda Goumandey, Dogontapki, Bawada Guida and Goubey. Training of staff and COGES in the maintenance of the installations took place. At the end of 2022, the three health structures of Kadandame, Kolmey, and Lougou as well as the Goubey maternity hospital.

For 2023, the health centers in Fanna, Goho, and Maraké-Rogo for the commune of Dankassari, and the health center in Doumé for Dogondoutchi, are targeted for electrification. These centers have been visited to plan the work and prepare estimates. The AECIN and AESCD have indeed received funding from SDE35 for these projects.

In 2024, the program to install solar energy equipment at the three health facilities in Tani, Lillato and Baré-Bari, financed by the Syndicat Départemental de l'Énergie - SDE 35, was successfully completed. On each of the three sites, there are two solar panels, four batteries, a refrigerator, twelve LED lamps, three fans and all the components required for a successful installation. In each case, the sanitary line is supplemented by a line for external services, mainly phone recharging.

Since 2015, thanks to the support of SDE 35, the town of Cesson, the Brittany Region and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, all the health facilities in the rural commune of Dankassari have benefited from solar panel equipment.

Equipping a pilot village with solar lamps

The installation of four charging stations and one hundred and sixty solar lamps, under the responsibility of the children, was financed by the Lama Foundation and the SDE35 to equip families in the village of Rouda Goumandey. The lamps were distributed to the students in January 2023. A collective study is organized in the evening by the director, with five solar lamps to illuminate the board.

Plate-forme multifonctionnelle innovante de Gofawa

Red Sokoto goat breeding

Marie-Françoise — 2013-08-24T15:39:49Z

First project in 2012

In order to reduce poverty and improve women's self-reliance, two measures have been selected: poultry farming (improvement of a local breed) and Red Sokoto goat breeding in the communities of Dankassari and Mantankari.
The project was launched in the second semester 2012.

Poultry farming

It consists in granting (as a loan) 12 hens and 2 cocks to each of the women belonging to selected groups located in villages of the two communities, amounting to 25 recipients per community (i.e. one group per community). Refunding is to be made in kind over a year, differed by 6 months. Hens and cocks are to be sourced locally.

Breeding

The project aims at promoting Red Sokoto goats. It consists in granting (as a loan) 3 she-goats and one he-goat to each of the 25 women belonging to the groups, with a total of 75 he-goats and 225 she-goats per community. The project provides the livestock imported from Maradi. The recipients contribute by funding 20 000 CFA (30 euros) to build the shed and 10 000 CFA (225 euros) cash for insurance. The community contributes to the whole project by funding 150 000 CFA (225 euros). .

The participants

The Sahel Agro Training by Swisscontact : provides the initial livestock capital and trains 4 women selected from each group involved in poultry and Red Sokoto goat breeding, so that they can monitor the other women.

The community's breeding service takes in charge the sanitary supervision.

RAEDD relies on its agents to monitor management by collecting and redistributing the capital with the help of the beneficiary groups

The recipients are responsible for building the sheds, for covering the communal agent's expenses, the fodder and the insurance.

In 2021-2024

Sixty-eight Maradi Red Goats will be provided within the ‘Sustainable Development coordinated actions in the Dankassari villages in 2021-2023'. Priority will be granted to 63 matrons of the Dankassari community, as well as to a few needy women identified by the locality and RAEDD. Each woman will be granted a male and three female goats, and will return the same number of animals after 18 months. One kit is worth 140 000 CFA. The projects' budget includes a veterinary follow up.

This action continued as part of the Coordinated Actions for Sustainable Development in Dankassari Villages 2023-2024 project, and sixty women were again provided with a kit consisting of one male and two female animals in 2024.

The practical arrangements for restitution are difficult to implement because the women are spread across the many villages and hamlets of the rural commune and the restitution can only take place locally, as gathering all these women at the commune's main town is unrealistic.

Experimental Fields

Marie-Françoise — 2012-12-31T17:58:48Z

A project funded by the Ille et Vilaine General Council in 2011 aims at combining the improvement of seeds and the creation of a grain storage, so extending to Dankassari the successful Dogondoutchi experiment.
It is being implemented in Dogontapki village. - Economic Initiatives / Monitoring and sustainability, Environement and Food Safety, RAEDD, AESCD, Département d'Ille et Vilaine, Dankassari, Economic Initiatives, Echanges entre Orsay et Dogondoutchi Niger

A cybercafe at Dogondoutchi

Marie-Françoise — 2012-08-05T18:48:35Z

The internet network was installed early in 2008 at Dogondoutchi.

Tarbiyya Tatali has planned the creation of the first internetcafe in town to give opportunity to young people to get connected and to learn, exchange and have fun.

Creating a cyber café

RAEDD selected and equipped a convenient location in the town center of Dogondoutchi.

AECIN lent the sum needed to buy second-hand up-to-date computers which were delivered in 2009.

Google employees in New York contributed funds enabling RAEDD to pay back the loan and complete the cafe equipment with new furniture, wiring etc...

Since December 20009, a young man has given training sessions (Windows, Word, Excel, Powerpoint...) .

The internet connection is available since February 2010.

The offer of computer training attracts a lot of people : 43 persons were registered by March 2010.

Cybercafé

Access to energy in rural areas.

Marie-Françoise — 2012-06-17T23:04:53Z

This action is no longer in effect

What is a multifunctional platform for access to energy in rural areas?

A multifunctional platform is a concept integrating the energy equipment and the support measures (approach, methodology, strategy), so as to combine better mastery of the system by the stakeholders while creating rural expertise that can boost local development.

It can be a long-term project has been successful in other near-by countries, thus, Mali has just celebrated its thousandth platform.

It is a small rural enterprise managed independently by the rural stakeholders (women) through a management committee of at least 8 literate persons. It involves a diesel engine which can be coupled with various machines, mainly produce transformation machines, it can generate electricity for soldering, to charge batteries and also to power small decentralized power grids, or water supply.

The goals.

The overall goal of the program consists in fighting several aspects of poverty, particularly in rural areas: By improving access to modern energetic supply; promoting income-generating activities, mainly through self-employment, improving access to financial services and other production factors for the poorest people; promoting the development of food production, of access to education and training, to basic health services food, drinking water, sewage and to better living conditions.

The convention between RAEDD and the Niger State.

On December 19^th 2011, RAEDD signed a convention with the Multi-functional Platforms project (PTFM-PNUD) to implement the program in some fifteen villages in the Dosso area.

Since then, in the Dosso and Maradi regions, RAEDD has carried out 43 feasibility surveys, literacy courses and management training sessions, and has monitored 60 PTFM. 10 platforms have been set up since then.

In 2017-2018, within the program: ‘Progressing toward the Sustainable Development Goals in Dankassari villages', a multifunctional platform will be installed in Gofawa village, and another multifunctional platform will be installed in Bawada Daji, financed by the Niger State.

In 2018-2019, supervision by RAEDD of 7 literacy centers in Doutchi, Tibiri, Dioundiou, Kieche, and 2 ‘participative feasability' investigations in Kiota and Allela.

Plate-forme multifonctionnelle innovante de Gofawa

Program “Saving to Move Ahead”

Marie-Françoise — 2010-09-25T09:25:27Z

‘Saving to Move Ahead', a partnership between RAEDD and the Stromme Foundation.

In Niger poverty mainly affects rural women.

For RAEDD, women living in rural areas possess experience, know-how and readiness to work. With its own resources, RAEDD has already taken several initiatives to support women's economic initiatives : revive the spinning and weaving industry in Lougou, encourage the Wassadahatchi women who are reclaiming land, for example.

The Stromme Foundation has already extended its ‘Saving to Move Ahead' programme to Niger, after Mali and Burkina Faso.The aim is first to reinforce women's organisational and institutional capacities through mobilizing local savings and reinvesting it through self-managed loans, and also to promote their involvement in managing their groups and villages.

The Stromme Foundation, aware of RAEDD's efficient handling of Gateway Classes, offered a partnership. That's why our NGO launched the ‘Saving to Move Ahead' program.

First results.

Thanks to support from the Stromme Foundation, the ‘Saving to Move Ahead' program was launched in the communities of Dankassari, Dogondoutchi, Kiéché, Matankari et Soucoutane in the Dodondoutchi Departement..

The general objectives of the first year are :

help women in poor rural areas to get organised in solidarity groups.
improve their management ability to enable them to mobilize their own savings.
monitor the groups so that the women can grant each other small loans bearing interest to finance income-generating activities.
provide the members of the group with suitable training to improve their health and their living conditions.
secure the involvement and intervention of active local partners who share the ideals of the programme.

The targets set for 2010 are :

creating at least 120 groups numbering 25 women each.
Involving at least 3000 women in the programme.
getting the women involved to mobilize savings amounting to14,400,000 F CFA (100F CFA per woman per week x 52 weeks x 3,000 women.
At least 80% of the savings are to be loaned to the women involved.
A least 50% of the women involved are to regularly use mosquito nets.
Each of the 3,000 women is to be able to speak in public and to explain the way in which paludism spreads.

Through that programme, the women will :

learn about community associations.
learn to save, to grant and get loans and to create income-generating activities.
get knowledge in varous fields, particularly concerning health and the illness that kills more than HIV/AIDS : paludism.
improve their ability to speak in public and develop an ability to play a part in village decision making cirlcles.

As RAEDD has a farm producing spiruline in Dogondoutchi, the project will also include a section on malnutrition and how to combat it.

In June 2010, the following results have been observed :

151 groups have been set up.

3,715 women are involved in the programme.

18,000,000 Franc CFA have been saved.

88% of the funds are lent to women group members.

By the end of 2011, the program has been implemented in the 10 localities of the Dogon Doutchi department..

In November 2011 the results are as follows:

Seven thousand one hundred and fifty four (7154) working women from the 279 groups which started the savings activities are now supported by the EPC program agents.

Five thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven (5877) group members are presently benefiting from a loan.

The overall amount raised by the various groups is estimated at 56,942,640 FCFA and the savings reach 42,684,675 FCFA.

The amount granted for loans is 49,099,480FCFA, which represents 86% of the sums raised by the women.

In June 2013, the ‘Saving to Move Ahead' program concerns two Departements, namely that of Dogondoutchi which includes the communities of Dankassari, Dogonkiria, Kiéché, Matankari and Soucoutane and that of Tibiri with the communities of Tibiri, Doumega, Guéméché and Koré-Mairoua. Today, ‘Saving to Move Ahead' operates in 145 villages out of the 471 villages making up the two Departements. The program has led to the creation of 494 groups.

So far 293 groups have completed the Skill Consolidation Module, while 201 groups are still being monitored. The total number of women involved amounts to 12 307, with 6 892 beneficiaries of loans. The groups have summoned a total amount of 92 819 018 CFA, with savings of 70 566 285 CFA.

An Example

Mrs Illa Méri Gado, an illiterate member of the group Taimakon Kaidakai (or Let's Help Each Other) has been married for four years and has two daughters. Her husband is a poultry salesman; they live on the outskirts of the village. Before she married, at her father's home, she was so shy that her voice was hardly ever heard. She had very few friends. After her marriage, the situation was unchanged. One day she noticed a group of women at a ‘Saving to Move Ahead' meeting and was so moved at the sight that she dared ask to join the activity. After joining she attended regularly and arrived ahead of everyone at the weekly meetings. Thanks to the training and the support of members she has gradually overcome the shackles that cut her off socially. Now her life has taken a fresh turn and at home she is more lively than before.
That's why Méri wishes that all the women in the area could benefit from the initiative; according to her it contributes to women's social integration.

Groupe d'épargne