On Sunday, I went to the race track with another expat. I had asked Ali to ride Arwen straight to the track, and then Tom (who rides an ex race horse by the name Luke) and I took the longer detour through the Zinderien bush, which gives the best of both riding worlds…

It was the […]

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In the Western world, the notion of civilization is mostly focused around technological success, but in the least developed area in the poorest country in the world (that would be Tanout, yes), you will find a world totally different from your own. Here, people have time for each other, the poor laugh and the children […]

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I promised I’d take you back to the track at some point during the two week long horse racing event that is taking place in Zinder right now. Horses have arrived from all over Niger and the following weeks mark the end of this year’s official Nigerien racing season. After two weeks from now, the […]

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After an early lunch and a very enjoyable ride through Tanout endless landscape, we arrived at Eden’s field station, which is situation 13 km south of Tanout city (140 km north of Zinder), in the northernmost Nigerien agriculture zone.
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Yesterday, I had my first trip to the field station after my return from Sweden in March, and it was great! It’s surprising how easily I miss the landscape - the vast horizon, the red soil with the sunny colored sand, disrupted by little dots of green shrubs and bushes - and all set against […]

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Births are important events in Niger. The celebration that occurs on the seventh day after the birth of a baby (also known as a “souna”) reflects the joy that every newborn child brings. Sounas are one of the four major social highlights in Niger (next to Tabaski, Ramadan and marriages). As I was working that […]

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When I was walking home from work yesterday, Jamila & Aichatu, two of my little friends on Eden Street, came up to me and asked me if I could please take a picture of them. Of course, I couldn’t resist them, but as soon as I got out the camera, the smiles disappeared - as […]

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Copyright Eden Foundation 2008
 
Some Eden villages are just so beautiful. I love the peace and serenity that comes with the image above - I could hang it on my living room wall and never tire of it.

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More market pictures! Couldn’t post them all at the same time as that would spoil the fun…

The local honey vendors…

The horse gear department

Hausa saddles

Carmelle and Jmackie were on a scarfhunt-

…looking just about everywhere for the right fabrics with the right colors, size and motif.

We had a crowd around us who were pretty interested […]

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For those of you who are tempted to enjoy the authenticity of Zinder but who could not settle for a volunteer standard, I have found the perfect place for you! Halima, a friend of a friend of mine, just recently opened a new guest house, which is practically situated only a block away from Ishtar’s […]

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