Vee Travers (News from Niger , Worlds poorest country)

Niger statistics:
• Population: 10,730,102
• Urban population: 17%
• Literacy: 17%
• French the official language
• Estimated Muslims: 97.6%
• Estimated Evangelicals: 0.1%


In 2005 Niger became the world’s poorest country.
80% of the country is desert, and most of the population is under 17yrs old.

• Life expectancy at birth : 41yrs.
• 12% of all infants die before 1yr old
• 1 Doctor : 36,000 people
• Adult HIV prevalence : 41%

This evening we had a visit from Vee Travers, recently retired from working with S I M in Niger. She gave us a powerpoint presentation showing highlights of the return visit she and her sister made in October to Galmi with up-to-date news about the hospital, school and generally of conditions throughout the country. Many of her comments and answers to our questions came as eye-openers considering the many privileges we take for granted here in the West. It was hard to picture a country where the vast majority of adults are illiterate – few books, advertisements, newspapers…. Also where there is one doctor serving thousands of people and the average life-expectancy is 41 years.
One of the greatest needs is for water, as there is only one main river running through the entire country and rainfall is limited to about 3 months each year. Individual families dig their own wells by hand, whilst for the needs of the hospital a borehole to the depth of 300 metres had to be dug mechanically. When we asked if people boiled their water for drinking, Vee commented that firewood would be needed to do this and that was in short supply! Perhaps this gives a flavour of the information we were given this evening and will prompt us to pray for Vee’s one-time colleagues who battle against so many problems and yet feel compelled to remain out there to help these beleagured people and give them a hope and a faith by introducing them to the good news of the gospel.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Lk. 4:18, 19.

Thanks to Mira for words and organising visit.