Amman Imman: Water is Life Blog

Exciting news and a request for your help this holiday season!

2011-12-16T11:07:00.000-05:00

We are partnering with the Vibrant Village Foundation! Thanks to a Vibrant Village grant of $130,000, Amman Imman is currently in the Azawak constructing a new borehole that will begin providing water for thousands of families in February 2012, before the height of the hottest part of the dry season in Niger. This borehole will provide water for as many as 30,000 people and animals.

We are working with our Azawak communities that already have a borehole to provide food relief! To meet their immediate needs, we plan to supply their food banks. We'll also be implementing a drip irrigation project to support their long term agricultural and gardening efforts. Read more details about the new borehole and projects here.

Another devoted supporter and good friend has pledged $30,000! We are on our way towards alleviating the pressure cause by this year's food crisis in Niger, and providing a sustainable solution within our communities that will last for years to come. But.....

We still need to raise $40,000 to complete these projects!
That's where we need your help.

We are asking our supporters to help us raise these funds by the beginning of the year, to see our projects to fruition, and support ongoing follow-up throughout the year.

Here's what you can do:

1) Make a donation. Large, medium, small - it all adds up to improving lives and bringing water, food, and hope!.

2) Create your own Amman Imman fundraising page and reach out to your community of family and friends. "It takes a village" of people helping to make a difference!

3) Spread the Word. On Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Thank you for being part of our vision to bring water and hope to the Azawak!

Saving lives with a Vibrant Village borehole, food and sustainable gardening

2011-12-11T19:03:00.001-05:00

Here's what you can do to help
Goal = $40,000

1. Make a donation

2. Create your own Amman Imman fundraising page

3. Spread the word

Dear Friends of the Azawak,
Before anything else, I’d like to wish all of you a wonderful Holiday Season. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and many blessings to you, our dear friends and supporters!

Denis, Fassely, and I arrived safely in Niger a few weeks ago.  We’ve been very active implementing projects that will have a life-changing impact for the Azawak.  Here’s some of what we’ve been working on…

The Vibrant Village Borehole
We are happy to announce that we’ve initiated the process to build our next borehole, which will solve the water supply issues for 5,000 to 30,000 people, depending on the time of the year.  We’ve chosen a village and its surrounding communities that harbor thousands of Tuareg and Fulani who currently have no immediate access to water.  For the time being, we’re keeping the community’s name anonymous to protect our security.  I’ll refer to it as the Vibrant Village, in honor of our primary funder, the Vibrant Village Foundation.  I’ll share our progress in the upcoming weeks.

Food activities
We are also fine-tuning the choices for our upcoming activities in Tangarwashane, Kijigari, and Tchinwagari(our past borehole communities).   Their current immediate priority is food.  According to the World Food Program (WFP) Niger is suffering its worst food crisis in over a decade (and the third it's experienced in the past six years). Between 60% to 90% of this year’s crops did not reach harvest - which has been estimated at approximately 500,000 tons of food that will not be available to feed Niger's populations. Many grains and basic food supplies (oil, sugar, etc) are difficult – sometimes impossible -- to find on the market. Those that can be found have tripled in price, and are unaffordable by most rural populations. We are already witnessing the repercussions of this food crisis. Many of our families eat only one small meal a day. Children are the first to suffer from severe malnutrition (including starvation), that may lead to problems long after this crisis has subsided. In fact, the UN has estimated that 330,600 children under age five have or will fall victim to this year's drastic food shortage in Niger.

To help alleviate the pressure that this year’s food crisis has placed on our villages, we are developing both a short-to-medium term as well as a long-term strategy.  For immediate relief, we plan on helping supply their food banks. As a longer term solution, we will continue supporting agricultural/gardening efforts by introducing a drip irrigation project (based on the premise of using the borehole sustainably to grow food).  We will eventually propose a small ruminant program for the women. However, for the time being, the people must feed themselves before they have the luxury to feed their animals.

On the positive end of things, the drip irrigation project will be less costly than we had anticipated (around $4,000). However, an effective food bank program for the three communities will cost around $20,000, whereas we had budgeted for only $5,000.  We too are falling victim of the soaring grain and food prices. We are looking into options, such as bringing in cheaper grain from outside the country to lower the cost.

Health and Revenue-Generating Activities
We had planned on conducting health and revenue generating activities along with food based activities.  However, given the communities’ current priorities, and the cost of conducting these activities, we will determine additional projects a few weeks from now.

Positive news from the Field
Despite their current challenges, our communities show ongoing proof of growth and resiliency.  The women of Kijigari continue to cultivate their garden, using both marsh and borehole water.  Thanks to this, they grow squash and zucchini to help supplement their food.

The local government contributed piping and plumbing to bring Kijigari’s borehole water to the village’s health center, one of few such facilities in the remote Azawak.  The health center now has a faucet with running water, and the birthing room has been equipped with a faucet and sink!

Please Join our Holiday Campaign!
We have received some very generous donations for our work this winter.  The Vibrant Village Foundation has given us $130,000, and another devoted supporter and committed friend has pledged $30,000.  We are asking our supporters to help us raise the additional $40,000 by the beginning of the year, to see our projects to fruition, and support ongoing follow-up throughout the year.  Please help!

Here's what you can do:
1) Make a donation. Large, medium, small - it all adds up to improving lives and bringing water, food, and hope!.
2) Help us fundraise by creating your own fundraising page and reaching out to your community of family and friends. "It takes a village" of people helping to make a difference!
3) Spread the word. Forward this email; share the links on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Thank you for being a part of our vision to bring water and hope to the Azawak!

Gratefully yours for the Children of the Azawak,
Ariane

A Borehole and a Bag of Rice for the Holidays: A Ray of Hope for Niger

2011-11-09T16:49:00.002-05:00

Please contribute to Amman Imman's
activities in Niger this winter.

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Denis and I are impatient to return to Niger this month, and be welcomed by our dear friends and the smiling, laughing faces of the children we’ve grown to know and love in our Azawak communities. It will be refreshing to sip tea and share stories with our friends, eat fresh vegetables that they’ve been able to grow thanks to the borehole water and listen to songs the children have learned since they’ve begun attending the school that has opened now that water has become available.

As many of you may be aware, Niger has been in the news non-stop this year – and as portrayed by the media, the situation is nothing but dire and foreboding for this landlocked country of the Sahel. Denis and I plan on sharing with you the flip side over the next couple of months – stories of dignity, perseverance, and hope. In fact, today I will share with you a joyous new headline:

Amman Imman, soon to build a new borehole
for 25,000 people and animals,
thereby offering water and food security
in a time of famine and crisis!

Let’s back up one step, as I recap news from the media about Niger in 2011. In January, Al Qaeda kidnapped two Frenchmen, who were both killed in a failed rescue attempt. All spring and summer, headlines focused on refugees fleeing Libya and entering Niger (a large number have fled to the Azawak). Last month we witnessed the death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Though Gaddafi was a tyrant in the eyes of the world, he was often seen as a benefactor by the Tuaregs of Niger. While the rest of the world looked away, he offered assistance on the ground and jobs inside Libya. With his demise, the aid has dried up and almost everyone lost their jobs, removing not only a source of revenue but also causing an influx of refugees who are traumatized and find an impossibly bleak situation in the Azawak. To top off such a challenging year, headlines now announce one of the worst droughts since 2005 in Niger, where there has been up to 90% crop loss. Drought and famine have already begun ravishing the country. This parade of bad news has contributed to Niger once again being named second to last in the most recent Human Development Index.

Just a few days ago, we spoke with Momine, Amman Imman’s Niger Operations Coordinator. Echoing media headlines, he lamented: “There is no food. Millet and rice prices have skyrocketed, if you are lucky enough to find them on the market. Before, our families used to head to Libya when we were dying of hunger and thirst. But today, we have nowhere to go.”

Our most recent news of hope could not be better timed.

As many of you know, Amman Imman has food and revenue generating projects lined up for the fall and winter. We’ve been planning to do our utmost to help as many families and communities as possible survive this famine, as well as meet the extra demands created by the influx of refugees. Then, just last week, I received a call from the Vibrant Village Foundation announcing that they have pledged $130,000 to help cover a majority of the costs needed to build a new borehole. With a new borehole, our impact in terms of both water and food security will be multiplied. The Vibrant Village Foundation has offered a huge ray of hope that will help save many as they struggle through this new year of severe food and water shortage. We will share photos and stories of comforted villagers and dancing children celebrating this news as soon as we can!

We still need to raise $70,000 to cover the remainder of the borehole costs, as well as our food and revenue-generating activities. Like many of the challenges that Nigeriens face on a daily basis, raising this amount before the end of the year may seem insurmountable. Yet we know that nothing is insurmountable. With your help, combined with the help of all our friends of the Azawak, we trust that our goal will be reached to offer thousands of rays of hope, gallons of precious life-giving water, and large plates of nutritious food to fill empty bellies in the Azawak this holiday season.

Please…offer your ray of hope for the Azawak, for a borehole, food and jobs.

Very sincerely yours,

Ariane

P.S. To donate now, please visit www.ammanimman.org/donate
or send your check to:

Amman Imman: Water is Life
7036 Strathmore Street, Suite 111
Chevy Chase, MD 20815

From the pygmies of Africa’s equatorial rainforest, to the nomads of Niger’s Sahara

2011-10-25T16:17:00.000-04:00

Click here to make your contribution today!

Please contribute towards our $35,000 goal to provide better access to food, water and revenue among the Tuareg and Fuani populations of the Azawak.

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Denis and I traveled to the Central African Republic for two months this past spring to undertake a needs analysis among the indigenous people (the BaAka pygmies) in the country’s far southwestern corner. As we prepare to return to Africa within the upcoming month, we have been thinking back on our amazing (and also challenging) experience in the Central African Republic. I think that in all my travels and experiences, I've never lived among such an intriguing and different kind of people as the BaAka pygmies. The pygmies are complete masters of their universe -- the equatorial rain forest. They can spot a bit of dirt on the ground, and know that 20 meters high in the tree next to them, they'll find a beehive. They know that, next to a certain flower that grows in a tree, they'll be sure to find a pangolin (like an armadillo) for dinner. They fish in streams with their hands, and still hunt with nets, bows and arrows, and slingshots. They know the medicinal attributes of each plant and tree, and know where to find pure water in lianas that grow throughout the forest. They know which caterpillars are poisonous, and which grubs are a treat to eat with a tree nut sauce. And then, as soon as you remove them from their forest setting, they feel out of place among other Africans in the villages. There, they are exploited, and often treated as sub-human. Their rights and dignity are abused, and eventually they often turn toward drugs and alcohol, which leads to even more severe exploitation. In the village, they become a sad example of human rights neglect and tragedy.

Our experience in the Central African Republic emphasized how crucial our work is in Niger. Our short time among the pygmies made it even more apparent to us that our development work in Niger is about much more than saving lives by bringing water to 500,000 people dying of thirst -- and more now with the refugees from Libya that have settled in the region. It's also about fighting for human rights and preserving ancient cultures that are slowly disappearing... it's about preserving our world heritage. The pygmies, as one of the very last true hunter-gatherers are a world treasure, and an example of how our own first ancestors used to live. The Tuaregs and the Fulani of Niger -- the populations of the Azawak -- are similarly an ancient nomadic people with dying traditions, all suffering from disempowerment and lack of access to the most basic human rights and resources. These indigenous minorities face direct threats from others who directly or indirectly exploit, abuse, and endanger both their lives and livelihood.

Please join Denis and me as we travel to Niger in November to provide better access to food, water, and revenue among the Tuareg and Fulani populations of the Azawak. We have launched our fall campaign to raise $35,000 to fund our desperately needed work, and we ask you to be a part of it by making your contribution today. To donate, click here.

Sincerely yours, for dignity, life and hope among the Tuareg and Fulani of the Azawak,

Ariane

p.s. A new movie, OKA!, filmed in the CAR rainforest with the BaAka, opens in several cities in the USA this week. To learn, and to attend one of the openings, visit http://www.okamovie.com/

Refugees Fleeing Libya Seek Refuge in the Azawak

2011-09-08T15:18:00.000-04:00

Donate by clicking here

Please contribute towards our $35,000 goal for our work in Niger this winter. Among the activities we hope to implement:

setting up better irrigation systems for sustenance agriculture
providing tools and seeds to schools and families to help them grow their own food
running a vaccination campaign in Tangarwashane, Kijigari and Tchinwagari

Dear Friends of the Azawak,
As the world turns its attention to the starving children of the Horn of Africa, let us not forget the thirsty and hungry children of the Azawak, who chronically have no more than one glass of mud, and one small bowl of rice or millet to drink and eat in a day. The plight of the Azawak – left unknown to most of the world -- has multiplied since Spring, when tens of thousands of refugees fleeing Libya sought political asylum in its vast plains. Even Momine, our Program Director in Niger, spent many of the past couple of months housing and personally providing for over 20 of the refugees from Libya. Both Tangarwashane and Kijigari saw hundreds of refugees settle on their lands – banking on the security of having at least safe drinking water.

Why the Azawak? Ironically, a large number of these refugees fled the Azawak and migrated to Libya many years ago, seeking opportunity and asylum from thirst and starvation. As examples, my friends Zeinabou, and her daughter, Takat, abandoned the Azawak in January 2005, after one of Niger’s worst food crises. Today, many of these migrants that had sought new hope in Libya find themselves once again exiled, this time by warfare. They are returning “home” – where years of prolonged drought have made conditions perpetually worse rather than better.   Zeinabou and Takat have decided to remain in Libya, preferring to bear the ravages of war rather than famine and thirst in the Azawak.

The refugees have brought with them a desperate need for additional food and water supplies, as well as illnesses that the populations of the Azawak are ill prepared to handle. Just a few months ago, our own village of Tangarwashane lost several of its children (and our friends!) due to a measles outbreak caused by the influx of refugees from Libya.   Our local team quickly brought in a doctor to carry out a vaccination campaign and prevent additional deaths in the village and surroundings. Nonetheless, other diseases continue to threaten Tangarwashane, and everyone else living in the Azawak. Hunger and thirst remain an ever-present concern for the refugees and villagers that do not have access to a borehole.

Amman Imman is one of the few organizations tackling this humanitarian emergency in the Azawak by helping to provide a sanctuary to both returning and new inhabitants. We continue to supply abundant and clean water to thousands of families, thanks to the boreholes of Kijigari, Tangarwashane and Tchinwagari. We offer basic support to schools in these villages, as well as help the villagers grow their own food. And now, we are hoping to bring additional basic medical assistance, to help prevent new outbreaks and deaths due to diseases brought by the refugees from Libya.

As these refugees choose to make the Azawak their home, your compassion will help provide them with the security and stability they so desperately need.   Our underlying goal remains to build sustainable water sources – boreholes – in new communities.   We also want to maintain our support in the communities that already have boreholes, by continuing to help in the realms of food security, education, and basic health care.

We are currently hoping to raise $35,000 to conduct specific activities while Denis, Fassely and I are in Niger this winter. Among some of the projects we hope to implement include:

setting up better irrigation systems for sustenance agriculture
providing tools and seeds to the schools and families to help them grow their own food
running a vaccination campaign in Tangarwashane, Kijigari, and Tchinwagari.

Please consider making a donation today to contribute to our $35,000 goal, and help provide the gift of life and hope to the children of the Azawak.

Yours, for the Azawak

Ariane

Aichatou explains why your help is so important for people in the Azawak

2011-05-22T09:30:00.005-04:00

Aichatou Bety lives in Niamey, Niger and works as an educator for Catholic Relief Services. A long-time friend of Amman Imman, Aicha was in the United States for a conference through her work at the same time A Walk for Water at Lake Frank was taking place. It was our blessing that she was able to be with us at AWFW and speak at the rally.

Highlights from Aicha's speech:
"Think about something that is really important in your life. Something that today if you miss it, you feel like you are not existing. Water in the Azawak, in the desert, is like this. Providing water to a nomad, is providing everything."

"Water is the basis for development. There is an NGO that built a school last year. They really built a nice school. But until now no one is in the school. Do you know why? Because there is no water. How can you build a school in a nomadic area without water? When the school was being built, the enterprise who got the contract brought water from far away to build the school. But after having the school, you also need to provide water for the community. Because if nomadic people are always traveling to look for water, how can you have people in your school? "

"What you are doing is really responding to the need of people from Azawak. This project really expresses the need. The people expressed their need and you accept this need and you decided to help.... Alot of projects fail because they don't respond to the need of people. I am convinced that you bring the hope. With this water, you are going to bring life, help them develop alot of skills."

"I want to thank all of you. Especially children. The involvement of children is very strong. You know why I say this? Children are the future. By starting now and helping the people of the Azawak, these children will continue to help. And even their children will continue."

2011-05-09T12:39:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

In less than a week, those of us in the Washington DC area will gather together to walk the shady trails around Lake Frank in Derwood, Maryland for "A Walk for Water" - an annual tradition that has inspired students to be leaders for a better future. We will spend time in nature – families and friends together – and be transported away from our conveniences, off our couches and out from behind our electronic devices – to come together for a greater purpose.

If you live in the DC metro area, we hope you will join us!

Please take a few minutes to register online and create a fundraising page:

1. Go to https://www.firstgiving.com/ammanimman/Event/awalkforwaterlakefrank

Click on “Register for this Event”
The next page will ask, “Would you like to register for this event?” Click “Yes register online now”.
From there, you will have the option to register as an individual or as a family. Follow the instructions to complete your registration.

2. After you register, you will be given the option to start a team, or to join an existing team. Teams can fundraise together. (this is optional!)

3. You will also be given the option to create a fundraising page. Creating a page only takes a few minutes and makes it easy to ask your friends and family to support your Walk. Please create a fundraising page! If you don’t have time to create one right away, you can return to do it later. Just go to this page and click on "Raise Money".

4. Upon completion of your registration, you will receive a confirmation email from FirstGiving with a link from where you can download an Event Information and Fundraising Kit. For your convenience, here’s the link. (For Windows users, when you download the materials you will see two files. Please click on the one named "AWFW 2011 Lake Frank Event Info and Fundraising Packet".)

Whether or not you live in DC, please feel free to share this post on your listservs, with your friends and other networks and invite them to join us on May 14^th! Share the link of your fundraising page on Facebook, Twitter and with all your social networks! Invite everyone to contribute to your page!

We at Amman Imman are counting on YOU! Your participation not only helps make "A Walk for Water" a tradition, but it also supports the ideals of students who believe they can make a better world and, more importantly, provides people in the Azawak with hope that they can make their dreams of a better future a reality.

Yours for a future of hope,

Debbie

World Water Day and Amman Imman on Nigerien TV

2011-03-22T19:02:00.001-04:00

Watch the Video:
The Reception of Kijigari

For those in the Washington DC area, bring your family to A Walk for Water on May 14! Click here for details

Find out more about
Wells of Love!
www.wellsoflove.info

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Today, on World Water Day, please send a special thought to our friends in the Azawak.  As you well know – even though it’s difficult to fathom -- half of their children die before age 5, often from thirst. Thanks to your help, and the compassion of individuals worldwide, over 75,000 of our friends now have access to clean and sustainable water year-round.

As we think of our Azawak communities on this special day commemorating the very meaning of “water is life”, I want to invite you to view a most significant 5 minute video of the celebration of the Kijigari borehole.  This video, filmed by a Nigerien TV – Tele Sahel -- depicts the government of Niger and the leaders of Kijigari congratulating Amman Imman and students worldwide for the tremendous impact that their efforts have yielded.

In the video, the president of the Kijigari Water Management Committee, Adaman Houseinni, proclaims that the people of Kijigari  have "a borehole that none other can equal". He praises the Amman Imman team for saving the lives of men, women and children that were previously suffering from thirst, while at the same time protecting the trees and the environment. The Nigerien government, represented by the prefect of the Department of Abalak, Commander Alhassan Boubakrin, says that "the little project Amman Imman, without funders other than little school children" is actually a "grand project", and that Amman Imman’s work demonstrates that "you can do great accomplishments with minimal means". Denis Gontero, Amman Imman's Niger Program Director (and my husband), thanks the children who diligently dedicated their time and resources for four years to raise the funds that helped to build the borehole.

On World Water Day, and everyday, please remember your brothers and sisters around the world who lack the most basic and essential of natural resources. Stay posted for another update soon about our work in Niger, and exciting new developments within Amman Imman.

Very gratefully and sincerely yours for the children of the Azawak,
Ariane

The Reception of the Montessori Well of Love in Kijigari

2011-01-28T22:50:00.000-05:00

We are excited to share with you this video, filmed last year in the village of Kijigari at the official opening reception of the Montessori Well of Love. Tele Sahel TV televised the grand occasion during which village leaders, government officials and local authorities commended Amman Imman's work as a "vital accomplishment for the populations" of the Azawak. Denis Gontero, Amman Imman's Niger program director, attended the ceremony, and accepted an award of recognition on behalf of the entire Amman Imman team, including the young people in our Wells of Love program. Denis spoke about the contribution of children around the world who selflessly "put aside their money, little by little, for the past three years" and gave their time, raising the funds that made the borehole construction possible.

The Prefect of Abalak, Mr. Daouda Hamidou, representing the local government, declared that "little project" Amman Imman was in actuality a "grand project" culminating in immense and profound implications for the people of the Azawak. He said Amman Imman, with the assistance of school children as the funders had "demonstrated that you can do great accomplishments with minimal means". He congratulated Amman Imman on behalf of the President of Niger. The local government and the Kijigari community collaborated with Amman Imman to complete the borehole project.

Village leader and President of the Kijigari Water Management Committee, Mr. Adaman Housseini, proclaimed in his speech that Kijigari and surrounding communities now will "benefit from a borehole that none other can equal". He acknowledged Ariane Kirtley, Denis Gontero, and Momine Abdoulaye for providing water that not only eases thirst and preserves the environment, but crucially saves both human and animal lives.

Mr. Housseini went on to articulate what has become the focus and realization of Amman Imman's work in building these Oases of Life: that responsibility does not end when the water begins to flow. The construction and implementation of a borehole opens the possibility for the social and economic development of a community. Amman Imman intends to support the communities of the Azawak as life flourishes around the utilization of the boreholes's life-giving water.

Denis Gontero sent his encouragement to the villagers to work together to ensure that the borehole will benefit not only the children of Kijigari but all the children in the Azawak. He asserted Amman Imman's pledge to to make water available to all 500,000 people in the region. "This borehole, although situated in Kijgari, is for everyone. This water is for everyone."

Holiday Update and Plans for 2011

2010-12-29T07:28:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Greetings this holiday season! I hope that your holidays have been filled with peace, precious moments spent with loved ones, and joy. I also hope that your new year is marked with accomplished dreams, good health, and harmony. I want to take this moment to thank you for your tremendous support. Thanks to your help, Amman Imman succeeded to bring life and hope to an additional 35,000 people and animals this year. We hope that next year will prove even more impactful to the communities of the Azawak.

Amman Imman launched 2010 with the construction of the Kijigari borehole, and has since remained busy conducting follow-up support and training. We also continued to work with Tangarwashane and Chinwagari, our past borehole sites, to strengthen their borehole management committees and ascertain the borehole’s sustainability for years to come.

As we prepare for 2011, we have many plans to increase and reinforce our impact in the Azawak. Amman Imman will pursue building Oases of Life in new communities, borehole by borehole. We are also strategizing so that Amman Imman’s work may provide economic and ecological stability, resiliency and vibrancy to our past and new communities through additional essential projects.

Denis and I will return to Niger at the beginning of the new year to launch different forms of revenue generating and life-building activities. For instance, we will work directly with the women of Kijigari, Chinwagari, and Tangarwashane to increase their economic autonomy through a micro-credit project, a sewing and farming cooperative, a livestock program, and revenue-generating activities. We will also persist directly reinforcing the capacity of our borehole management committees, so that the members continue to protect and properly use their most precious life-giving resource.

In addition, we will strive to increase the communities’ resiliency to potential food shortages. As many of you know, Niger was struck by famine this past year. Many of our friends were left with only mud or dirt to fill their empty bellies. Child mortality soared and hunger led to dramatic sickness among populations across Niger. Our boreholes have the potential to dramatically and directly help the communities respond quickly next year, if food shortages once again plague the country. To help alleviate the effects of a food crisis, we are going to initiate activities such as a micro-irrigation project, a food forest, and sustenance gardening.

Again, thank you for supporting our life-giving work in the Azawak. Please consider supporting our projects for 2011, as we progress to increase the impact of our endeavors. Please also consider donating on a regular basis.

Blessings for the New Year!

Yours in hope and peace for the Azawak.
Ariane

Donate to Amman Imman

Water is Life: An Anthropological Approach

2010-11-23T14:25:00.001-05:00

Zoe is interning for Amman Imman this fall.

Zoe Genova has been interning at Amman Imman’s Bethesda office since September. Currently a junior majoring in Anthroplogy at George Washington University in Washington, DC, Zoe is conducting an independent research project on the practical implications of anthropology. Zoe interviewed Ariane Kirtley, who majored in Medical Anthropology as an undergradudate at Yale University, to explore how anthropology is used in a nonprofit organization as a tool for international development. Zoe will integrate Ariane’s responses into her paper:

Zoe: How did your undergraduate degree in anthropology influence your future choices as a Fulbright scholar during your research in Africa?

Ariane: Actually, I went into anthropology because I grew up in Africa and was interested in studying how people of different cultures relate to health, medicine, etc. I then went on to study public health with the explicit desire to use my background in anthropology to help design more appropriate health initiatives in the developing world. My work with CARE international while I was an intern demonstrated how important it is to develop a culturally appropriate health care initiative in order to be successful. I wanted to elaborate on my work that I began with CARE, and this is why I applied for a Fulbright scholarship. So everything, from my interest in health and anthropology, to my love for Africa and specifically Niger, led to my Fulbright research.

Ariane

Zoe: Do you feel that your anthropological background gave you an advantage in learning the ways of the people of the Azawak in order to help them? If yes, how so?

Ariane: Certainly, it taught me to listen to what they expressed as their needs, versus trying to determine these as an outsider looking in. If I began a water project, it’s because they asked for it, not because I decided that this is what they needed. It also helped me understand their approach to health (which was my primary interest), and helped me approach them with my own understanding of health and sickness.

For instance, I met a lady that was so sick, I was certain that if she didn’t quickly receive intense treatment, she was going to pass away. She hadn’t eaten for days, and couldn’t swallow any liquid. She had intense fevers and severe diarrhea. But her family refused my offer to drive her to a health center. Instead, they said she was afflicted by genies, and that the only cure I could give her was to dance and sing for her to ward the genies away. As distressing as the situation was, I put on my anthropology cap, and danced and sang for her. I also gave her a pretty intense treatment of oral rehydration therapy (just a sip every five minutes for several days). I was also able to get her fever down. She accepted my help because I demonstrated that I honored her beliefs. Low and behold, a few days later, she was eating and drinking fairly normally, and then eventually was back to full health. Who knows what was really afflicting her, but with mutual care and understanding, we were able to save her!

Today, we are saving many lives thanks to the fact that we listened to what they needed and wanted the most. I decided to bring them water even though I was discouraged and basically told it was impossible. Had I not been an anthropologist, I might have said, “Well, it’s too difficult to bring you water, so let me do something else instead”. That would have been a lot easier for me. Or I could have just ignored their requests for help altogether. But as an anthropologist, I was particularly eager to listen to them and learn from them!

Zoe: In creating your own non-profit organization in the international development sector, what have been your greatest challenges? (In terms of starting up, allocating resources, getting the word out, fundraising, etc.)

Ariane: It’s all a challenge. There isn’t a single part of what we do that isn’t a challenge. From raising money, to running the organization administratively, to constructing the infrastructure, to making sure that the populations manage the infrastructure and maintain our work sustainably. But perhaps the most challenging is the last component. And it all comes down to the sociology or anthropology. The people of the Azawak asked for water. And yet the only way I could bring it to them was in a way that they had never seen before, and had no prior understanding of how to manage and take care of. So, the boreholes aren’t really an anthropologically appropriate answer. They don’t have anything to do with the culture of the people we are helping. So it is up to us to work with the populations so that they can learn how to use the infrastructure and adapt. And if we work with them… and it may take years, they will learn, change and adapt. But this will only happen over the long run, and we will constantly work with them to find solutions on how to better manage their infrastructure and make it last for generations to come.

Zoe: How did you go about researching the best methods for borehole drilling and making them environmentally sustainable?

Ariane: I contacted experts in the field of hydrogeology around the world, and mostly people that had done this type of work in the developing world. We also contacted solar experts, as well as water management experts. I did a lot of online research as well. And we continue to do research and explore new and better possibilities.

Zoe: Which aspects of the creation of Amman Imman do you feel you have succeeded the most or which aspects have been the most rewarding?

Ariane: It’s all rewarding (well, except for the administrative part!). The two most rewarding things are 1) working with students in the USA, and seeing how inspired and motivated they are. It’s amazing connecting with such passionate and compassionate young individuals, and 2) drilling and seeing the water come out for the first time, and witnessing people rejoice over water they never dreamed of having… and knowing that lives will be saved thanks to this water.

Zoe: Meeting and understanding the wants, needs, and abilities of residents of the village/town/country of interest and gaining their cooperation is essential for successful international development. How did you find trustworthy, committed community members who were willing to join the committees for the boreholes? How do you decide how many people are needed and what their exact jobs will be?

Ariane: I don’t decide these aspects. First, we work with the Department of Hydraulics that has already established rules and regulations about how such matters are handled. Based on these rules, the villagers/communities themselves vote on the people that will be assigned to the management committee. They also determine the number of people that they want and feel they need on the committee. We advise them, but don’t determine anything. The villagers also vote on the roles that each committee member will have. So, you see, everything is mostly in their hands. We simply guide them and help them, and work with them to improve and find alternate/better solutions when necessary. And the Department of Hydraulics sets the rules.

Zoe: Women play a very important role in the success of sustaining and maintaining the boreholes and village water distribution. Why do you think this is and is it difficult to encourage equal power distribution amongst the men and women of the committee?

Ariane: Women are known to manage material things and money better than men. This makes sense. Women are in charge of households and children. They are in charge of the well-being of everyone. Men, on the other hand, are known to waste money and material things more readily. They tend to spend money on their own needs/wants, rather than make sure that the resources are funneled back to the family. Well, at least this is what research shows, and it has definitely demonstrated to be the case in the Azawak.

Yes, it’s difficult to have equal distribution of power. The Azawak is predominantly Muslim, and now patriarchal (although this didn’t used to be the case). You’ll find that younger men are the most difficult to work with, and to encourage working with women. Since they’ve lost their animals and other resources in a dramatic way over the past 10 years, young men have had to migrate to bordering and highly Islamic countries, such as Libya, Algeria, and Nigeria. They’ve brought back with them increased fundamentalist Islamic beliefs, such as cloistering women, and keeping women powerless. This is in direct conflict with the traditional Tuareg matriarchal society. And so, older men tend to be more attuned to the traditional relationship between men and women, and hence more respectful and understanding of the need for women’s participation. Also, women of different castes have more or less power. For instance, women of the traditional Tuareg slave caste tend to be given more power by their men, than women of the noble cast (at least today). Anyway, we’ve worked very hard so that the women maintain an important role within the management committee. In one village, women are much more powerful than in the other village. But they already were before we built the borehole, so this isn’t surprising. We’ll keep working on this aspect, in a culturally appropriate and respectful manner.

Zoe: Unfortunately, many countries in Africa are politically unstable and corrupt. How do the politics of Niger affect the work that Amman Imman is able to do? Must you get governmental permissions before beginning work?

Ariane: Yes, we have to get permission, and we also have to work with government ministries. The last government was difficult to work with. The new government has been very helpful, and has facilitated our work in many ways. They don’t want to do the work themselves, but they will help us when they can.

Zoe: Did you learn the traditional languages of the Tuaregs and the Woodabe Fulani or did you speak to them in French? Do language barriers pose problems in development?

Ariane: I only speak a little Tamachek, and no Fulani. Denis speaks more Tamachek than I do. We have a translator, although there is one person in Tangarwashane that speaks some English (thanks to his travels to Nigeria), and there are a few people in Kijigari that speak French. Also, often the Fulani speak some broken English thanks to their many travels to Nigeria, so sometimes I can communicate a little with them directly.

Certainly, not speaking the language is a barrier. There are many nuances that are lost. Also, we have to rely that our translator is translating correctly. At one point our translator was not translating what we were asking him to translate, and this posed a lot of trouble. Also, you are more respected if you speak the language, and it helps develop a holistic relationship with a community. But we get over this quite well, and we’re doing our best to learn the language as much as we can.

Zoe: Learning from past experiences and obstacles, will you change fundraising methods at home or implementation methods abroad in the future?

Ariane: Of course, we are constantly changing our approach, or improving upon our success. This is what makes an organization evolve. We are constantly looking to improve how we operate, and given our curiosity and desire to improve, we are only limited by our human and financial resources.

Zoe: Thank you for this interview!

Ariane: You are most welcome!

Anya Fonina: Running for Water to Help the Children of the Azawak

2010-10-19T09:12:00.002-04:00

Washington D.C. (October 31, 2010) -- Anya Fonina has a dream. She wants to make sure that the children of the Azawak Valley of West Africa never again thirst for water. The Azawak is a region in the Republic of Niger devastated by persistent drought that has destroyed the herds of half a million nomads and forced their children to walk up to thirty miles in search of water.

To fulfill her dream, Anya is putting on her running shoes and will participate in the Marine Corps Marathon on October 31 in Washington, D.C. She is dedicating her 26.2 mile run to the children of the Azawak, in memory of her father Dmitri, who passed away early this year.

Anya has reached out to friends and acquaintances, asking them to symbolically join her run, by contributing money to help finance the equipment needed to run the latest borehole-well built by Amman Imman, an organization that has brought water to the Azawak over the past four years, using advanced machinery to drill deep beneath the earth’s surface.

Anya's goal is to raise at least $20,000 for the families there, contributing significantly to a sustainable livelihood for them. Once there is water, many other opportunities arise -- in the form of schools, health centers, tree planting, etc.

Anya and her dad

"Everyone can do something to make the world a better place," says Anya, "and I'm inspired by the work of my dear friend Ariane Kirtley, who founded Amman Imman. I like to run long distances, and along the way I'll be thinking of the children who must walk even further under much worse conditions, just to have water to drink. I am so happy with the response I've received from my friends, who have already contributed more than $15,000 to support my effort."

Not that long ago, the Azawak Valley was lush and fertile, with 5-6 months of rainfall. Nomads used to trek from one pasture to another with large herds of cattle and goats. Over the past decade, the Azawak has become a wasteland that receives only short bouts of erratic rainfall for a month or two each year. The people there have nowhere to go, and water gives them hope for a better tomorrow.

Amman Imman, one of the only organizations working in the area to address the water crisis, recently drilled its second borehole in Kijigari Village. Anya’s run will help pay for the remaining costs of the infrastructure, including the pumps, water fountains and animal troughs. This borehole-well provides clean and abundant water to more than 30,000 people and animals.

Read more about Amman Imman, its efforts in Kijigari Village and how you can support Anya’s run.

Learn about Amman Imman's A Run for Water campaign, and how you can get involved, info@ammanimman.org.

Fountain of Knowledge

2010-10-15T08:02:00.002-04:00

Colleen Johnson, Service Learning Program intern at Amman Imman's Bethesda office, blogs about water for Blog Action Day:

Children wash at one of the Tangarwashane fountains in the Azawak of Niger, February 2009. Photo by Ariane Kirtley.

Two months ago, Amman Imman: Water is Life was unknown to me. I had recently graduated from University of Virginia and was working as a waitress in my college town for the summer. Travel plans fell through last minute, leaving me with no plan for the immediate future. As a recent graduate with no relevant working experience, I decided that an internship would be the perfect opportunity and a logical next step. A hurried, no holds barred internship search followed; Amman Imman crossed my path and piqued my interest immediately.

Amman Imman: Water is Life is dedicated to providing water and hope for those who have none. The Azawak region is one of the driest inhabited places on Earth, and climate change has drastically shortened the rainy season, making the situation ever more dire. As with any large-scale community project, building borehole wells comes with its share of opposition, especially from those on the polar ends of such issues as landscape preservation. However, when this concern is placed alongside the fact that 500,000 people are entirely without water for about ten months per year, it becomes a non-issue.

While the water crisis in most low-income countries constitutes lack of sanitation, hygiene and microbe / germ knowledge; inhabitants of the Azawak lack the very resource about which they must be educated. Thirst is but one of the numerous and often-fatal consequences of clean water absence; children regularly miss school because of worms, diarrhea, caring for relatives and constantly traveling in search of water. As such, there is no opportunity for education, nutrition, health, poverty alleviation, disease prevention, anything.

Many Big Players (Spenders) such as World Health Organization and United Nations are aware of this global crisis and consider its eradication to be one of their top priorities. However, money and goals are simply tools; without action they may as well not exist. Of course, these organizations are facilitating the majority of the work being done; but as the problem still exists in its current and extreme magnitude, more needs to be done. The only way to progress is to gain momentum traveling through public consciousness. There are endless problems with the human condition that need addressing and dedication; however, ensuring that lives continue at all and that basic needs are met must come before any other improvements. Change in action cannot happen until a change of mind has first occurred.

The people of the Azawak have a saying, Amman Imman, Arr Issudar, meaning "Water is Life, Milk is Hope." Before hope, there must be life. Water. Three borehole wells have been built since Amman Imman's inception, and consequently 75,000 people and animals have access to clean water. However, the 425,000 who are not as fortunate are asking for our help; in turn, we are asking for yours. Help however you can: volunteer, donate, spread the word; but most of all, think about it. Foster genuine concern, and change is inevitable.

Water is not an International Issue. It's Global.

2010-10-15T07:35:00.003-04:00

Christina Vernon, Operations Support and Development Intern at Amman Imman's Bethesda, Maryland office, contributes this blog post about water for Blog Action Day:


A major water source in Katmandu, Nepal. photo by C. Vernon

Currently I am an MPH candidate in Global Health focusing on Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation. I chose this field based on my main priority of working and living in a low-resource country and serving with community development initiatives whether relating to food and water security issues, social justice, or gender equity.

I first became passionate about water accessibility issues in low-income areas while I was an instructor for Indiana University’s Outdoor Adventure Program. Although I loved going to Red River Gorge, Kentucky to climb, I couldn’t help but notice that we were climbing in one of the most impoverished regions of the Appalachian. People living there had no running water and were forced to collect water using buckets from a community pump. I was shocked to discover that this issue was not only international, but also just a few hours away from the university I attended.

A Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Lesson in a Bangladeshi Village. photo by C. Vernon

This past spring semester I was afforded the opportunity to study in Bangladesh. While taking classes, I also assessed gaps in the BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program and designed a project implementation proposal on feminine hygiene issues in secondary schools. The director of BRAC WASH agreed to start implementing the project in one district of Bangladesh, which was exciting for my colleagues and I knowing that BRAC is the largest international development NGO in the world.

Interning with Amman Imman: Water is Life

Children digging in a marsh, Azawak, Niger. photo by A. Kirtley

After experiencing health and its relation to water in Bangladesh, I really wanted to learn more about water security issues in other regions of the world, particularly Africa. When I heard about Amman Imman, it really excited me because I wanted to be part of an organization that was dealing with water security issues in Africa and working with vulnerable populations. I hoped to work with a small, grassroots organization so that I could work with a small group of people all combating social injustices.

Amman Imman addresses water security issues in the Azawak region of Niger and Mali, where water accessibility is almost non-existent. Due to climate change, nomadic communities living in the region have been forced to settle, collecting water sometimes from places as far as 30 miles away. Most people, usually young girls, collect water in marshes where rain accumulates. In this region, 1 out of 2 children die before reaching their fifth birthday due to water borne diseases. The rainy season has decreased to about 1-2 months in the past few years, contributing to the scarcity of options for water accessibility. Amman Imman drills boreholes at depths between 600 and 3000 feet in order to reach the aquifer that is in the region, bringing water and a new hope to the surrounding communities.

Interning with Amman Imman, has opened my eyes to the extreme water crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa and the contextual variables of culture, economics, and social determinants. Amman Imman has helped me gain valuable skills such as advocacy, research, and passion, which are imperative in combating social injustice.

Work where no one else will, Amman Imman: Water is Life

Water and Health:

· 1.8 million people die every year of diarrheal disease

· 4.1% of the total DALY global burden of diseases is attributable to diarrheal disease

· 88% of that burden is attributable to unsafe water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WHO, 2010)

· Improving WASH in schools increases cognitive learning, attendance, and enables girls to stay in school

· WASH programs in schools creates an anchor for communities to be mobilized

Amman Imman launches "A Run For Water" Campaign!

2010-09-30T10:57:00.002-04:00


Join our Run for Water Campaign! Contact us at info@ammanimman.org Laurel organized A Run for Water in 2008 Sponsor Anya and Tammy as They Run for Water! Anya Runs to Save Lives in Memory of her Father click here to go to Anya's website Tammy Runs to Spread the Word About Wells of Love and the Azawak click here to go to Tammy's website Read about Mary’s Incredible 12 hour Run! Mary ran 60.85 miles in 12 hours for the Azawak, raising over $3,000 click here to read about Mary's Run Recruit Others to join our Run for Water Campaign! Recruit your friends and family to run, walk, bike, etc. for Amman Imman! Contact us at info@ammanimman.org

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

As students Walk for Water across the world, several of our dedicated supporters “run for water”. Our running movement began in 2006, when Laurel Lundstrom ran the Philadelphia marathon after she became “inspired to raise awareness about the plight of little girls in the Azawak who travel up to 35 miles roundtrip for water”.   In 2008, Laurel organized a “Run for Water” event in DC where runners came together and ran a 35 mile relay, representing the distance some children walk in the Azawak to find water.

This past June, Mary Ohren ran 60.85 miles in 12 hours, and raised over $3,000 to help “bring the gift of life to the wonderful people of the Azawak”.   Today, Anya Fonina and Tammy Brennan are training to run in October. They’ve already begun reaching out to sponsors, raising money and spreading the word about the Azawak! Anya has already raised $13,000 in one month toward her $20,000 goal! Go Anya's site to sponsor her. Tammy's site will be up and running soon.

Join our “Run for Water” Campaign!
As a response to this growing running trend, Amman Imman is officially launching “A Run for Water” campaign.   Please join our campaign and run in honor of the children of the Azawak. If you aren’t a runner, consider swimming, hiking, biking, roller-blading, walking or undertaking another fun activity for which you can be sponsored and raise awareness for the Azawak! We’ll be happy to help you, and create a web page from which you can spread the word, raise awareness, and obtain sponsorships. Just contact us at info@ammanimman.org.

Here’s more information on some of our Amman Imman athlete heroes!

Match Anya’s Personal $500 Contribution while She Runs in Memory of her Father!
Anya Fonina, one of my dearest friends and long-time Amman Imman supporter, is training and preparing to run the Marine Corps Marathon on October 31st, in memory of her beloved father who passed away this winter. She has chosen to use her run as a venue to help and bring attention to the Azawak. Beyond running and reaching out to sponsors, Anya has donated $500, and now challenges her supporters to match her grant whenever they can (less or more is also highly appreciated!). Anya has already raised over $13,000 toward her $20,000 goal for the Azawak!!!   Click here to learn more about Anya and watch her fundraising thermometer soar!

Tammy Runs to Raise Awareness and Inspire Parents to Support Wells of Love
Tammy Brennan, one of our devoted Montessori parent supporters, aims to raise at least $5,000 by running the Army 10 miler race in Washington DC on October 24th. Her three children, Miko, Lukas, and Alexandra, each of whom walked for water this past spring, have been her main source of inspiration: “As one of their role models, it is very important to me to teach them the importance of social responsibility and serving a greater purpose than one’s self”. Tammy hopes to “raise awareness about the water security issues facing our brothers and sisters in the Azawak, and motivate other parents to get their children’s schools involved with Amman Imman’s Wells of Love program”.   Click here to visit Tammy's page. You can help her reach her $5000 goal!

Mary Ohren Ran 60 miles in 12 hours for the Azawak!
This past June, Mary Ohren, ran 60.85 miles in 12 hours during the Lake Merritt race in Oakland, CA. She finished the top female runner, and fourth overall. But Mary did not run to win, she ran as a symbolic gesture and a way to raise funds and awareness for the families she met in the Azawak. Thanks to her run, Mary raised over $3000 for the Azawak.

Mary and I first met and became friends as Fulbright scholars in Niger in 2005: Mary as a hydro-geologist conducting work in southern Niger, and I as a public health researcher. Mary and I traveled to the Azawak together in 2007. Here are her compelling reflections: “What I witnessed on this trip, even though I had spent a year observing the water scarcity in the southern part of the country, was incredible. How is it that such a beautiful, caring, culture-rich people such as this should have to spend the majority of their days harvesting water? The few water points were overflowing not with water but with people and animals, men washing and sometimes drinking from the same dirty trough as the donkeys, who were straining and falling in their attempts to lift only a few 10’s of gallons of water at a time from a great depth. I saw girls waiting to fill their buckets, miles from their homes. Fetching water instead of having the opportunity to attend school. These children were not running and playing as children should. They just gazed absently, exhausted and thirsty. The journeys that people make to get water in this region can be 15 miles each way. It takes all day to bring a bit back for the family… I will be running (shuffling toward the end) for 12 hours straight, to honor Ariane and to raise money that will bring water, the gift of life, to the wonderful people of the Azawak.” Read more about Mary’s tremendous feat by clicking here.

Thank you Mary, Anya, Tammy, Laurel, and everyone else that has dedicated their precious energy in solidarity with the Azawak!! Your actions and footsteps have made and will continue to make an incredible difference! I hope that you will be joined by many many more!!

Sincerely yours, for the children of the Azawak!
Ariane

How Providing Water to Those in Need Builds Socioeconomic Bridges

2010-09-21T09:58:00.006-04:00

Water—so simple, yet the issues surrounding the lack of the most basic human necessity are so complex. As someone who grew up in the Western, developed world, I find it difficult to understand the very real consequences of the global shortage of potable water. Although I do understand it on a theoretical level, the tangible, human implications are still lost on me, simply because the ineffable suffering resulting from lack of water is something I can only pretend to comprehend. That being said, I feel that it behooves those of us who have never experienced true, fatal thirst to stop and reflect for a moment on some of these water issues and their importance.

In a very recent Boston Globe opinion article, the author, Janet Wu, offers a striking meditation on Boston's recent "water crisis." For approximately two and a half days, about 2 million residents of the city were forced to boil water because a water pipe had unexpectedly broken. In the article, Wu discusses the lessons learned from an experience that was, at its worst, only an inconvenience. She describes the out-and-out hysteria that was felt throughout the city. And she rightly concludes that we, especially in America, are spoiled. She writes, "How lucky we are that even our back-up water supply is clean enough that boiling makes it safe to drink. Think about the rest of the world and think twice about complaining."

Now of course, it is not my intention to spew hackneyed anti-American rhetoric. This is not the case at all. I endeavor only to understand why we in the First World are so far removed from the Third World's problems. And the reason, as can be seen from Boston's "water crisis," is as simple as the chemical composition of water itself. When we are surrounded consistently by all the basic human needs to sustain a healthy life, we automatically assume that our reality must be a reality for everyone else. We cannot fathom suffering because we are not exposed to it. The final problem is thus a matter of exposure.

And so, when I learn about organizations like Amman Imman, I see the solution to the seemingly irreconcilable disconnect between the developed and developing world. When those of us who have proactively inserted ourselves into a life we can only otherwise imagine in a rather distant way, it is only then that we begin to understand the world's dire problems realistically. Organizations—composed of individual people-- that accomplish tangible goals for those in need are, for one, materially relieving human suffering. But more than that, Amman Imman and similar global initiatives that target specific problems in specific areas are bridging the gap between two completely different worlds. And that is certainly something to celebrate.

This guest post is contributed by Mariana Ashley, who writes on the topics of online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: mariana.ashley031@gmail.com

How Students have Saved Lives: One Step, Dribble, Hoola-hoop and Jump Rope at a Time

2010-09-16T15:41:00.000-04:00

Click here to watch this short video!

Take Action to Save Lives by Joining our Heroes of Compassion!
Become a Hero of Compassion! Rally your school to join the Amman Imman Crusade!

click here to fill out our online registration form

write to debbie@ammanimman.org for more information

Match the money raised by a Wells of Love School. Challenge a school to raise funds and match your pledged donation.

click here to see a list of schools you can support

Support Anya as she runs to save lives in memory of her father!
October 31, 2010: Anya runs for water in the Marine Corps Marathon

click here to go to Anya's website

A student at Hershey Montessori walks for water, 2010.

A Walk for Water, Salmonberry School, Orcas Island, 2007.

A Walk for Water, Lake Frank, Maryland, 2010.

Boyd School students, A Walk for Water, 2010.

Students practice for their Amman-a-thon.

Crafts for sale, made by students, for their Well of Love.

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

In my last installment, I thanked our powerful Heroes of Compassion for their dedicated efforts toward building the Kijigari Well of Love. Today, I want to tell you how they accomplished this amazing humanitarian feat. I will describe our most successful annual fundraising events, which include our Walks for Water and Amman-a-thons, as well as other activities taken on by individual schools. And near the end, I will also share with you some inspiring stories from some of our youngest Heroes of Compassion.

A Walk for Water
This May, I had the honor and privilege of joining two A Walk for Water events for the first time since they began in 2007. The first I attended was organized by the Boyd school in Northern Virginia, where 100 students from all seven campuses came together in solidarity for the Azawak (in the meantime, 500 younger students were busy raising money through their Amman-a-thon event). I also took part in the 4^th annual Lake Frank Walk, which united six schools and several local organizations all sharing one goal: to honor and help the children of the Azawak.

As I walked alongside students and parents, I realized how significant this simple symbolic gesture of hope was to the students as they empathized with their friends in Africa. While some students complained of the heat and humidity, others reminded them that the children in the Azawak walk over 30 miles a day in 120 degree heat. One small student proclaimed, “With every step we take here, we are one step closer to building our well of love.” And one parent poetically compared her steps with flowers in Spring: “With every step we take, life is sprouting from our feet.” It was riveting to witness the compassion and empowerment emanating from the students as they walked to help people that no one had even heard about five years ago. They knew that they were saving lives and bringing hope to friends they had not met, but for whom they felt deep love and understanding… people that had otherwise been forgotten by the world.

For those of you unfamiliar with A Walk for Water, it is a community-building sponsorship event, which has been held in such diverse locations as the city streets of Wellington, New Zealand, a school ball field in New Jersey, Orcas Island in Washington State, on a rural Ohio farm school, on a wooded path around a lake in Maryland, and in a park in Virginia. This walk is usually just a few miles, but it symbolizes the 30-miles that children in the Azawak travel every day in search for water. Students participating in the walk ask for sponsorships from friends, family, neighbors, and even local companies to raise money for building Wells of Love. Since 2007, we have raised over $50,000 from our annual Walks that take place across the world.

Amman-a-thons
Amman-a-thons are skill-building events that combine athleticism and philanthropy. Students are sponsored for each hoola hoop, basket ball dribble, jumping jack, jump rope, etc. that they do. Amman-a-thon events began at the Oneness-Family School in Maryland, where an average of 30 first- through third-graders, ages six to nine, have continued to participate each year. Schools across the nation have adopted these Amman-a-thons including the Boyd School, Five Oaks Academy and Cornerspring Montessori. These events are particularly well adapted for our youngest Heroes of Compassion, as they can raise awareness and funds right on the school grounds while having a bundle of fun.

This May, I witnessed the six to nine year old students at the Oneness-Family School jump rope, hoola hoop, and dribble for their friends in the Azawak. They took their Amman-a-thon very seriously, and even dedicated many practice days to prepare. In past years, they had already astonished their sponsors by doing many more hoops and jumps than expected and they wanted to beat their past records this year. Amman-a-thons have raised over $17,000 since they began in 2008.

Other fun and creative awareness and fund raising events
Students at Yale University held a benefit concert and created a male beauty pageant, paralleling the traditional Guerwul festivals of the Fulani people of the Azawak. Other schools participated in A Month without Water, during which families contributed a month’s amount of their water bill. Yet another school held a student-written one-act play festival fundraiser. Some Heroes of Compassion began a student-run soap making company, of which a portion of the profits went to Amman Imman. Several schools have created gala and auction fundraising events. Girl Scout troops have held bake sales. A few schools have raised money, and obtained matching grants from local Rotary Clubs. Still other Wells of Love schools have participated in our annual Hand in Hand campaign, where they have made crafts to sell to raise money.

Compassion Inspires Children of all Ages
As iterated by the Director of Salmonberry School, “Teachers and parents often underestimate children… when actually they are capable of such deep understanding and such wisdom and compassion.” Upon learning about the plight of the children in the Azawak, one six year old echoed these thoughts, explaining to his parents that he needed to design a system of roads to better transport the diesel and materials for digging the boreholes. Another seven year old drew plans for a robot that could dig our boreholes without the need for expensive equipment! A five year old begged his dad for a very big box. When his dad finally inquired, “Why do you need this box?” he replied that he was going to pack up bottles of water to send to Niger and that they would need the box to return the empty bottles so that he could refill them and send more! Yet another five year old boy smiled for the first time in school after hearing the story of the Azawak, knowing he could make a difference. He went home and sold rosemary to his neighbors, raising over $100 in just one day for his newfound friends.

These combined efforts of each and every of our inspired and devoted Heroes of Compassion have resulted in a beautiful Well of Love in the village of Kijigari. Every single child’s persistence and determination helped place each mud brick, faucet, and tube on our borehole infrastructure. Thank you, Heroes of Compassion, for being powerful and saving lives! Thank you for joining hand in hand with children and students across the world, and for continuously being my greatest source of inspiration!

Yours for the Children of the Azawak,
Ariane

Super Heroes of Compassion raise over $100,000 to build Kijigari’s Montessori Well of Love

2010-08-20T13:53:00.007-04:00

Kijigari Montessori Well of Love, 2010

Take Action to Save Lives by Joining our Heroes of Compassion!
Become a Hero of Compassion! Rally your school to join the Amman Imman Crusade!

   write to debbie@ammanimman.org for more information

Match the money raised by a Wells of Love School. Challenge a school to raise funds and match your pledged donation.
    click here to see a list of schools you can support
Support Anya as she runs to save lives in memory of her father!

October 31, 2010: Anya runs for water in the Marine Corps Marathon

    click here to go to Anya's website

Five Oaks Academy, 2010

“Water is here, water is there;

If you can’t reach it, I will reach it for you.

If you can’t seek it, I will seek it for you.

At last the water you’ve been trying to get is here for you.”

Seventh grade Hero of Compassion, Ayisha

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

This installment, as well as the next I’ll be sending is dedicated to the amazing students across the world that have raised over $100,000 since 2006 to bring water to their thirsty friends in the Azawak. These students, moved to join our Wells of Love program through love, compassion, and a deep understanding for humanity, are saving lives among the world’s most vulnerable. David, a dedicated eighth-grade Hero of Compassion iterates, “You may work a mile, and you can have life, or walk a mile and give life.” This simple yet intrinsically powerful phrase encompasses the philosophy that motivates our Heroes of Compassion.

With our Wells of Love program that heralds our army of Heroes to action, Amman Imman does more than simply raise money for the Azawak. As Debbie, Wells of Love Director says, “The potential here is greater than raising money. We are raising kids. We are raising kids to understand that their effort impacts the world, that what they do, even if they can do only a little, goes a long way… But it doesn't end there...we are also giving a chance for children in the Azawak to reach their potential, and their dreams.”

What is a Hero of Compassion?
Eighth grader, Sebastian, defines himself and fellow students "Kind of like a super hero, super heroes use their super human strength to save the lives of ordinary people. Heroes of Compassion give their best to help people, and by helping they discover their own super power."

Today, our Heroes of Compassion, by successfully building their Montessori Well of Love in the village of Kijigari, have proven that children of all ages can make the seemingly impossible real when they unite their compassion and ideals with action.

Who are our Heroes of Compassion?
With over 60 schools partnering with Amman Imman over the last four years, Amman Imman’s Wells of Love program has developed an army of Heroes of Compassion across the world. Upon hearing about the thirsty yet beautiful children of the Azawak, students across North America, the Caribbean, Europe and Oceania have raised awareness and funds for their friends in Africa. With thousands and thousands of students uniting hand in hand to bring water, hope and life to the Azawak, I wouldn’t even know how to begin recognizing and thanking each and every one of them individually as they should be. Please visit our schools’ blog here to read about all our Wells of Love schools and read the inspiring stories of the students, parents, teachers, and administrators that have provided an invaluable contribution and made a significant impact in the Azawak.

A Few Examples of Wells of Love Schools
In many schools, Amman Imman has been an integral part of the school culture since 2006. The most obvious example is the Oneness-Family School. As spear header of the Wells of Love movement, it was the first Montessori school to make a long-lasting commitment as Amman Imman’s partner.   Still today, Oneness holds year-round Amman Imman activities; from the craft making Hand in Hand project in the Fall to Amman-a-thons and A Walk for Water in the spring. Oneness Heroes of Compassion have raised over $20,000 since they joined the Amman Imman crusade. Far from being alone, Oneness has been joined by the Boyd, Barrie, Hershey, and Aidan Montessori Schools that have also chosen to make Amman Imman an essential component of their school curriculum over the past couple of years.   The united efforts of these Wells of Love schools have raised over $40,000.

Small schools like the Montessori School of Maryknoll, have also been a key component of the Wells of Love movement. Involved since 2007, these young students have consistently raised a couple of hundred dollars through their bake and plant sales. Schools like Palm Harbor Montessori, also involved since 2007 have raised $3,700 in just a month by collecting change in water bottles.   This year again they have committed to collecting change for Amman Imman over the entire school year.

Click here to see the list of all the schools who have helped!

Some of the Most Committed Began through the Passion of One Individual
Some of our most committed schools have partnered with Amman Imman thanks to the passionate initiation of one student. For example, Cornerspring Montessori first enlisted as a Wells of Love school thanks to eight-year old Odin who shared the story of the Azawak after viewing our “Water Scarcity in the Azawak” video on the internet. Dedicated Hero of Compassion, Sophie, rallied the Madeira School to join this year’s Walk for Water at Lake Frank. East Catholic High School raised close to $15,000 after high school student, Gabby, presented the plight of the people of the Azawak to her classmates.

And then of course, there have been schools that have raised thousands of dollars thanks to the initiation of one committed parent or teacher.   Teacher Bonnie from Five Oaks Academy rallied her entire school to conduct fundraisers year round, and with an Amman-a-thon as a finale, raised over $4,000 in just one year from her small school. Rodney has been leading the Boyd School’s seven campuses to conduct yearly Walks for Water. Sara, Bob and Cathy at the Barrie School have supported a myriad of student fundraising activities from bake sales to Walk for Waters to sports competitions, raising over $10,000 since 2007. Parent Elicia brought the Montessori School of Louisville together to contribute $5,000 of the school’s auction to Amman Imman. Dedicated teachers like Nicole and Christine have taken Amman Imman to their new schools, Sunset Hills Montessori and Scattergood Friends School. They have already started cultivating an entire new crop of Heroes of Compassion.     These are only a few examples of many whom singlehandedly roused the compassion and help of entire school communities.

Stay tuned for my next installment where I will tell you more how our Heroes of Compassion have raised over $100,000 in just a couple of years.

Yours for the children of the Azawak,
Ariane

For a list of schools that you can support, click here.

How the Kijigari Community Contributed to Building their Well of Love

2010-08-06T22:02:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak

I apologize in advance, because I have decided to postpone our entry about our Heroes of Compassion until next week. This week, I will follow up on last week’s installment to explain to you how the Kijigari community helped build their Montessori Well of Love. Having successful stewardship of a borehole is not simply about managing it properly once it has been built; it is also about contributing to building and establishing the borehole within the community as the borehole is being constructed.

What did Kijigari contribute toward the construction of their Montessori Well of Love?
The villagers of Kijigari contributed close to $1000, over 50

men in manpower for two month’s time, and built over 4,000 clay bricks with local sand and gravel. With these resources, they constructed an adobe shelter for the borehole’s engine, as well as a 40 meter long and 8 meter wide wall that surrounds the borehole. The wall protects the borehole from possible damage that animals and villagers could cause. It also keeps the area around the borehole clean. Eventually, the women plan on growing a vegetable garden within the wall parameters. Men also provided labor to the hired construction companies, in order to reduce our overall construction costs.

How did the villagers come up with their contribution?

As I alluded to last week, Kijigari is an amazingly well organized village. The village itself is separated into 6 quarters, or neighborhoods, if you will. In order to decide how the village would come up with its contribution, all the villagers gathered in community meetings for several nights in a row. They decided that each neighborhood would donate an equal amount of money, bricks, and manpower for labor. Then the women and men of each neighborhood divided their contribution equally, where the women gave a certain number of bricks and money, and the men gave equal amounts. However, only men contributed labor as the tasks necessary required a great deal of physical strength.

Why is a Village Contribution Important for the Sustainability of a borehole?

To some of you, it may seem odd to request a village contribution when you know that the people of the Azawak have so little. What possibly might they have to help build their borehole? The simple answer is that they can and did do a lot. Having the villagers participate is crucial for ascertaining the longevity of their borehole. Contributing their own precious resources helped them understand the worth of their infrastructure, above and beyond its life giving ability through water. The villagers’ sacrifice gave their borehole added value and esteem. It also gave the community a great sense of pride, as they knew that they had made a precious personal investment in their infrastructure.

Stay tuned to read our weekly summer installments on the Kijigari Well of Love! I look forward to sharing with you the amazing stories of our Heroes of Compassion next week!

Sincerely yours, for the children of the Azawak,

Ariane

A Management Committee for Longevity and Sustainability

2010-07-29T07:49:00.001-04:00

Please contribute to Kijigari's community empowerment by supporting Amman Imman's life-giving work in the Azawak!

Here's what you can do:

Click here to give your personal donation today.
Empower students by matching funds raised by a Wells of Love school event. Contact Debra Kahn, debbie@ammanimman.org.
Help get our Wells of Love program into schools in your community.
Run, bike, swim, climb, or do your own creative event for water today, and raise funds for Amman Imman. Read about Mary’s 12 hour run here.
Forward this message to a friend and ask them to subscribe and contribute!

Dear Friends of the Azawak,
Many people have asked me how long a borehole can last. This answer is entirely dependent on how well the borehole is managed. In fact, establishing the proper stewardship and management of the borehole over the long run is arguably one the most challenging and rewarding components of our work. It is also one of our top priorities.

Depending on how well a borehole is managed, it can last anywhere from a century or more, to just a couple of years. To help ascertain the longevity of the Kijigari borehole, Amman Imman helped establish a Water Resource Management Committee (WRMC) of responsible and trained Kijigari citizens. These individuals were elected democratically by the villagers, but were first chosen based on established criteria.

Electing Committee Members
Denis (our Niger Program Director), Moumine (our Operations Coordinator in Niger), and Abdoulkarim of the Department of Hydraulics first held a meeting where all the men and women of Kijigari were invited to participate. During this meeting, they outlined the characteristics and criteria for each management committee member. The most important was the trustworthiness of all, and that the officers had to have literacy training. They also insisted on the active involvement of women.
In Kijigari, our task was simplified thanks to the fact that villagers are already well organized and accustomed to managing things in their village. The women have been managing their garden cooperative, grain banks and sewing cooperative for years. The men have great experience managing the school, market and business cooperatives. Many of the adults have already received literacy training and have a basic understanding for writing and counting.

After this initial meeting, all the villagers gathered for several nights in a row to reach a consensus about who they would choose as committee members. Kijigari is divided into 7 quarters. While choosing the members of the committee, village leaders made sure that at least two individuals were represented from each quarter in order to promote equal representation and avoid jealousy.

Committee Members and their Roles
The management committee is composed of the following members:

President – Adam, the former school director, was chosen for this role. He has long been respected as a wise village elder. Even before he was elected, he had a vision how to use the money raised by the borehole wisely. The money could be divided into three different banks, so to speak. One bank would be used to properly manage, take care, improve and repair the Kijigari borehole; the second would be used for developing and improving the village; and the third would be used to one day help pay the construction of a borehole in another village. We hope that his dream becomes reality!
Secretary – Ibrahim, the man elected for this position, will take notes during committee meetings, and will represent the president when he cannot be present at a meeting
Treasurer – Halima, the woman elected for this position, would be responsible for gathering the funds raised during the day every night, counting and keeping track of the money, and taking it to the bank in Tahoua once a month.
Fountain “Keepers” – These are the eight women in charge of the four water fountains. They serve the water and collect the money from water fetchers. They also keep the fountains clean.
Trough “Keepers” – These are the four men responsible for selling the water at the troughs. They count the animals, and sell the water according to the number of animals. Both the trough and fountain keepers take their collection of money to the treasurer at the end of each day, after having first made a report to the president.
The mechanics – Two men were chosen to run the engine, conduct its regular maintenance; and ascertain that there is a continual flow of water in the water tower.
Watchdogs – There are eight watchdogs – three of which are women – that are not active members of the committee, but serve to make sure the committee functions properly. They make certain that the funds are being managed properly and also serve as liaison between committee members and the population.

Training the Committee
Once the committee members were elected, they took part in a series of training sessions. Additional training sessions will be held throughout the year.

Our local team, with the participation of the Department of Hydraulics, conducted two days of intensive training for the officers. This training session focused primarily on proper financial management and record keeping. Our local team then stayed an additional three weeks to follow up with this initial training session, and perform direct training with the fountain and trough “keepers”, also in financial management, and also in hygiene and sanitation. The mechanics underwent two months of intensive mechanical training with a specialist from the borehole construction company, in order to understand the basics of maintenance and mechanics.

Our local team continues to conduct follow-up training and visits twice a month, and Abdoulkarim from the Department of Hydraulics, will conduct visits every one and a half months. These visits will not only serve to do additional training, but will also help evaluate the efficacy of the WRMC, and help advise changes if deemed necessary.

Successful WRMC So Far
In the little time that the borehole has been operational, activities have been going well. The committee has raised over $1,000 through selling water to villagers and visitors from other camps and villages. After the first month, the committee voted to pay the fountain and trough keepers, as well as the mechanics. They work all day under the beating sun, and deserved some compensation. 10% of the money raised through selling water is distributed equally between the committee workers as pay.
The watchdogs conducted a two-day study to test the functioning of the committee. They sat with the trough and fountain keepers, and observed how money was collected. They examined the accounts, to make sure that money had not been misused. And they conducted interviews with the populations to analyze their appreciation of the borehole. They shared the issues that water fetchers had brought up, in order to find solutions and improve how things have been run so far.

Our local team and Abdoulkarim have already conducted additional training, and have already helped make some changes to improve the operations of the WRMC.

We don’t expect things to run perfectly this year. However, the WRMC as well as the villagers are highly motivated to take care of their borehole. They dream that their Well of Love will provide life giving water for generations to come.

Stay tuned next week to learn about our Heroes of Compassion and how they helped build the Kijigari Montessori Well of Love.

Yours for the Azawak,
Ariane

Kijigari's Running Faucets Bring Jubilance, Pride, Relief and Responsibility

2010-07-22T23:45:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Please help us raise the 16K we still owe to the construction company, and begin raising funds for a new life-giving borehole. We need your support, and here’s what you can do:

Click here to give your personal donation today.
Empower students by matching funds raised by a Wells of Love school event. Contact Debra Kahn, debbie@ammanimman.org.
Help get our Wells of Love program into schools in your community.
Run, bike, swim, climb, or do your own creative event for water today, and raise funds for Amman Imman. Read about Mary’s 12 hour run here.

Forward this message to a friend and ask them to subscribe and contribute!

The Kijigari borehole tale continues as the Montessori Well of Love begins to operate. If you missed the first installment, you can read it here. Read below how you too can help provide the gift of life.

On the day the new water faucets opened in Kijigari, all the villagers stood, waiting impatiently carrying as many jerry cans as they could manage – tied to their waist and balanced on their heads, and more hooked onto their donkeys. With a little gurgle and then a swoosh, the first faucets came to life, purging their pipes of the life giving liquid. Whistles of jubilance bellowed through the crowd.

Children, adults, and even the livestock drank and washed in the pure and plentiful water. Families from neighboring communities rode in on donkey carts to fill their numerous empty household jugs. Hope emanated from their eyes as they brushed off spider webs and layers of dust from their containers – proof of the long months that they had sat empty. They too knew they would no longer face the daily fear of thirst.

Later in the day, Kijigari school children gathered around their beautiful water tower to celebrate their new gift. In front of all the village members, they read to us their letter of gratitude. They then danced and sang a song that they had written and choreographed for the Amman Imman team. Click here or the video box on the right to get a glimpse of this amazing scene of celebration.

The people of Kijigari and the surrounding communities have received a beautiful gift of life – their Montessori Well of Love. Their awe and pride has now been replaced by a great sense of responsibility. They realize that they have the power to cherish or waste their superb treasure. Amman Imman will work hand in hand with them to create the foundation for proper management so that their borehole may provide water for generations to come. Next week, I will describe to you how the management committee was elected, and how they have been running the borehole since it opened.

Yours for the Children of the Azawak,

Ariane

Construction is finished! Water Flows from the Kijigari Well of Love!

2010-07-15T22:02:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

This Spring our Heroes of Compassion in the USA and France proved mightier than a world recession, and more determined than the plight of hunger and drought facing the Sahel. As students dutifully walked, dribbled basket balls, hoola-hooped, jumped rope, and jumping jacked in A Walk for Water and Amman-a-thon events, our team in Niger launched the construction of the water tower, faucets, and troughs in Kijigari. With this year’s drought in Niger proving more devastating than previous years, and families relying on eating dirt to fill empty bellies, the gift of water, hope, and life arrived in the nick of time for the Kijigari community.

Every step, dribble, and jump established the foundation for a new brick or piece of equipment, as slowly the long awaited structure of life rose above the parched marsh and thorn-covered acacia trees, ready to bear life giving water. By the end of June, the miraculous day happened when newly elected Zalika, of the Kijigari Water Management Committee proudly opened the first operational water faucet.

As quoted by Adam, the president of the Water Management Committee: “Amman Imman and Heroes of Compassion worldwide made the unbelievable real”. Student’s untiring efforts worked magic, as they raised over $22,000 in just a few months tobuild their Montessori Well of Love.

Since January, contributions from people like you, our dedicated supporters of the Azawak, along with the fundraising efforts of Heroes Compassion, have reached $38,000. However, Amman Imman must still raise $16,000 to pay the remaining fee for construction. Please click here to donate today and help us finish paying for the Kijigari Well of Love.

Stay posted for a series of weekly installments to read about the fascinating and moving Kijigari borehole tale. I will share with you the moments of exuberance experienced by the Kijigari community when they first witnessed water flowing in their village. I will tell you how we successfully raised thousands of dollars thanks to our Heroes of Compassion and other dedicated supporters. You will learn how Denis and Moumine oversaw the borehole construction, and participated in electing the members of the Kijigari Water Management Committee. I will also give you an update on Tangarwashane, and how the borehole continues to change the community’s life three years later. And finally, I will share with you our plans for the future and our vision for creating oases of life throughout the Azawak.

Please share our story by forwarding this newsletter to your friends and family!

Sincerely yours for the children of the Azawak,

Ariane

Contribute to Amman Imman! Contact us for more information at info@ammanimman.org!

Click here to give your personal donation today.
Empower students by matching the amount raised by one of our Wells of Love Schools. Contact Debra Kahn, debbie@ammanimman.org, for more information.
Join our Heroes of Compassion by running for water in a marathon or race. Read about Mary’s Run here.
Obtain the support of your community, coworkers, companies, family and/or friends. Forward this message to a friend and ask them to subscribe and contribute!
Host an Amman Imman fundraiser in your home or community.

Five Oaks Academy: A Compassionate Community of Givers

2010-06-15T13:11:00.000-04:00

We recently received a donation totaling $4308.65 from Five Oaks Academy in Simpsonville, South Carolina. The dollars raised symbolizes the tremendous spirit of these 42 students, their passionate teacher and their generous community of givers. Throughout the school year in various fundraisers some sponsored by the Wells of Love program, the students raised $614.50. In May, 41 students took part in an Amman-a-thon raising $3,694.60 by turning cartwheels, jumping rope, dribbling a basketball and engaging in other athletic activities. Teacher Bonnie Benthall sent us this letter:

Dear Debbie and Ariane,
It is with great pleasure and a happy heart that I send this donation to you today. I'm extremely proud of my students and all their efforts. They have worked so hard for this wonderful cause. All year long the students have been passionate about helping Amman Imman.

We have sold water at carlines and festivals. Each student made crafts to sell at Christmas time for the Hand-in-Hand campaign, and all but one student was able to participate in our Amman-a-thon. Additionally, many of our students were so moved by this cause that they decided to raise money at home by selling soaps door to door, setting up a road side fruit stand, selling drawings, and selling candy. Other students donated allowances with parent matching their amount. Many students are part of a local girl scout troop, which graciously donated part of their girl scout cooking money to Amman Imman.

The generosity of our students and parents continue daily.

Our school has participated in many other fundraising events, but no other organization or cause has created this large an impact on our students. I speak for all staff members at Five Oaks Academy in saying, Amman Imman and the efforts on behalf of Amman Imman have inspired our students to understand the true importance of philanthropic giving and helping others less fortunate.

I feel blessed to be a part of such a remarkable cause. Thank you both for your support and efforts.

In Peace and Love,

Bonnie Benthall and Five Oaks Academy

Thank you, Bonnie, for being a beacon of light

for your students and the children of the Azawak.

You are an inspiration to teachers everywhere

who want to teach their students

what it means to give and take action.

Here are some photos from the Five Oaks Amman-a-thon through which the students engaged their philanthropic spirit, improved their athletic abilities, and employed their math skills while raising funds.

Boyd School Students Making A Difference

2010-06-15T01:51:00.001-04:00

Over 600 students at the seven Boyd School campuses in Chantilly, Virginia took action to save lives in the Azawak of West Africa this spring. Upper Elementary students in first grade through middle school, led by teacher Rodney Berthold and his middle school class, participated in A Walk for Water at a local park, while the younger students, ages 2 through 6, held Amman-a-thons at their schools.

This is the third year that Boyd School students have worked alongside Amman Imman: Water is Life to raise funds. This year, I had the pleasure of presenting Amman Imman at many of the campuses. With the support of their teachers, parents, friends and neighbors, the students raised over $4,000.

Ariane Kirtley joined the Walk and spoke with the students before they started:

Some photos from Boyd School A Walk for Water

These Middle School students led the fundraising drive at their school.

About 100 upper elementary and middle school students took part in A Walk for Water.

We thank these

Heroes of Compassion

for walking to make a difference!

Five Oaks Academy: Multiplying Promises into Dollars for Water

2010-06-08T17:41:00.002-04:00

A recent letter from Bonnie Benthall, teacher at Five Oaks Academy in Simpsonville, South Carolina shares a little about her community's response and experience during their Amman-a-thon fundraising drive. The Amman-a-thon ties together athletics, math and philanthropy, providing students with a first-hand experience of how practice adds up to something concrete and powerful.

Dear Debbie and Ariane,

In the next few days you will be receiving our donation for Amman Imman totaling $4,308.65! I am so proud of our students!

This has been a wonderful journey for our students and I know that they will never forget the experiences they have had fund-raising for Amman Imman this year. The commitment from all of our students and parents has been amazing.

Our Amman-a-thon was such a success. Many of our parents/family members underestimated how athletic their children were, pledging $1 or even $3. One grandmother pledged $3 each time her granddaughter did a back walkover and each time she did a cartwheel in 5 minutes. Her total came to $549!

I quickly called this child's mom to see if grandmother wanted to change her pledge. The mother called the grandmother and the grandmother said that she did not want to change her pledge amount. She said $3 so she is going to pay $3 per repetition. She said she "does not want to disappoint that little girl".

Look out for our package!! Have a wonderful day!!

In Love and Peace,
Bonnie

365 Days: Giving to What Gives

2010-05-26T23:42:00.002-04:00

Betty Lonegan is giving money away, $100 a day for an entire year to causes, people and organizations that inspire her, and writing about them in her blog. She's not independently wealthy, she's not frivolous, she's not crazy. Rather she's decided that "putting her money where her mouth is" is something she can do. She's taken her own advice (based on one of the quotes on her blog):

“To do good, you actually have to DO something.” Yvon Chouinard

She hopes people will join her in giving to these worthy endeavors that she has stamped on What Gives 365. Think about it, by the end of the year she will have given away $36,500! More than that, each cause will become part of the legacy of her year of giving. In the end, what gives, is what gets.

Today, May 26, she wrote about Amman Imman. Betty is a wonderful writer! Please read her post, and make a comment on Dying of Thirst; Drilling for Life, and choose to give.

The Friendship Caravan announces Amman Imman’s transition to become a 501(c)3

2010-04-07T02:11:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

As things move forward preparing to build the Kijigari infrastructure here in Niger, exciting news also comes from the United States. The Friendship Caravan and Amman Imman: Water is Life are proud to share our new organizational developments. Since February 2006, Amman Imman has been operating as the humanitarian program of the 501c3, The Friendship Caravan. Under the tremendous leadership of its originating organization, Amman Imman grew and greatly expanded to the point of establishing flourishing operations in America and in Niger. Thanks to this success, Amman Imman has developed the strong foundation necessary to launch itself as an independent organization and is currently applying for 501c3 status. Amman Imman: Water is Life and the Friendship Caravan will continue to collaborate to bring water and hope to the populations of the Azawak. Among the first things they have done together is the drilling of the Montessori Well of Love in the village of Kijigari.

Under the direction of the Friendship Caravan, Amman Imman accomplished remarkable endeavors for the people of the Azawak over the past four years. In Niger, it constructed a water bearing borehole for 25,000 people and animals in the village of Tangarwashane, and has now drilled the borehole of Kijigari. It was also a crucial part of getting the borehole of Tchinwagari built.   The program has also ascertained the proper management of these boreholes.   As a program of the Friendship Caravan, Amman Imman has determined the location of future boreholes and operations through various studies, and has worked closely with partner organizations in Niger to provide other forms of direly needed assistance, such as education, health, food, and environmental protection.

In the United States, the Friendship Caravan established Amman Imman’s administrative, fundraising, and awareness raising structure.   Amman Imman has an office and a small staff, as well as a blossoming service learning program entitled Wells of Love.   Indeed, thanks to the Friendship Caravan’s support, Amman Imman has developed a large network of schools around the world supporting the Azawak, with an army of loving and passionate students coined Heroes of Compassion.

The Friendship Caravan also brought a great deal of notoriety for Amman Imman by garnering international media attention ranging from Newsweek to Africa International, interviews including celebrities such as Montel Williams and Jack Rice, as well as the invaluable endorsement of renowned humanitarian activist and actress, Mia Farrow.

Thanks to the Friendship Caravan, Amman Imman developed a Board of Advisors of well known and respected individuals. Friendship Caravan president Michael Kirtley will personally continue to serve the people of the Azawak as Amman Imman’s Honorary President, and Chairman of the Board of Advisors.

Please join us in celebrating Amman Imman’s transition from program to organization, as well as thanking and honoring the Friendship Caravan for providing Amman Imman with a powerful foundation.

Yours for the Children of the Azawak,

Ariane

Donate to Amman Imman: Water is Life

World Water Day: Bring Hope to a Land without Water

2010-03-25T23:14:00.002-04:00

With World Water Day being celebrated this week, the world has acknowledged the millions of people across the globe struggling to survive a growing water crisis. In the Azawak of West Africa, half a million people live with the daily fear of dying of thirst. In this vast region the size of Florida, young children travel as far as 30 miles round-trip looking for water. The little mud they gather is hardly enough to offer even a glass of the liquid to each of their family members. For this reason, one out of two children die before they reach age five, most from dehydration.

Ariane Kirtley, a Yale University graduate, came upon this region in 2005 while conducting public health research as a Fulbright scholar. At this time, she met families that had spent up to eight years digging wells over 300 feet deep, without ever reaching a drop of water. She interviewed mothers that begged, “Please help bring us water. Our children are dying of thirst”. What impressed Ariane even more than the dire living conditions was the fact that no other organization worked to help bring year-round sustainable sources of water to the land. As an answer to the populations’ plea, she founded Amman Imman: Water is Life to drill borehole wells that each provide sustainable, abundant, and pure water for up to 25,000 people and animals.

In February 2010, Amman Imman: Water is Life drilled its most recent borehole – the Montessori Well of Love, financed by Montessori students worldwide -- in the village of Kijigari, home to over 6,000 people. Each well drilled is an adventure of hope and inspiration. Ariane invites you to join Amman Imman and students worldwide in the Kijigari adventure as she recounts the drilling tale, and requests help to finish the borehole by May. In order to build the infrastructure that will bring the water to the surface Amman Imman must still raise $50,000.

Building a Well of Love, by Ariane Kirtley

A Convoy of Hope Leaves from Niamey
Our convoy of five rigs, equipped with drills, tubes, and all kinds of impressive machinery traveled two days from Niamey to Tahoua, then through Abalak. As the convoy barreled into Kijigari, we were generously welcomed by curious children, passers-by, and community leaders praying that construction happen safely. The rest of the day was devoted to setting up the machinery and equipment.

Songs of Thanks as Drilling Begins
At 5 AM the next morning, the construction site glowed from miles away while temporary light structures lit the otherwise dark and barren landscape. Villagers of all ages sat in anticipation while 9 meter drilling tubes were loaded onto the drill bit. Then, whoosh, drilling began. Silt and mud churned out, as the machine drilled deeper and deeper. As the dawn of the day brought the 110 degree sun to shine on Kijigari, village children crowded in glee around the drilling site. Young girls danced and sang songs giving thanks that their long trips in search for water would end, as water would soon flow in their home. The children’s exaltation was coupled late afternoon when sediment samples proved the presence of water. 590 feet deep into the ground, initial drilling ended.

Blowing Air to Clean 590 Feet Deep
Now came time to blow heavy bouts of air into the hole in order to clean it out of sediment and dirt that had fallen in during the drilling. Mud, that eventually became clearer and clearer, shot out of the borehole. As water continued spewing out into the night, one construction worker took a “shower” in the downpour for the first time in several days. Only the next day did the water come out potable.

Finally…. water for everyone
The “blowing out” procedure was followed by the pump trials, which show how much water can be pumped out of the borehole without the water level plummeting. After six hours of constant pumping, the water level hardly budged, indicating that the aquifer is bountiful. We invited villagers to fill up all their water containers and jerry cans during this process. Once the pump trials began, nomads and villagers from far and near came to fill as many containers as they could handle. Donkeys pulled wagons covered with ten or more jerry cans and barrels. Men, women and children carried up to five jerry cans, and waited patiently their turn. Women did their laundry, and children bathed in the runoff. A group of four young girls washed their hair. More children sang and danced, this time jumping in the puddles formed by the water. Even the animals drank to their heart’s content. The next day, people still traveled to the borehole hoping to fetch water, only to be turned away….

Capping the Borehole
After seven hours of joy and hope in gathering water, the pumping trials, although successful, had ended. One single construction team member stood packing sand around a capped tube sticking out of the ground, the only proof of the borehole accessing water 590 feet below. A few men and children watched as he placed a lock on the tube, and handed the keys to the village chief. Who could have guessed that over the past many days, banging machinery had replaced the pounding of millet, camel yelps, and blowing wind? All impatiently await for the capped borehole to be equipped with a pump, water tower, faucets and troughs so that the water can flow abundantly for children and adults alike.

Joy Turns to Anxious Anticipation
The dry season has already hit the land, and Kijigari villagers have gone back to traveling 20 to 30 miles a day in 120 degree heat looking for water. Yet water lies 590 feet at the bottom of a deep pipe installed right in their village. Every day we get messages from the villagers asking when we will be able to bring the water to the surface. They are counting the time, not in months or days, but in seconds and minutes. The lives of their children lie in our hands.

Pure and permanent water in Kijigari is only $50,000 away. Please be a part of fulfilling the mothers' wishes, and help raise $50,000 to bring clean and plentiful water to their thirsty children by May. Over the next two months we intend to build the water tower, pump, faucets and animal troughs - before the height of the dry season - BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Here's what you can do to join us and our student partners and help make water flow in Kijigari by May:
• Become an Individual or Corporate Sponsor and offer to match the funds raised by a school. Contact info@ammanimman.org to find out how.
• Join an already planned Walk for Water event and raise funds by finding sponsors. Register here at www.active.com/donate/awalkforwater as events are added.
• Plan your own official A Walk For Water or Amman-a-thon Earth Day event in your community. Step-by-step guides are available. Visit www.ammanimman.org/walk to sign up.
• Donate directly and/or Help in your own creative and compassionate way.

photos by Denis Gontero

Water is Life: African Nomads on the Brink

2010-03-22T13:11:00.004-04:00

The Bing Stanford in Washington Art Gallery Presents

Water is Life: African Nomads on the Brink

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Bing Stanford in Washington Art Gallery is proud to host Water is Life: African Nomads on the Brink. This exhibition of photography by Ariane Kirtley highlights the struggles of the people of Azawak, a remote area of Niger, as they live on the brink of dehydration due to years of persistent drought and lack of resources.

Ariane Kirtley is the founder of Amman Imman: Water is Life, a Bethesda, Maryland, based organization whose mission is to build permanent wells in the Azawak, thus securing water for its vulnerable inhabitants. Her photographs document the lives of two nomadic ethnic groups – the Tuareg and Wodaabe Fulani – and their daily struggle to secure water. Water does exists in reliable quantities 600 to 3,000 feet below the earth’s surface, but can only be accessed by sophisticated drilling techniques. Amman Imman has taken on the challenge of drilling borehole wells that are able to provide clean, free-flowing water to the Azawak, and thus provide year-round relief for up to 25,000 people and animals. Kirtley’s photographs document the extraordinary efforts the Tuareg and Wodaabe undertake in search of water and the hopeful glimpse into the future each newly constructed borehole brings.

The Bing Stanford in Washington Art Gallery is located in The Sant Building at 2655 Connecticut Avenue, NW; Washington, DC 20008. Red Line to Woodley Park-Zoo / Adams Morgan. Hours are 9:00-7:00 M-F, 12:00-6:00 Sat & Sun.

The exhibit runs from March 22, 2010, until May 24, 2010.

Please call 202-332-6235 for more information or visit bsiw.stanford.edu/art_gallery.

Admission is free.

Part 6 - Making The Water Flow In Kijigari: What You Can Do

2010-03-12T08:38:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

After the end of the successful pump trials, Kijigari fathers, mothers and children are back to traveling 20 - 30 miles a day in search of water. Yet water lies 180 meters at the bottom of a deep pipe installed right in their village. Every day Denis, Moumine, and I get messages from the villagers asking when we will be able to bring the water to the surface. They are counting the time, not in months or days, but in seconds and minutes. The lives of their children lie in our hands.

Pure and permanent water in Kijigari is only $50,000 away. You can help Amman Imman make the water flow. Over the next two months we intend to build the water tower, pump, faucets and animal troughs - before the height of the dry season - BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Over the last four years students around the world, particularly in Montessori schools, raised the funds that helped us drill the Kijigari Montessori Well of Love, dedicated to our dear late Dennis Hamilton. This spring, thanks to our new partnership with the Earth Day
Network, A Walk For Water and the Amman-a-thon have been named official Earth Day events.

Here's what you can do to join our Heroes of Compassion and help make water flow in Kijigari by May:

Become an Individual or Corporate Sponsor and offer to match the funds raised by a
school. Contact info@ammanimman.org to find out how.

Join an already planned Walk for Water event and raise funds by finding sponsors. Register here at www.active.com/donate/awalkforwater as events are added.

Plan your own official A Walk For Water or Amman-a-thon Earth Day event in your community. Step-by-step guides are available. Visit www.ammanimman.org/walk to sign up.

Help in your own creative and compassionate way.

Please be a part of fulfilling the mothers' wishes, and help raise $50,000 to bring clean and plentiful water to their thirsty children by May.

Yours in Hope and Love for the Children of the Azawak,

Ariane

Donate Here

Part 5 - Joy Turns to Anxious Anticipation

2010-03-10T22:36:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Yesterday I ended our installment with the jarring news that after seven hours of joy and hope in gathering water, people had to be turned away the following day. The pumping trials had ended. Instead, the team had begun loading tubing and other equipment onto their lorries, in preparation for departure. One single construction team member stood packing sand around a capped tube sticking out of the ground, the only proof of the borehole accessing water 180 meters below. A few men and children watched as he placed a lock on the tube, and handed the keys to the village chief.

Who could have guessed that over the past many days, banging machinery had replaced the pounding of millet, camel yelps, and blowing wind? Mothers asked Denis, "Do we have to go back to searching for water afar? How much longer must we wait before we can drink this water?".... the same water that was so tangible and drinkable just the day before. Denis wanted to answer "Right away", but instead had to respond, "We are working very hard to come up with the money needed to bring the water above ground, we hope before the height of the dry season".

The dry season has already hit the land, and Kijigari villagers have gone back to traveling 20 to 30 miles a day in 104 degrees F looking for water.

TOMORROW: Part 6 - Making The Water Flow In Kijigari: What You Can Do

Yours,

Ariane

Donate Now

Get Involved

Part 4 - Finally..... water for everyone

2010-03-09T23:29:00.003-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

We continue our story after the hole, 180 meters deep, has been cleaned out. Now came time for the pump trials, which show how much water can be pumped out of the borehole without the water level plummeting. These tests also determine the type of pump and engine that must be used once the borehole is equipped. After six hours of constant pumping, the water level hardly budged, indicating that the aquifer is bountiful.

Denis and our local representative, Moumine, visited households inviting villagers to fill up all their water containers and jerry cans during this process. Once the pump trials began, nomads and villagers from far and near came to fill as many containers as they could handle. Donkeys pulled wagons covered with ten or more jerry cans and barrels. Men, women and children carried up to five jerry cans, and waited patiently their turn.

Women did their laundry, and children bathed in the runoff. A group of four young girls washed their hair. More children sang and danced, this time jumping in the puddles formed by the water. Even the animals drank to their heart's content.

The next day, people still traveled to the borehole hoping to fetch water, only to be turned away....

TOMORROW: Part 5 - Joy Turns to Anxious Anticipation

Yours,

Ariane

Donate Here

Please help Amman Imman raise $50,000 this spring!

Click here to get involved!

Part 3 – Placing Permanent Tubing and Blowing Air to Clean 180 meters Deep

2010-03-08T22:29:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Our story resumes when water is reached at 180 meters and the preliminary drilling is completed.

Next, the hole-making tubes were lifted out one by one, only to be replaced by PVC plastic tubing. These long and sturdy blue tubes were loaded onto another drill bit resembling a monster with big teeth, and carefully placed into the hole in order to permanently align its walls and prevent it from caving in.

Less than 48 hours later, machine and engine sounds halted as drilling came to a close. Now came time to "blow out" the borehole. This consisted of blowing heavy bouts of air into the hole in order to clean it out of sediment and dirt that had fallen in during the drilling. Denis recalls mud shooting out of the borehole. As water continued spewing out into the night, one construction worker took a "shower" in the downpour for the first time in several days. Only the next day did the water come out clear and potable.

Tomorrow: Part 4 - Finally...... water for everyone

Yours,

Ariane

Donate Here

Click here to get involved by planning an event

Part 2 - Songs of Thanks as Drilling Begins

2010-03-05T18:23:00.007-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

At 5 AM the next morning, the construction site glowed from miles away while temporary light structures lit the otherwise dark and barren landscape. Denis sat with villagers of all ages in anticipation while 9 meter drilling tubes were loaded onto the drill bit. Then, whoosh, drilling began. Silt and mud churned out, as the machine drilled deeper and deeper. A sediment sample was taken every meter drilled, and set aside for examination.

As the dawn of the day brought the hot sun to shine on Kijigari, village children crowded in glee around the drilling site. Young girls danced and sang songs in Tamashek -- the local language -- giving thanks that their long trips in search for water would end, as water would soon flow in their home. The children's exaltation was coupled late afternoon when sediment samples proved the presence of water.

180 meters deep into the ground, initial drilling ended.

On Monday: Part 3 - Placing Permanent Tubing and Blowing Air to Clean 180 meters Deep

Yours,

Ariane

Donate here

Click here to plan fund raising event

Part 1: A Convoy of Hope Leaves From Niamey

2010-03-04T23:18:00.004-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Our story about the drilling of the Kijigari Well of Love
unfolds...

Denis left Niamey on February 1st to join a convoy of five rigs, equipped with drills, tubes, and all kinds of impressive machinery. After two days of travel from Niamey to Tahoua, then through Abalak, Denis and the construction team finally reached the village of Kijigari.

As the convoy barreled into the village, they were generously welcomed by curious children, passers-by, and community leaders praying that construction happen safely.

The rest of the day was devoted to setting up the machinery and equipment. The first thing that had to happen was to find water to create mud necessary for the drilling. Several members of the team traveled another 20km away to one of the rare marshes that had not yet dried, and then filled up large holes that had been dug around the borehole location to create mud pits. Those that stayed in Kijigari placed the equipment and machinery, and prepared all drilling bits and tubing.

TOMORROW:

Part 2 - Songs of Thanks as Drilling Begins

Til tomorrow,

Ariane

Donate Now

Click here to register your A Walk for Water event

Prelude: Kijigari Borehole Drilled Before Niger Military Coup

2010-03-03T16:25:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

I write to you after last month’s military coup that ousted President Tandja from power. Everything has calmed on a political level, as the populace awaits democracy to be restored. To the casual observer, no one could guess that instability shook the country last week. Niamey is bustling with honking taxis, donkey carts, laughing children, and street vendors as usual. Everyone I’ve spoken with is relieved that their country’s fate has been removed from Tandja’s hands.

Now onto our own news of relief and change:

Over the next several days, I’m going to send you six emails that will tell you a moving tale about the drilling of our Kijigari Well of Love. Denis returned from the bush with amazing and inspiring stories, as well as photos and footage. Rather than tell it to you all at once, I’m going to unveil it in small bites, with lots of pictures, so that you can savor and imagine the entire adventure along with me.

Let me start by saying that although the borehole has been drilled, it has yet to provide the people with the abundant water it is capable of producing. This is the wrenching irony, and where the story turns from inspiration to appeal: In order to make water accessible for the people of Kijigari, we need to raise $50,000 by May. This is how much is still needed to build the infrastructure that will bring the water to the surface.

I ask you to join me on this adventure to the village of Kijigari, and follow with me to its closure so that together we can satisfy the quest of the people for water!

TOMORROW: Part 1 - A Convoy of Hope Leaves from Niamey

Yours in Hope and Love for the Children of the Azawak,

Ariane

Donate Here

Please contact us to get involved!

Well of Love Drilling Begins as Children Abandon School to Search for Water

2010-01-31T20:53:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Finally, a calm moment under the cool shade of a mango tree to share with our exciting news: early this week begins the construction of the Kijigari Montessori Well of Love, dedicated to our dear late Dennis Hamilton!! Denis will travel up to the Azawak tomorrow to supervise the construction.

The mothers and children of Kijigari impatiently await pure and permanent flowing water in their home. Denis was there just two weeks ago with the construction companies and the department of hydraulics conducting last minute studies. The shallow wells dug in the dry marsh that surrounds the village had already dried, leaving no water to
drink. The children are leaving the school one by one in search for water, and the women’s garden cooperative has closed.

Our local team has already begun training the villagers, and making preparations for the election of the borehole management committee. By the end of next week, the hole for the Montessori well will be drilled, accessing water between 200 and 250 meters below the earth’s surface. We plan on equipping this hole with a pump and engine, water tower, troughs, and faucets all by the end of March, as money comes flowing in from our Heroes of Compassion and other dedicated supporters.

Since our arrival in early December, Denis and I have worked nonstop to negotiate the price of our borehole, as well as meeting with government authorities. Negotiations have been bittersweet. On the one hand, we’ve obtained a fabulous price for the drilling. On the other hand, the cost for the infrastructure (water tower, faucet, pump, etc) has soared. Stainless steel prices have increased internationally due to the global financial crisis. This has had a huge impact on the cost of paying for materials here. This financial crisis has truly paid its toll on everyone, including the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. Not only has the price for improving and saving lives risen, but even our most generous donors have not been able to contribute as much as they would like.

We have great faith that we’ll be able to raise the 50K we require to complete the borehole by the end of March! Our need for funds is at a peak, and so is our effort to fundraise. Schools across the nation are organizing A Walk for Water, all of which will take place starting this March just in time for World Water Day. We are certain to bring in several thousands of dollars to complete the borehole dedicated to their efforts. We invite you to plan your own AWFW event using our step-by-step planning guide available as a download here. We are also making appeals to companies and individuals to match the money raised by our Heroes of Compassion. If you would like to contribute in this way, please contact Debra Kahn, our Wells of Love program director at debbie@ammanimman.org, or send your checks, payable to Amman Imman, to:

Amman Imman: Water is Life,
7700 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 550
Bethesda, Maryland 20814

Your donation will save lives among the children of Kijigari that currently have no water to drink. It will also help rebuild the village’s economy: among other things, the women will be able to plant flourishing gardens, the children will attend school year-round, and the men will rebuild their livestock herds.

Denis and I will keep you updated with stories and photos so that you can experience first-hand the progress of our Montessori Well of Love.

Yours for the children of the Azawak,

Ariane Alzhara Kirtley

A Walk For Water 2010: A Step by Step Planning Guide available now!

2010-01-28T09:28:00.000-05:00

Plans for A Walk For Water 2010 are gearing up! So far, two Walks are confirmed. Join The Boyd School students in Chantilly, Virginia for their 2nd A Walk For Water on May 14, 2010. Become part of the 4th annual A Walk For Water on May 15, 2010 on the wooded paths of Lake Frank in Derwood, Maryland where 5 schools will come together! We've also heard from schools in Tennessee, Ohio and Florida.

Organize a Walk in your community! Our step-by-step planning guide makes it easy! Give your students an opportunity to be leaders in raising a voice for people who daily suffer the consequences of not having access to water. Read stories and see photos of past walks here: A Walk For Water on the Wells of Love Blog

Raise funds to build a permanent water source in the Azawak! We will soon have A Walk For Water page on the Amman Imman website where schools can register their event. We will provide many tools for you to use to conduct a successful and meaningful fundraiser includng Registration and Sponsorship Forms, a media kit and materials through which your students and community can learn more about the water crisis in the Azawak and how they can directly help. You will be able to download these resources. You will also have an option to set up online registration and donation collection for your Walk, if you choose. Contact me and I'll make sure you have these tools as soon as they are available. I am here to help!

World Water Day is March 22. A Walk for Water would be a great opportunity to highlight the issues of water scarcity in the Sahel region, particularly in the large region of Azawak where there is barely any infrastructure. Yet, there are solutions! Even in the most difficult of conditions, Amman Imman is working hard to create a better future for the people.

April 22 is Earth Day, another good day around which to plan A Walk For Water. Climate change and a lengthening dry season affects the lives of the half million people in the Azawak today. People are dying of thirst. Walk for the children of the Azawak and alleviate their suffering!

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of the children and families of the Azawak!

Start to plan your walk today. Here's the planning guide to get you started:
A Walk For Water Planning Guide

Happy Holidays: A Profile of our Youngest Supporters

2009-12-22T22:20:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,
I send you holiday greetings from Niamey, Niger, where Denis, Fassely and I will be celebrating the season in over 100 degree heat with our friends. Denis and I have been busy negotiating with contractors and working with a study bureau to build the Montessori Well of Love borehole in Kijigari. If all goes as planned, we hope to begin drilling in February! I will keep you updated as soon as we have more information.

      In this season of giving, I am remembering the children. Amman Imman has always been about giving life to children. Yet it is the children of the Azawak who gave life to Amman Imman. They inspired me and continue to inspire everyone along the way as the breath of our dedication. More than we commonly acknowledge, children are amazingly powerful. The children of the Azawak have now been united with students worldwide that have joined our mission as Heroes of Compassion. All these children are now my main sources of inspiration, keeping me working in love and hope for my communities in the Azawak.

    To make your holidays a little warmer, I want to share a few stories from those that inspire me most, the children and breath of Amman Imman....

Happy Holidays!
Yours for the children of the Azawak,

Odin - Our Youngest Hero of Compassion

Eight year old Odin insisted that he wanted to help children and animals in a West African country that suffered due to the lack of water. Cornerspring Montessori teacher Cindy Scappaticci had no clue where he got this idea, but following his lead she searched the internet. She discovered Amman Imman. The story of the people of the Azawak deeply moved Odin, but being shy he did not know how to express his deep feelings. When Odin watched the video, Water Crisis in the Azawak, he had to turn away, "Because it was too sad", he said. His mother encouraged him to share his sensitivity with his classmates. "Your sadness will help you understand your passion," she said.

Odin made a presentation, bringing a tray with 18 clear glasses to his circle of classmates. Everyone drank a glass of water. Next, Odin shared the struggles that the people of the Azawak endure by reading aloud the book Amman Imman - A Story. The story of these beautiful people, living without the dignity of having water to drink, unfolded to the children through the simple and compelling words and photographs.

Teacher Cindy finds the term "Heroes of Compassion" very appropriate, "That's who these children are in their make up," she says. By designating kids as Heroes of Compassion, their caring nature is validated. For Odin, Amman Imman has been a vehicle for his own passion, and a way for him to feel and express his compassion. It is a powerful acknowledgment for a shy eight year old to move people to action. Read the rest of Odin’s story on the Wells of Love blog: A young hero of compassion shares his passion and calls his community to action.

Andrea Manchester (8th grade)

I chose this project because I believe that helping others less fortunate than ourselves is not merely an option, but a necessary course of action. It’s important to give back to the global community, particularly if you are born in a society that supplies you with both basic needs as well as whims. Some people wonder why I’ve chosen to help Amman Imman when there are humanitarian issues so close to home. My answer is simple: people in the Azawak aren’t getting help from anyone else. Specifically, I am addressing the Azawak’s desperate need for water. It’s a simple concept, really. The residents of that area have no water for ten months out the year, so I say let’s give it to them! Saving lives is an amazing thing, and by advocating for AI and helping to fundraise, I am helping to do just that.

My participation in Wells of Love helps me to be a Hero of Compassion by encouraging me to motivate others in working towards a common goal, as well as helping me to realize that achieving the greater good takes more than a single generous soul. It’s helped me to learn that I’ll only reach my goals if I advocate for myself and take initiative. You’d be surprised by how few people can do that.

I learned that I don’t need an incentive to help others. It actually comes kind of naturally. I feel a want, if not an urge, to provide aid for those in need of it. It’s also helped me to realize how insignificant I am as an individual, that I can only do little things to work towards something greater. By dedicating myself to this worthy cause, and working collaboratively towards the boreholes, I set a long-term goal for myself. I encourage you to take this up, too!

Sebastian Ashley (8th grade)

The reason that I chose to work with Amman Imman was because I thought that this project was the most urgent and important. Some of the possible community service options had to do with helping the homeless or old, but this one helps those who are dying, and this project has very few people actually working as a staff or members, so they could use more help. Amman Imman is important because it helps the people of the Azawak’s need for water and also helps their economy.

By participating in Wells of Love I have become a Hero of Compassion. In a small organization like Amman Imman, if you want something done then you can’t just sit around and hope someone else will do it for you. You have to take the initiative and become a leader. I have become more philanthropic because I now see how many people have given up prized possessions and much money for others, so I now see that the least I can do is give up a little spare time.

Read the entire story about Andrea and Sebastian on the Wells of Love blog: Super Heroes of Compassion

Please Donate and Get Involved!

The Heroes of Compassion in these stories are now a part of the breath that keeps Amman Imman alive.

Read more stories about our Heroes of Compassion on the Wells of Love blog
Get involved with our Wells of Love service learning program
Contact Debbie or visit our website to register and learn more about Wells of Love!

Actress-Activist Mia Farrow endorses Amman Imman as Preparations for the Montessori Well of Love in Niger Begin

2009-12-03T16:59:00.005-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

This Friday, Denis, Fassely and I fly across the Mediterranean and the Sahara, to Niger, to begin work on the construction of the Kijigari borehole. This Montessori Well of Love, built by the love and perseverance of our Montessori Heroes of Compassion, will be dedicated to our beloved late Dennis Hamilton to honor him for initiating Amman Imman’s collaboration with students.

We depart having just received two extraordinary gifts! The first is a wonderful endorsement by renowned actress and humanitarian activist Mia Farrow, who as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador has already done so much to bring attention to the genocide in Darfur and the refugee crisis in Central Africa. Today, I am proud and humbled to announce that she is lending her voice of support to our efforts to bring hope and stability to the Azawak. In her own words:

"I would like to add my voice to those who champion the work of Ariane Kirtley in the Azawak region of Niger. Together with her husband Denis, Ariane is facing daunting challenges to bring the children of the Azawak a future other than the abhorrent condition of daily thirst they experience today. I hope those who are in a position to support this remarkable young woman and her organization Amman Imman Water Is Life, will do so before the half a million inhabitants of the Azawak become displaced throughout the sub-region, triggering further strife and suffering."

-- Mia Farrow, Actress and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

I personally would like to thank Ms. Farrow. Her support is a great boon for all of us.

The other gift came to us all the way from Australia, from longtime supporter of The Friendship Caravan, songwriter Vanda Franey. Inspired by our efforts to bring water to those who have none, Vanda wrote a song, "Well of Love" in honor of Amman Imman. I encourage you to listen to it here, Vanda's song.

I would like to propose that "Well of Love" become the anthem for the building of our next borehole, which I talk about further below.

Flush with this good news, it pains me to also say that we have not raised the full amount of funds necessary to build the Kijigari borehole. I realize times are particularly difficult, but we have faith that the holidays will bring in bountiful gifts. Your generosity and support have already taken us so far, and I appeal to everyone to be especially charitable this year. I will echo Mia’s words: those of you in a position to lend a hand this holiday season please do, so that we may have water flowing for the children of Kijigari by the end of February. Please take a moment to make a donation: Donate to Amman Imman

I leave you with Vanda's lyrics ringing in our ears, offering encouragement for our never-ceasing efforts:

Half a million babies cry

Deep in sandy desert lie,

NO WATER in the region

Water is life - - AMMAN IMMAN

Water is Life - - AMMAN IMMAN

Human Nature holds the key

Of timeless generosity

Water is Life - - AMMAN IMMAN

Say a prayer on desert land

That God will give a helping hand,

This is your dream - - AMMAN IMMAN

Thank you once again for making our work for the children of the Azawak possible!

With love and peace,

Ariane

Wells of Love: An Opportunity for Students

2009-11-12T08:03:00.030-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

As the program director for Wells of Love, the service learning component of humanitarian organization Amman Imman: Water is Life, I'd like to invite parents, teachers and students in your community to learn about our organization and get involved in our program. Amman Imman is dedicated to saving and improving lives among the poorest and most abandoned populations of the world by building permanent water sources in the Azawak of West Africa. Our program for schools, Wells of Love, empowers students as "Heroes of Compassion" - future leaders with a caring, philanthropic spirit - by engaging them to help bring water and hope to the people of the Azawak.

Children enjoy clean and plentiful water

from the Tangarwashane borehole, built by

Amman Imman with the help of students

around the world.

For the past three years, students in over 50 schools around the world have had the opportunity to be among the first to bring attention to this region in Niger and Mali where half a million people suffer from the effects of extreme water scarcity due to a changing climate. These students have become part of a grassroots movement to help a population of people that no one else is helping. Through Wells of Love, students become leaders in raising awareness about the water issues in this region. They participate in fund raising projects that utilize their initiative, creativity and commitment to making the world a better place. Students from pre-school to college age have been helping make a tangible difference in the lives of the children and families in this Azawak.

Students raise funds in A Walk For Water and other service projects.

Very importantly, Amman Imman celebrates the dignity and rich heritage of the people of the Azawak by focusing on the beauty and the generosity that shines through in spite of the peril under which they live. Wells of Love personally connects students with children in the Azawak, making the act of giving more meaningful.

I am available to present this amazing and beautiful project at school assemblies, to individual classes or at club meetings. Please help me make connections at schools so that more students can have this opportunity. If you have someone you can refer me to, please contact me debbie at ammanimman.org or call 240-418-1143. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

You can be part of empowering students and helping the people of the Azawak have a future of hope!

Amman Imman honors the people of the Azawak

whose courage and generosity are an inspiration to us all.

Yours in peace and hope for children everywhere,

Debbie Kahn
Associate Director, Amman Imman : Water is Life
Wells of Love, program director

Mia Farrow, Montel Williams and Wells of Love

2009-11-02T15:31:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

As you can see from the many recent emails, Amman Imman is broadening its reach through the media and our new service learning program - Wells of Love! Please read our most recent news:

Celebrity-Activists Mia Farrow and Montel Williams shine a light on Amman Imman!

We are proud to announce that celebrated actor and activist Mia Farrow has written about Amman Imman on her blog! She states: "There is no water in the Azawak region and people are literally dying of thirst. The water table is now too deep in the ground for them to reach" (extracted from her blog). Please read more of her blog post here.

If you missed my LIVE interview on "Montel Across America" on October 23, 2009, you can still listen to the broadcast on our website! Highlights from the interview:

"What do we have to do to make people in America understand that no matter
how bad it is for us, there are still people that are worse-off, and we
still need to do our part because that to whom much is given, much is
expected."- Montel Williams
"It sounds so simple, let's see what we can do. You've got our commitment
here at "Montel Across America" to help you out. We'll make sure we keep
ringing the bell as loudly as we can." - Montel Williams.

For other media coverage from Air America, please listen to Jack Rice'sin-depth interview with Ariane, aired on October 21, 2009.

Announcing Wells of Love led by Debra Kahn!

Wells of Love empowers students as Heroes of Compassion – future leaders with a caring, philanthropic spirit – by engaging them in service learning. I am thrilled and honored to have Debra Kahn working full-time by my side as Wells of Love Director, employing her infectious passion to garner the help of our Heroes of Compassion for the children of the Azawak! For the past three years, Debra’s tremendous dedication and commitment as a volunteer has united students in partnership with Amman Imman in over 50 Montessori schools around the world. Having left her recent position as Associate Director of Oneness-Family School, Debra will continue to engage our current and future public, private and independent school partners, providing resources and initiating collaborative projects to help them save the lives of the children of the Azawak.

Please tell your local schools about Wells of Love and the opportunity for their students to become Heroes of Compassion for their brothers and sisters in the Azawak. To register as a Wells of Love School, please contact Debra at debbie@ammanimman.org. Learn more about the Wells of Love program here.

New Wells of Love Campaign: Hand in Hand
Debra has been hard at work to launch a campaign that combines philanthropy with creativity. Hand in Hand offers an opportunity for our student Heroes of Compassion to use art as a means to help their brothers and sisters in the Azawak. Here’s how it works: Wells of Love schools choose a craft project that students can make using their own hands. Students then sell their handmade crafts in their school and community to raise money for their Well of Love. These handcrafted gifts symbolize the growing friendship between the two cultures as they walk hand-in-hand toward love and hope.

Please join our Heroes of Compassion in bringing water to the Azawak by incorporating Hand In Hand into the annual holiday celebration of a school in your area! For more information, please visit our campaigns on the web.

Yours in hope and friendship for the children of the Azawak,

Ariane Alzhara Kirtley

Montel Williams, Video footage, and more!

2009-10-22T12:05:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

I hope that this update finds you well! Firstly, I want to remind you to listen live to my interview with Montel Williams on Air America, this Friday at 11:20 am (note change of time). Also, I invite you to view the video of my recent interview with national talk show host Jack Rice on our Amman Imman blog.

VIDEO: Julie's footage of the sprouting Tangarwashane forest

As you'll see in my welcome letter below, Julie Snorek is now the USA Operations Coordinator for Amman Imman. Last August, Julie returned to Niger, a place where she lived as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 2005-2007. Along with Moumine and Amamatou, two members of our local Amman Imman team, Julie took the grueling ride in a 4x4 to the see for herself the oasis of life that the Tangarwashane borehole has become. Her short video shows evidence of a forest now sprouting in Tangarwashane, just one example of how Amman Imman brings water and development to the Azawak. Click here to watch the video.

Welcome Julie Snorek, Amman Imman’s USA Operations Coordinator!

I am pleased to announce the arrival of Julie Snorek as our USA Operations Coordinator. Julie will be coordinating our fundraising efforts, organizing volunteers, following up with partners (including sponsors and donors), conducting outreach, and keeping our Bethesda office running smoothly. Julie’s passion for Niger began during her time living in a Tuareg village as a Peace Corps volunteer from 2005 to 2007. I first met Julie in Niamey, during her Peace Corps Swear-in ceremony, and then later at a festival in northern Niger. The festival fell towards the end of my first visit to the Azawak, and so Julie and I talked at great length about all I had witnessed there while visiting several villages on the way back to her village in the south. I was impressed that Julie not only understood the culture and history of the Tuareg people, but also spoke their language, Tamashek. When Julie moved back to the US, she became a dedicated Amman Imman volunteer, spearheading many outreach efforts, including hosting three exhibitions of Amman Imman's photographs, speaking on stage to 800 Tinariwen (a Malian band whose album is "Aman Iman") concert-goers, and presentating to community and school groups in New England. Today, Julie and I have unified our passion for the Azawak by working more closely together to bring them water and hope through Amman Imman.

Sincerely yours, for the children of the Azawak,

Ariane Alzhara Kirtley, Founder and Director

AI founder and director, Ariane Kirtley, interviewed by Jack Rice of Air America radio

2009-10-19T01:31:00.000-04:00

Air America radio journalist Jack Rice talks to Ariane Kirtley, founder and director of Amman Imman: Water is Life. Jack’s interview with Ariane gets right to the heart of the matter. He says, “Every so often I come across someone who inspires me. Someone who makes me want to do more or be more.” He is talking about a conversation he had with Ariane, which lead to this interview.

Jack asks her about Amman Imman’s mission to bring water to the 500,000 people of the Azawak. Then he probes deeper, asking her why she personally has taken this on, at great risk to herself and her young family. Ariane speaks eloquently, from her heart, about why she has dedicated herself to bringing water to this extremely remote region with conditions so difficult that other organizations, even large ones with resources, would not undertake. And yet she, moved by the great dignity and love of the people who had become her friends, decided she had to help.

Clearly, bringing these Oases of Life to the people of the Azawak is more than a job for Ariane. She is compelled by something greater than herself. Call it love, call it destiny. She cannot turn away. As she says, “You do it because you know it is right. Somewhere in your heart you know it is right.” Watch this two part interview and get to the heart of it with Jack Rice and Ariane Kirtley.

Amman Imman Founder Ariane Kirtley Featured Guest on Air America Radio Show "Montel Across America"

2009-10-18T21:18:00.000-04:00

Washington, D.C. (October 7, 2009) — Ariane Alzhara Kirtley, the Founder and Director of Amman Imman: Water is Life will be broadcast live throughout the country on Air America’s “Montel Across America” show, October 23, 2009 at 11:30 am EST. An Emmy Award-winning host for one of the longest-running talk shows in history, Montel Williams has presented challenging issues to American households for the past 17 years. With Amman Imman and Ariane Kirtley, Montel is tackling one of the most important issues of the century – water scarcity.

Tune into Air America online at: http://airamerica.com. Montel Williams and Ariane Kirtley will discuss project Amman Imman: Water is Life and the water crisis facing over 500,000 people due to climate change. The conversation begins at 11:30 AM EST during his October 23rd show entitled "Living Well."

With partners like Air America, Amman Imman: Water is Life is bringing water and hope to the children of the Azawak in West Africa and focusing the country's attention on the "human face of climate change." Please help us spread the word and listen to Montel and Ariane at 11:30 EST, October 23rd 2009 on Air America.

For more information about Amman Imman, please visit http://www.waterishope.org. To read about student efforts to help, visit: http://montessori-amman-imman-project.blogspot.com/.

Tune in to Air America by

visiting their website at www.airamerica.com.

You can listen online or on your local Air America radio station.
Find your local station at this link Air America Radio Stations.

Upcoming Interview with Montel Williams and More!

2009-10-17T10:15:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

I hope that this update finds you well! Today I write to share news from Tangarwashane and tell you about the media attention we've been getting, as well as my upcoming live interview with talk-show host, Montel Williams.

An Oasis of Life in the Azawak

Julie Snorek, our newly hired USA Operations Coordinator, visited the Tangarwashane borehole in August and brought back footage and photos of happenings I only dreamt of three years ago. Most impressive is the creation of a Gum Arabica forest from the tree nursery with the help of International Relief and Development (IRD). Julie's footage shows the villagers from Tangarwashane digging parcels to plant their trees, which the families will then use for commerce by selling the sap. IRD and the national government are also helping to improve the population's food security by working with women to build up livestock herds and run a cereal bank. As IRD claims, none of these developments could have taken place without the borehole.

The Tangarwashane borehole is truly becoming an oasis of life, and helping the populations adapt to the consequences of their rapidly changing climate. We still have so much more work to accomplish in order to create life-bearing oases across the Azawak. I am in the United States with my husband and Niger Program Director, Denis and our son Fassely with this goal in mind.

Amman Imman in the Media

Of the many exciting things happening in the USA is the media attention Amman Imman has garnered these past couple of months. Among the most impressive was the four-page coverage in the book "Changing People's Lives While Transforming Your Own" (read about the book and download the article on our website) and my interview published in the World Wide ASPect (download the article here). I hope to write soon announcing my most recent interviews in some major publications.

Listen live to Ariane's Interview with Montel Williams on Air America, October 23, 2009 at 11:30 am

Please listen in as my interview with Montel Williams is broadcast live throughout the country on Air America's "Montel Across America" show on October 23, 2009 at 11:30 am EST. Our conversation will take place at the Washington Convention Center during the 2009 kickoff of the Marine Corps Marathon. Tune in to Air America online at http://airamerica.com.

An Emmy Award-winning host for one of the longest-running talk shows in history, Montel Williams has presented challenging issues to American households for the past 17 years. With Amman Imman, Montel is tackling two of the most important issues of the century - water scarcity and climate change. Together we will discuss Amman Imman and how the children of the Azawak are the human faces of climate change today.

Air America is partnering with Amman Imman by helping with such various things as providing commercial air spots, offering commercial air time to our partners, and organizing interviews with such highly respected talk-show hosts such as Montel Williams and Jack Rice (air date to be announced soon). We are so grateful to Air America, and particularly station manager Marty Sheehan, for their incredible support!! Please spread the word by telling your friends and listening at 11:30 EST, October 23rd 2009 on Air America.

Yours in peace, for our brothers and sisters in the Azawak.
Ariane

The Human Face of Climate Change

2009-10-15T10:24:00.000-04:00

“Water is Life.” This could not be truer than in the Azawak of West Africa where half a million people have no water for ten months of the year. Only half of the children reach their fifth birthday, and many die simply of thirst. They are the human faces of climate change.

A vast plain approximately the size of Florida on the edge of the Sahara, the Azawak is one of the poorest regions in landlocked countries, Niger and Mali. Climate change has shortened the rainy season to less than two months a year. Without rain, the people and animals have no water to drink or bathe with. Living on the brink of survival, the region’s 500,000 inhabitants walk up to thirty-five miles a day searching for water. They have no access to roads or schools, and health centers are a two day donkey ride away. Few development organizations work to improve their lives.

There is hope. Clean and sustainable sources of water do exist there, at depths ranging from 600 to 3000 feet, too deep to reach without expensive mechanical equipment. As the humanitarian program of the American 501c3 non-profit The Friendship Caravan, Amman Imman is drilling permanent sources of water in order to provide these resilient people a chance to live without the indignity of daily thirst and fear of water-borne illness. Amman Imman’s borehole wells provide water for up to 25,000 people and animals, and serve as a catalyst for community development. Once water flows year round, other development organizations provide an array of other desperately needed support, such as schools for children and adults, reforestation and environmental protection programs, and food and health aid.

Water is life. One water source at a time, we can bring water and hope to people who have nowhere else to turn. Please help fulfil this dream. The children of the Azawak deserve a better future.

Today is Blog Action Day and the focus is climate change!

Take action by helping Amman Imman: Water is Life

bring water to the children and families

living in the Azawak of West Africa!

These are the human faces of climate change!

Please Grant This Wish!

2009-09-09T22:23:00.000-04:00

Dearest Friends,

      Thank you to everyone that has helped make my 31st birthday so special by sending me birthday wishes. It has been wonderful hearing from all of you!!

      Of course, I'm not asking for presents, but if you want to help me celebrate in a more concrete way, please consider sending in a contribution to Amman Imman: Water is Life. I founded this organization three years ago to help improve and save lives among the 500,000 people living in the Azawak of West Africa by building permanent and sustainable sources of water. The first borehole built in Tangarwashane has borne many fruits. Not only do the people living there have access to clean water year-round, but their children now go to school, the government is now providing health aid, and another development project called IRD is reforesting the land by planting 5,000 gum arabica trees.

      Your present, large or small, will help Amman Imman get one step closer to building our next borehole in the village of Kijigari.

Much love,
Ariane

Do you want to fulfill Ariane's wish? Please visit her wish page on the Amman Imman facebook cause: I want to grant Ariane's wish.

PBS showcases water problems in the Azawak

2009-07-10T09:57:00.000-04:00

"According to UNICEF, only about 20 percent of Niger's underground water is tapped," reports the PBS Online Newshour in a recently published slide show Families Hunt for Water in Niger Valley. The photo slide show captures images from Amman Imman's recent visit to the Azawak, where it identified the site of its next borehole well.

$15 to save a life and fight desertification

2009-06-17T19:57:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Last week I called upon your generosity to help us raise $25,000 to build a borehole for the desperately thirsty children of Kijigari. I told you the story of Anaha, and her daily struggle against the deadly impact of desertification and drought.

Today, on World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, let Anaha's story become your personal story of compassion for the children of the Azawak. Anaha and her friends in Kijigari need YOUR gift to survive.

On this day, I request that you do two things:

1. Contribute at least $15 towards the Kijigari borehole and personally become a part of the global battle against desertification and drought. Click here to make your contribution.

If only 1,000 people were to give $15 (that's about eleven Euros for those of you in Europe), Amman Imman would already be $15,000 closer to its $25,000 goal! Of course, contributions of any size, even larger or smaller, get us one critical step closer to building this much needed borehole. Every dollar helps us change the lives of children who deserve a brighter future. G ive your gift today.

2. Forward this message to each and every person you know and post our campaign on your websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

If you and every person you know contribute at least $15, we may actually exceed our $25,000 goal and the children of Kijigari will never again go a day without a glass of water to drink!

I am making my personal $15 gift of life today. Please join me and Amman Imman today by making your life-saving contribution for the children of the Azawak. Believe that YOU can make a difference. Anaha and her friends are counting on you to survive.

Thank you! Together, we will build a borehole in Kijigari!

Yours for the children of the Azawak,

Ariane

Ariane Alzhara Kirtley

Founder and Director

Amman Imman: Water is Life

A program of The Friendship Caravan

phone # USA: +1(203)887-4213

phone # France: +33684468198

phone # Niger: +22797329388

www.ammanimman.org
http://montessori-amman-imman-project.blogspot.com/

June 17: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

2009-06-11T21:09:00.000-04:00

June 17: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

Help us build a borehole in Kijigari!

Desert and drought are all 8-year-old Anaha has ever known. Despite the 120 degree heat, she giggles and plays while pouring brackish liquid from a hole dug in a dried marsh - she is grateful for the mud that keeps her brothers and sisters alive. She doesn't worry about the month to follow, when the mud will have dried and nothing will be left to cook with or drink. Today she smiles.

You and I already know that desertification threatens the lives and livelihoods of our friends in the Azawak of West Africa, Anaha's home, where more than half a million people live on the brink of survival. On June 17, the United Nations calls the global community to observe "World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought".

In honor of this day and of Anaha, join us by contributing to Amman Imman's goal of raising $25,000 towards our work in the Azawak.

This $25,000 will make a critical difference in starting construction on our next borehole in Kijigari, Anaha's village. Less than two years ago, Amman Imman drilled its first borehole in the village of Tangarwashane. Now the children there drink pristine water, bathe, and have plenty of time to attend the newly built school. Their parents now go to adult learning classes and have begun reforesting the land near their borehole. These and other development projects have become possible thanks to the precious water it provides.

On this day, I request that YOU and EACH AND EVERY PERSON I know, do two things:

• Contribute $15 towards the Kijigari borehole today and personally become a part of the global battle against desertification and drought

If only 1,000 people were to give $15 dollars (that’s about eleven Euros for those of you in Europe), Amman Imman would already be 15,000 dollars closer to its 25,000 dollar goal! Of course, contributions of any size, big or small, get us one critical step closer to building this much needed borehole. Every dollar helps us change the lives of children who deserve a brighter future.

• Forward this message to EACH AND EVERY PERSON you know and post our campaign on your websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

If you and every person you know contributes only $15 or less, we may actually exceed our $25,000 goal and the children of Kijigari will never again go a day without a glass of water to drink!

We are depending on you. Without clean water, as many as one in five of the children in Anaha's village die of thirst and dehydration before the age of 5, and another third die of water-related disease. Simple things like a pimple or scraped knee can be life-threatening.

Support our work today and help us build a borehole for Anaha and the other children of the Azawak. They are extremely grateful for your continued support, and depend on your generosity for a future of hope.

Yours for the children of the Azawak,

Ariane Alzhara Kirtley
Founder and Director
Amman Imman: Water is Life

To find out more about Amman Imman and our programs please write us at: info@ammanimman.org

Partnerships and Progress in the Azawak

2009-05-21T15:01:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

I am relieved to report that my dear husband Denis has finally returned from Niger after spending the last month working with our local team in Niger. Fassely and I had to return home early due to the unbearable heat and a dangerous meningitis outbreak. Denis remained behind to finish up all the last minute work for Amman Imman in the field.

Several positive developments took place over this past month in Niger, but before I move ahead, please take a moment to note a new section on our website, which shares inspiring stories of our work both in the United States and in Niger: www.waterishope.org/News_and_Events/stories_main.html.

Also, the Montessori schools are involved in several events at this time of year. You can read more about their “Walks for Water” and “Amman-a-thons,” here: A Walk for Water and Amman-a-thon.

Update on the Montessori Well of Love Borehole:
Our progress on the construction of the “Montessori Well of Love” borehole continues. Amman Imman’s whole cost structure and budget for borehole drilling is based on certain fixed prices – labor, materials, drilling and so forth. With spot uranium prices at a record high, world demand over the next 10 years along with the recent economic crisis have spotlighted uranium-rich Niger. Overnight we have witnessed one of the poorest countries in the world transforming to become the second largest uranium producer in the world. Because of this uranium boom plus new oil well drilling, contractors have their pockets bulging with new money. Prices for drilling have quadrupled since the Tangarwashane borehole was completed in 2007, and our small budget is simply no longer competitive with the huge multinationals who can literally throw money into the ground to reach the riches beneath.

Despite this news we remain resolute and committed to our goal of bringing clean and sustainable water to the poorest region of one of the poorest nations on earth. All along we have been working diligently at developing partnerships with powerful NGOs and other organizations that have entered collaborative arrangements with us. Furthermore, even though the money is speaking so forcefully, personal relationships do still count for a lot. A week before Denis left Niger, a good friend of ours that had stopped working for the largest drilling company in Niger – Foraco -- has recently been reappointed with a promotion. Our friend was very upset that we had not been offered a good price quote and intends to help us obtain an affordable price as soon as a drilling machine becomes available.

Since drilling has been put on standby, Denis refocused his energy on our very crucial field work. Most importantly, Denis held capacity building workshops with our local team in Abalak and continued follow-up work with the Tangarwashane Management Committee. Denis has also been successful in developing partnerships with non-governmental organizations that are either already working, or plan to work in the Azawak soon. These organizations include: International Relief and Development (IRD), Africare, the French Embassy, Jemed, and CARE International. And finally, Denis and our local team visited several more potential villages including Izelig, Tchinwagari, and Tassnala where we may work in the future.

The Amman Imman field team: Moumine -- local representative , Denis -- Niger Program Coordinator, Amamatou and Jalal -- field agents

Here are highlights of Denis and our local team’s current work in the field:

International Relief and Development (IRD) comes to Tangarwashane Bearing Trees
The international non-profit organization IRD began working in the Abalak region of the Azawak a few months ago. As soon as we heard of IRD’s presence in Abalak, Denis and I met with their local representatives to tell them about Tangarwashane. We pushed for them to consider working in the village to conduct revenue generating activities, as well as initiatives to protect the environment. We were thrilled to hear that they ended up choosing Tangarwashane as one of their intervention sites. We are currently working with IRD to choose future sites together, as partners.

IRD’s first project is to reforest the area around the borehole and to protect the land as more and more people and animals come to fetch water. It has already begun building a nursery to grow 500,000 trees, and has set up a management committee to ensure that the program succeeds. The NGO could not consider doing this work if there weren’t the borehole to provide the water for the nursery. Once this project is well established, IRD plans on rebuilding livestock herds and financing agricultural training.

It is only with this type of aid that communities throughout the Azawak can flourish. When bringing water to a community, one of Amman Imman’s core principles is to partner with other organizations that can bring other forms of help, including food, health, and education. These secondary projects are vital and life supporting and their success depends greatly on the boreholes we initially drill.

We are pleased to report that our effort has been highly effective. Since we built the Tangarwashane borehole, a functional school with 20 students has been created by the government; adult classes are being offered to men and women through a local NGO called At’cool; and now environmental measures are being established to protect the land surrounding the borehole. With IRD’s help, and the eventual presence of other organizations with which we are developing partnerships, I feel certain that little by little health, agriculture and livestock programs will come to Tangarwashane. Eventually aid will sprout and take root throughout the Azawak, thereby permitting this destitute region to flourish.

A Borehole to Last Forever…
Pristine water now flows in the Azawak village of Tangarwashane. When our Amman Imman team returned to the village this February, after more than a year away, we proudly drank the water and admired the borehole. I was able to speak with many nomads passing through, and upon witnessing their joy at finally having clean drinking water I beamed with happiness, for so many lives had been improved. The meters and counters on the faucets showed that many people were drinking from its fountain. Every report we had gotten from the department of hydraulics and our local team members had been true: the Tangarwashane Borehole is now a true blessing to many thousands of people and animals.

But for how long?

The life and duration of a borehole depends on how well it is financially and technically managed. After long discussions with Alhassan, Hakami, village leaders and members of the management committee including women such as Raichatou and Sadouan, we arrived at a crucial realization. The members of the Tangarwashane management committee need and want a good deal of follow up training. We are precisely positioned to give them this long-term support until they feel comfortable managing the borehole on their own.

Amamatou and Jalal training Tangarwashane Management Committee vice president, Yacoubou, and treasurer, Raichatou

how to maintain financial records

To begin fulfilling our promise, we hired three people locally to provide training and assistance twice a month in Tangarwashane and our future sites. We created our own version of a management school, which also provides special support to women to help them increase their voice and role within the committee and community in general. Eventually, the committee will become independent and will no longer require our support. This process may take anywhere from months to years to achieve. But our village communities and Amman Imman are a team united in a common goal: that water will flow for generations and generations, and that communities will grow and thrive. Amman Imman is there to make sure that this happens.

Amman Imman field agent, Amamatou, speaks to women in a camp near Tangarwashane about the borehole, as well as hygiene and sanitation

The fruit of our labor is already evident. Only one month after reinstating “training classes” for the management committee, it raised $400 from selling the water to both the local community and nomads using the borehole. Raichatou, the treasurer, traveled to Tahoua last week with her husband in order to open up a bank account where the committee will keep the money earned for the maintenance of the borehole. The local representative from the department of hydraulics, Abdoulkarim, has agreed to sign off whenever money is taken out in order to ensure that the money is spent exclusively for borehole maintenance and repair.

May water flow EVERYWHERE in the Azawak:

During Denis’ last visit in the field, he and our local team – Moumine, Jalal, and Amamatou --visited many villages. Of particular interest was the village of Tchinwagari where a borehole was recently built by UNICEF thanks to a proposal Amman Imman submitted to them in 2007. The villagers were very grateful for our help getting the borehole, but they wanted more. Since UNICEF no longer operates in the region, they were now turning to us for help. Their management committee had only received one day of training from the Tchintabaradene department of hydraulics, and they felt uncomfortable managing their borehole properly both technically and financially.

Moumine, Denis, Amamatou, and Jalal in frount of the Tchinwagari water tower

Since our goal is for potable water to flow throughout the Azawak, and whatever we do to support this is part of our prime directive, we decided to honor their request. The local Amman Imman Management Team will conduct bimonthly visits to Tchinwagari to conduct follow-up training and assistance with their borehole management committee members. Our female employee, Amamatou, will also be educating the women of the village on hygiene and sanitation. Additionally, she will be doing the crucial work of fighting for these women to gain a voice within their borehole’s management committee. In fact, our team conducted their first training session this weekend, and as a result, three women were appointed to the management committee.

Thank you for your continued support for Amman Imman and the people of the Azawak. And I send out a very special thank you to Denis, Moumine, Jalal, and Amamatou for their hard work in the field!

Together, we are making a difference!

Yours for the Children of the Azawak,

Ariane

International Relief and Development (IRD) comes to Tangarwashane

2009-05-07T21:21:00.000-04:00

The international non-profit organization, IRD recently began working in the Abalak region of the Azawak. The organization has chosen Tangarwashane as one of the villages where it will intervene. Its first project is to reforest the area around the borehole and protect the land as more and more people and animals come to use the borehole. It has already begun planting 500,000 trees, and has set up a management committee to ensure that the program succeeds.

One of our goals when bringing water is to inspire other organizations to provide other desperately needed help. Since we built the Tangarwashane borehole, a functional school has been built, adult classes are being held for men and women, and now environmental measures are being established. I feel certain that little by little health, agriculture, and livestock programs will also come to Tangarwashane, and eventually aid will sprout and spread throughout the Azawak thereby helping communities to flourish in all the land.