Going where there is no Internet

For the past eleven days, I have been out on the road on a daily basis (except for one morning and one afternoon). Together with my Eden colleague, we've been going from village to village interviewing a lot of people and documenting their lives.

Despite the heat and the unpleasant little insects that the rainy season has to offer (there is a newcomer in Niger this year: a little worm that parachutes down from the tree tops and leaves you with huge burn marks, even if it "only" ends up on your clothes), I have had so much fun and my level of inspiration is currently at its height.

For those of you who do not know what life is like for people in Niger, let me present you the drinking water for as long as this seasonal lake will last.

We met some people on their way south and the kids offered me the warmest of smiles.

We took some time to stop by a dead goat and explain how the system works. Animals in Niger need to be slaughtered in a correct manner, or people won't touch the meat (this poor goat probably met death falling off the rooftop of a minibus on its way to the marketplace).

On our way to meet an Eden farmer who lives far into the bush. The place was so peaceful with no other Westerners at sight. I really fell in love with it and didn't want to go back (especially not after having met our farmer and his family who were so kind and generous).

The roof top is a great ladder when you want to film the landscape.

A typical picture of Ishtar in action...
This was our last stop and a perfect shot to remember, but posing in front of the camera after hours of hours on the road in full heat (and some humidity, although it wasn't close to raining...) and wearing the same jeans for the fifth day made me feel very [...]. Let me just say that the shower afterwards was great!!

Ishtar