New Irish Red Cross head for Niger

Niger, is officially categorised as the poorest country in the world, having seen its economy decline for the past three decades as a result of a series of poor harvests and a doubling of the population.

Niger was the hardest-hit of four countries in Africa’s Sahel Region (comprising also Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania), which were severely affected by poor rains and locust invasions in the past two years.

As a result cereal crops needed to provide food for people and animals have withered and died. Any that survived the drought were consumed by locusts. Wells have dried-up, so animals have died of thirst and starvation, leaving the people with nothing to eat.

Jeff’s job as Country Coordinator is to oversee the Irish Red Cross programmes in Niger which involve financial and logistical support to Red Cross food distributions in the Agadez region, the development of a small grants programme (livestock restocking, veterinary services)for ongoing support to small (pastoralist) farmers, and strengthening the capacity of the Nigerien Red Cross.

With over ten years experience in Development work, Jeff has worked in some of Africa’s most challenging countries.

His most recent post was in Nigeria where he was the Country Director for the International Foundation for Education and Self Help.

Prior to this, he worked in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and Liberia. He has particular experience of project and grant management, having worked on USAID supported projectsand withUNHCR as well as other organizations in the past.

A native of Utah, USA, Jeff began his career in overseas development a decade ago. More recently, however, in 1997 he was awarded the Dalmas H. Nelson Best Research Paper Award for his post-graduate thesis titled, "Rural Development and Social Structures: Adult Literacy, Community Development and Spirituality in the Republic of Niger".

Apart from his native language, English, Jeff also speaks French and the west African language spoken in Niger, Hausa, as well as German.
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