01 July 2008

Niamey, Niger: The first national volunteers in Niger have been selected and will soon be fielded as part of the 'Volunteers for National Development' project launched by the Government of Niger with support from UNV.

The process started in early 2008 with the establishment of a database to register candidates from all over the country. The first volunteers will be fielded in the pilot regions of Tillabéri and Maradi. At present, 44 volunteers have been selected for duty and 11 are on a reserve list in case people are unable to take up their posts. All 55 will go through pre-assignment training in the coming days.

After a call for applications in February, the roster registered 3,800 candidates, 180 of whom were short listed for interviews. The interview panel included representatives from UNV in Niger, the Government of Niger's Ministry of Territorial Affairs and Community Development (MAT/DC) and the project team.

Candidates were assessed on their competencies and skills as well as on their motivation for becoming volunteers. Exchange between citizens from different regions is another important element of the programme. Other criteria considered were language skills, gender balance and professional experience, though candidates without professional experience were also considered, since priority was given to youths.

Various functions and professions are covered, with several in rural and agricultural fields. These include a rural engineer, two agronomists and seven rural development specialists. Furthermore, six others will work in general support to farmers' groups.

Eight people will serve as general support to municipalities where there is a UNDP-funded project. In addition there will be five administrator-accountants, a sociologist and a project manager.

In educational areas there will be three youth workers, a trainer in dyeing techniques, one leather tanning specialist and a literacy teacher. Finally there are four community health workers, a veterinarian, a journalist and an environmentalist.

Among the host institutions are 25 rural municipalities, five national organizations and associations (a farmers group, a women's group, a disabled people's group, an NGO and one association), one rural radio station and one literacy centre.

The national volunteer scheme complements the existing UNV presence in Niger, where in 2007 there were 80 national UNV volunteers and 25 international UNV volunteers serving in fields from human rights and institutional capacity building to reintegration activities for ex-combatants.