Niger - Poverty Reduction Project

The Poverty Reduction Project (PRP) was approved in October 1998 for UA 7.3 million for a period of 5 years. PRP is the first project directly targeting poverty reduction, financed by the Bank in Niger, and is one of the very first projects of its kind financed by the Bank in Africa. It targets poor populations, particularly women, youth, and children in the regions of Dosso, Maradi and Tillabéry. The project is a fundamental element of the Bank's policy in Niger, which gives pride of place to the fight against poverty. It is being prepared at an opportune time as it coincides with the beginning of the Government's implementation of a national poverty reduction programme, as well as the preparation of a private sector development and national capacity building plan. The project has the following four components: (I) Information, Education and Communication; (II) Social Investment Fund; (III) Promotion of civil society and support to the poverty monitoring and analysis system; and (IV) Project Management Unit. ADF resources will support the country's development efforts by targeting the poor in particular and removing some constraints to their development by providing credit to 90,000 borrowers, building and rehabilitating water infrastructure (17 small dams, 68 wells and boreholes), building 30 kilometres of rural roads, 34 health huts and literacy centres, etc.