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Jerome Delay / AP
Helpers prepare just-purchased camels for their new owners to take with them at the livestock market in the desert village of Sakabal, Niger. Eighty percent of Niger's people and 100 percent of the landlocked nation's rural population depend on livestock, including camel, cows, sheep and goats, for some part of their income. For generations, nomads have lived in a precarious equilibrium with the sky above them. When the first rains come, they head north toward the Sahara desert, where the grass is said to be saltier, packed with minerals. They time their movements according to the clouds, waiting for the second major downpour, before making a U-turn to head back to the greener south. If they miscalculate, they can end up stranded. As the grass turns yellow, their animals become too weak to walk.
Jerome Delay / AP
A Tuareg man smiles as his camel rises from lying down at the livestock market in the desert village of Sakabal, Niger.
He crouches in the shade of a thorn tree as traders haggle over the 4-year-old male animal, Yedi. When the sale is complete, Yedi rears his enormous neck and lets out a cry, like the deep, subterranean call of a whale. It takes three men to drag the camel out of the arena, as if he understands the fate that has just befallen his master.
-- Reported by the Associated Press
Jerome Delay / AP
Herdsmen gather at the livestock market.
Jerome Delay / AP
Tuareg nomads arrive at the market to trade livestock in Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
A Tuareg nomad carrying his traditional sword has a hook fit to his camel at the market in Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
A Peul merchant relaxes on his stick by the door of a house while attending the livestock market in Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
Men walk through the grain market in the desert village of Sakabal, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
Tuareg nomads carrying their traditional swords and good luck amulets around their neck, shop for fabric and other goods while attending the livestock market in Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
A Nigerian taxman records the sale of a camel at the market in Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
A rare vehicle carries villagers back to Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
A Tuareg nomad, carrying his traditional sword, walks past a handler pulling just-purchased sheep to their new owner at the livestock market in Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
Sold goats are loaded on the rooftop of a truck in the desert village of Sakabal, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
A herdsman's family heats up water for dinner in the fields near Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
A young herdsman walks through his cattle outside Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
Birds fly over grazing cows in the green sandy plains near Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
Young herdsmen show their henna stained hands, sign of a recent wedding celebration, as they gather at the livestock market in the desert village of Sakabal, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
A Tuareg nomad, carrying his traditional sword, rides his camel as he leaves the livestock market in Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
Livestock merchants leave Bermo, Niger.
Jerome Delay / AP
In this picture taken Monday, July 16, 2012, nomads stop for the night between Dakoro and Bermo, Niger.
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For a people who have known this way of life, it is not just a sign of poverty and hunger, but of humility.Truly tragic.
All the other photos show that life is still going on in that region. I don't think they'e completely without recourse if they have family who can help them.
What a vibrant community. Hopefully they can pull together and help each other through.
Gee. That's what republicans call socialism
How much did he get for that fine CAMEL?
3 packs of lucky strikes and a pack of Chesterfields
Yeah, Lee... Mud huts for everyone! Ain't socialism great!?!
Soon to be the same here, but with Romney there will be a safety net, after he and his partner have spent the rest of all the money we have paid into medicare and SS, so we will soon be like Niger--I have met several people this poor around the entire USA> There are about 100,000 veterans up and down west coast who live like this.--even in SFO.
PS: This far from socialism, and college students with debts of 150 K and up will almost never be able to buy a house, so mud houses will be the "safetynet"!
Both programs are going broke and you are trying to blame the guy who is not even elected yet...LOL..Typical blame the other guy even if he had nothing to do with it, Without changes both programs will fail, But ofcourse you already knew that, You just feel it is easier to blame someone else.
Considering the amount that a person pays into SS and Medicare are generally exhausted within the first 8-10 years after a person starts collecting and considering the vast amount of people who collect SS/SSDI that have paid in very little or nothing at all it is not hard to understand why both programs are running out of money, Couple that with the recent reductions in payroll witholding to fund those programs and let us not forget the monies that have been robbed from the programs by both parties and you are blaming Romney and Ryan, LOL...what is Obamas plan besided raiding 716 billion dollars from it and then trying to say he really wasn't and that he really is trying to save it, The democratic plan is to sit back and let both programs self destruct and then cry out the Republicans are trying to destroy those programs as we know them any time they try to fix them. Go spew those lies somewhere else.
They took a gamble that if they spent that $150 K they would get a good paying job, That bet did not pay off ,Too Bad but Let us ask ourselves why a college education cost so much anyway...Seems those great liberal bastions of education really do not care about anyone but themselves.
Americas war on poverty has done nothing but put more people in poverty.
Lee-1447916, you my friend are an absolute idiot, it must be truly painful to be that ignorant!
Yep, time to get the IMF on-board with ANOTHER financial assistance program.
But first, the IMF will have to hit up the Member Nations for more $$$ to put into their dwindling coffers. I am so sure the EuroNations can dig a bit deeper into their pockets instead of a major hit to the American taxpayers.
Next article will be from the United Nations....."to the rescue via their financial tentacle, the IMF".
Dude, shut up and take your politics elsewhere. This is a humane article - Politibots like yourself have no place here.
That said, I really wish that we could help them, but sadly the corruption is too big to deal with. There's gotta be something we can do.....
CrimsonCujo: I do not see anything political about Ido's comment. It may be sarcastic but it is true. If you want politics go to Lee @ 1.2.
BTW: Looks like a free market to me. There are buyers and sellers. Where did you dream up the "corruption" thing from? There is not even an implication of corruption in the Article.
Are you making up something to "prove" a point? The Article references that one man is selling his last camel, he may being having a hard time, but many in this country are no better. The people in the photo's, and the photographer's notes below them, seem to reflect relatively happy people at a market conducting business in their traditional fashion. Yes, there is one picture of a tax man recording a sale. Is that your basis for "corruption" or do you not pay sales tax when you but a car.
An infamous man once wrote. "Dude, shut up and take your politics elsewhere". Ever hear that one before?
It's a shame, but it is amazing to see how they have been living just the same as their ancestors. You don't see sword-wielding merchants in the modernized world anymore.
No...you see back room dealing weasels....
Its shameful to see this level of hunger/poverty anywhere world 21st century! The people and the cattle look so thin, and I'd bet the leaders in such countries walk around looking over-fed!! If the "powers that be" can make sure guns and weapons show up on a dime, why can't food and clean water find the same route to these oppressed/deprived people!!?
Agreed, Rah. It's shameful how corruption is able to make so many suffer because of greed and a lust for power and dominance.
Wish there was something we could do that worked.
These people choose to live this way, They are Nomads, They are not tied down to any one place and move as they please, This is their chosen lifestyle and they themselves would not change it.
Exactly what corruption is affecting them how, If they were the only people on this planet they would still live this way, They are Nomads and it is the lifestyle of their choice.
And if either of you too are soo concerned then go volunteer to help them out or send them your money...Yea...I didn't think so.
Trolls
Too Many People on Planet Earth..........Includes You an' me.............
In most of these pictures, the people are smiling. Do people smile when they are hungry? It doesn't look like such a bad life as it looks simple. It would be rough to some of us here but I bet that the people in these pictures are happier with the smallest of things. We have so much here but I would say most Americans are not happy. Look at the cynical posts we leave when there is no reason to do so.
Excellent point! But don't forget, most of the people there know how to grieve with dignity! Poverty is a shameful state in most developing countries, and I'm speculating that its a false smile for the camera, to hide the pain - Do those skinny animals look happy? Thanks for the heads-up about the cynical jargon - I try to avoid such worthless ranting!
I was wondering it looked to me in the pictures all the people where wearing their Sunday best clothes. Was it just for the cameras or do they get dressed up to go to the livestock sales or is it their everyday clothes? I kind of doubt it if they're that poor.
Probably their everyday attire, These are business people doing business. as with business men anywhere, I'm sure the richer merchants had on a little more Bling just to show their stature of position.
These people do not consider themselves poor, This is their chosen lifestyle, They are Nomads, They are not tied down to any one place, They move as weather conditions dictate, If you gave them money and food and put them in a home they would just leave it anyway, The only worthless ranting I see here is yours.
They look to be as happy as a pig in chit to me.
It's a facade. Much like certain things here are total bull@!$%# lies, they smile to hide their pain and grief. They want to appear strong for the world, in a land that pretty much works against them (Niger's a harsh place - let's see you survive a whole year there).
This is their chosen lifestyle, They are Nomads and if you tried to put them in a house they would just leave, They are smiling because they are living free, They move from place to place as they need food for their livestock, This is what they know,They do not wish to appear strong for the world they are already strong, They are a proud people and are proud of their heritage, Quit making assumptions based upon how you see the world. Now about living there a whole year...LOL...I lived in Viet Nam for 3 years where it was constantly hot and wet and when it was not hot and wet it was just hotter and wetter, And did I mention the bullets and bombs.
It looks like a movie set for "Ali Babba and his 72 Harlots"
These are beautiful photos! I love the texture of the cracked earthen walls and vibrant colors of their garments. They look happy and seem much more in tune with nature than westerners. There is more to life than throwing around political opinions :)
Remarkable pictures. Thank you Jerome (AP) for bringing these to us.
I hope the rains return so the nomads can rebuild. Reading the full article was heartbreaking. Their way of life is built with occasional drought in mind, but this is too much. May the rains come soon.
There is something fundamentally wrong with rich kids running up extreme bar bills and boastfully displaying them on Instagram while Nomads in Niger trying to survive. Great redistribution of personal wealth is not required, just a small amount of assistance in time of need.
These people choose to live this way, They are Nomads, They could care less about some rich kid with a bar bill.
Hundreds of Billions of dollars have been sent to Africa from the USA and all over the world for decades to try to help people like this, It does not work because they simply go back to living their chosen lifestyle, In the case of these people they are Nomads and chose to live this way. Maybe if these Nomads would actually learn to care for their land then their land would support them better.
The irony is that the continent of Africa is the richest continent on the planet with all of its oil,gold,precious metals,Gems,minerals,coffees,teas,fruits,and vegetables and more and yet the rest of the world is constantly being asked to help feed and care for it.
Great pictures. Life there must be very hard, but rewarding.
Lots of skinny animals. Can't be good. They must be praying to the wrong gods.
Look whose talking, america's christian people pray to a man as god to bless their country when in fact he is just a man. and your country has 40% of its crops in big trouble so dont open your mouth before looking at yourself
which god would that be, Sarah.
Actually those animals are not "skinny" They look the way they do because they feed on grasses, They graze and there is no fatty grains in their diets, They graze and they are constantly moving which burns off fat and keeps their muscles strong, They actually look pretty healthy, The humans are also thin but that means there is very little fatty,sugary,starch foods and most likely no processed foods in their diets.
Skinny people generally live longer than fat people, Same goes for animals
"Eighty percent of Niger's people and 100 percent of the landlocked nation's rural population depend on livestock, including camel, cows, sheep and goats, for some part of their income".
It is the mismanagement of this livestock that helps the Sahara desert to spread at an alarming rate. But why should they change their ways when they can just hold out their hands and our tax money can support them?
right wing hack, I presume.
The Sahara has been increasing in size fir several centuries!Learn to read rather than just blatently saying anything but the truth!The Saharas' is one of the key factors that has kept sub Saharan countries from having the same or similar economic growth afforded to most countries of the world over the last century.That and the total lack of draft animals that can with stand the deseases that spread by varios insects of the region.For the next several centuries,that area will remain in the toilet.
He probably bought a Chevy since he read how well produced they are since the unions took over.Yea,them unions with thier first year command decision,give all union workers a $14,000 bonus.Cant pay us back but they sure took care of themselves.Next year,everyone is going to get a $100% bonus even if they are still in the red.This is a long story but will never end.Next time they sit on a fianacial Ledge,they will be back,hat in hand looking for more hand outs.Is this what Obamy thinks is a strong economic jobs policy he can run on?Better to have let them go into receivership and reorganize.The unions with the Mercedes wages and retirement benefits would have taken a hit but GM would have survived.Now,i'd say chances of survival are 50%-50%.
wrong story mas.
We are really lucky to have the life style we live here.
These people don't have much, but they still find a way to survive.
This is humanity at its best in a worse case environment.
Survival is the one main key ingredient here, and despite the odds they seem to continue making it through another day.
If people think this is bad, I dread what will happen in the next 30-50yrs. Africa dominates the population growth charts for the world, and Niger is #3, with the #1 birth rate on Earth. I have a feeling much worse is to come.
Actually that should read Nigerien taxman. A Nigerian taxman would be from Nigeria.
I would have given 30 pieces of silver for that fine Camel.
I would give all that I could to save his life.....
Must be a slow news day, hey, if they have no camel, let them eat cake.
If Bear Gryll's can survive out in the desert eating bugs and sh!t, why can't they?
You are mistaken if you think Bear Grylls survives on only eating bugs and feces. He has a camera crew - who I doubt would do the same - and a multi-million dollar company funding his ventures. He does that stuff for the camera, not for survival.
These people live in a part of the world that is mostly desert and savanna. When living in an arid climate you are living on the edge of survival. Even the slightest bit of climate change towards the warmer side (or drier weather patterns) would be pushing people and animals nearer that edge, insisting that they fall.
I didn't know the Nigers could sell off their wives.
Don't expect sympathy from the rest of the world since many African countries would rather fight among themselves than grow crops.
I see I am now barred from making future posts on NBC. They have started arbitrarily throwing my posts off simply because they don't agree with my personal view points. I was trying to stress that all of this was a sign of things to come for our world at large when it comes to runaway global warming, but apparently my views on climate change are politically incorrect according to NBC. I guess from here on out I will have to look elsewhere when it comes to sharing my own personal views on this impending disaster known as global climate change. - Rick Carter
Curious, how are you barred from making future posts?
I clearly explained that they have started arbitrarily throwing my posts off after I have made them. There was nothing offensive about these posts, they simply stressed the impending danger of runaway global warming. - RC
I do not intend to ever let this be forgotten from the standpoint of history. Bye, bye! - RC
HERE IS A REPRINT OF MY PREVIOUS POSTINGS ON THIS BOARD
RickCarter
I want you all to listen to me, and listen very carefully, because this kind of disaster is already headed our way (in fact, it is headed everyone's way), and these last few years should really tell you that. As our world heats up from global warming, the increased thermal energy in the clouds and in the air makes it harder for the rain to condense and fall. Often times it will still rain, but the rain never reaches the Earth before it evaporates. Eventually the rain has to come down because there is so much moisture up there, and when it does people suffer disastrous floods. But more often than not this kind of torrential rainfall doesn't happen over land, it actually happens over water (usually over the ocean), and 70% of our Earth is covered by water. Global warming is going to increasingly present itself in many diverse forms of disaster, and the magnitude and nature of these disasters is only going to increase or grow, until we as an intelligent species finally do what we need to do to bring our global climate under control. Please understand that according to the natural cycles our planet should actually be cooling down, which is why many of the naysayers (deniers) say our planet is in for an ice age. But we humans are dumping so much greenhouse gases into the air that it is actually heating up our planet at RECORD SPEED, and soon the whole pyramid of life upon which we depend is doomed to collapse under the weight of our 'out of control' human populations and the domestic animal populations upon which mankind depends for their survival. There are solutions available right now to reverse this process, but we may only have a couple of decades to implement those solutions. There are even radical remedies which can potentially buy us more time, but we as a world need to start cooperating in all of these things before it is too late. Once we pass the 'tipping point of no return' in our climate change, there will be virtually nothing we can do to save either ourselves or our precious planet from disastrous runaway global warming and eventual mass extinction on a global scale. Please listen, everyone, before it is TOO LATE !!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Rick Carter
#6 - Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:23 AM EDT
RickCarter
(Pretty soon they are going to start suing the nations which are most responsible in international court, and then people in places like the United States are going to feel the pain DOUBLE, EVEN TRIPLE, when they have to start paying damages to the entire world for the effects of global warming !!!!!!! PLEASE LISTEN BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE !!!!!!!!) - RC
#6.1 - Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:40 AM EDT
Don't disagree with you at all except for one point, we have passed the tipping point and we can't solve it regardless of what we do. What the nomads are experiencing is part of the consequences and they are minor compared what is about to come.
Shipping water from Alaska to asia, for example, is a sign of things to come, water will be the new oil one day down the road and there will be wars over it.
What these Nomads are experiencing is part of a change that has been happening across this part of Africa for hundreds if not thousands of years, It has nothing to do with what man did or did not do but with what the earth is doing all by itself, The earth moves and changes without the help of man and there is nothing man can do to stop this change.