Community women, who themselves have never had the opportunity to attend school, meet with at-risk girls weekly. They encourage and advocate for them, discuss issues of health and hygiene, and teach them traditional skills that often become sources of income for the girls and their families.

Mentor Tikna Ahmed with one of her students in Iferouane, Air Massif, Niger

P O B o x 5 4 5 , N e w m a r k e t , N H 0 3 8 5 7 U S A • B P 9 7 5 N i a m e y, N i g e r • U . S . Te l . : 6 0 3 - 3 7 1 - 0 6 7 6 • w w w. r a i n 4 s a h a r a . o r g

ANNUAL REPORT

2010

Giving a Leg Up To All

Through

LEARNING AND EARNING

Table of Contents

A Letter from Roderick Richards, Chairman, RAIN Board of Directors p. 3

Introduction p. 4

2010: A Year in Review pp. 5 - 6

RAIN and ROTARY Partner in Niger p. 7

2010 Niger Program Map p. 8

2010 Financial Statements pp. 9 - 10

Donors: October 1, 2009 - September 30, 2010 pp. 11 - 13

In-Kind Donors p. 14

Board of Directors p. 14

Advisors’ Circle p. 14

RAIN Partners & Social Media p. 15

Iferouane, Air Massif, Niger

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A Letter from Roderick Richards

Chair, Board of Directors

This year I was privileged to take over as Chair of RAIN, in succession to John Ahlgren. John has steered the development of RAIN since its early years, and has at all times contributed generously of his time, energy and contacts. We are fortunate that John remains as a member of our Board, so that RAIN can benefit from his continuing and unstinting support.

RAIN has a clear mission and a straightforward purpose; to work with the nomadic and rural peoples of West Africa, as a partner in their endeavors to improve the lives of their families through education, water security, agriculture and income producing activities. Niger, one of the world’s poorest countries, has been the first stop on RAIN’s journey, and, to that end, RAIN maintains field offices in Niamey, Agadez and Iferouane in Niger, supported by an administrative office in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Funding permitting, we plan to open other field offices in neighboring countries; in the meantime, our dedicated, capable, and wholly Nigerien staff is tackling an ambitious series of programs in Niger that reflect the goals of our 2011 – 2015 Strategic Plan.

The starting point for RAIN’s programs is that each community joins in and contributes resources to the project at hand; our goal is to be the catalyst for activities that will be sustained, according to a model that can be replicated school by school, and village by village. Community involvement is the sine qua non of our programs; over the years the resulting Learning and Earning Groups (‘LEGs’) have shown the resilience of this approach as they have faced up to the challenges brought about by drought, and by floods, and by internal unrest. Our goal is to instigate, facilitate, complete and then move on to the next project on our Plan.

RAIN’s work depends on the generosity of our donors, and the dedication of the outstanding group of volunteers, both in the U.S. and in Niger, who contribute so readily of their time. RAIN is truly grateful for such support, and, on behalf of each member of the Board and of the staff, would like to sincerely thank all who have stepped forward to bring RAIN to where we are today. We look forward to your continuing efforts and contributions on behalf of Rain for the Sahel and Sahara.

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Introduction

Mission Statement: Rain for the Sahel and Sahara (RAIN) works with nomadic and rural peoples of West Africa to improve their lives through education, water security, agriculture and income-producing activities. These locally rooted programs promote literacy and empowerment while sustaining nomadic traditions throughout the Sahel and Sahara.

RAIN’s Vision: The Sahara and Sahel of West Africa shining bright with the lights of thousands of nomadic and rural people in self-sustaining learning and earning centers; with RAIN’s programs for education, agriculture and co-operative enterprises nourishing minds and building livelihoods.

Who we are: Rain for the Sahel and Sahara is guided by the principle that education is key to economic and personal development. Parents in Niger agree, and together we have implemented programs that foster community participation in, and improvement of, their local state-run schools. This participation encompasses the integration of agriculture and animal husbandry into schools, mentoring of students by community women and cash contributions to schools by artisanal and other cooperative businesses. These cooperative community enterprises generate funds for schools and livelihoods for enterprise members.

In January 2010 RAIN staff were gratified to find community men who, upon returning to their villages in the Air Massif after having been away for almost two years because of political instability, were repairing their RAIN school market gardens.

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2010: A Year in Review

2010 Emergency Hunger Response

We are grateful to Emergency food aided 1,000 people. the Zakat Foundation and Animal feed saved thousands of goats, The Prem Rawat Foundation sheep, cattle and camels.for their contributions to Gougaram artisan co-op donated $3,000 of their RAIN’s emergency hunger relief. RAIN earnings to alleviate the food crisis.

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In 2010 the people of Niger suffered through the cruel juxtaposition of drought followed by floods. Though a nearly bloodless coup in March gave hope for a more democratic future, the turmoil caused by the change in leadership, led to insecurity and failure of livelihoods connected to tourism. These obstacles did not stop RAIN or parents in our partnership communities, who continued to mentor children and raise money for schools through agriculture, crafts sales, and herding animals. RAIN’s emergency hunger relief aid included donating food to schoolchildren as well as giving animal feed for the herd animals that are the basis of nomadic l ivel ihoods and food security.

EDUCATION

• 15 mentor programs with 375 students and 3 literacy classes for mentors

• 500 students tutored• Food program provided for 10 nomadic schools

COMMUNITY COOPERATIVES•· Young men’s association caring for a herd of goats to benefit school• Wodaabe Women’s Embroidery Cooperative invested $800 in their children’s school

AGRICULTURE, HERDING & WATER

• 4 school market gardens installed

• 5 gardens in Agadez renewed

• 3 wells dug

• 181 trees planted

Photos:

•Mentor and her students in

Iferouane, Air Massif, Agadez region

•Malia, member of Wodaabe Women’s Embroidery Cooperative

•Enekre gardener, parents and children with garden equipment donated by RAIN.

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2010: A Year in Review

RAIN and ROTARY Partner in Niger

The Rotary Club of Exeter, NH, with its then president, Mae Bradshaw, led an enegetic team that won a grant from Rotary International to fund RAIN’s education and agriculture programs in Bonfeba, Niger. Our Rotary team included the clubs of Portsmouth, NH and Newburyport MA, as well as Rotary Club Gaweye of Niamey, Niger and RAIN’s own Gaston Kaba, a longtime Rotary member in Niger.

Along with the Bonfeba parents, RAIN installed a half-acre school garden, complete with well, cistern and drip irrigation system. This garden will produce fresh food for the 247 children at the Bonfeba school, as well as generate funds for their school.

With the support of Rotary, RAIN launched a scholarship and mentoring program for Bonfeba’s neediest children, as well as adult literacy classes for all who are eager to have the world of reading and writing opened to them for the first time.

RAIN and the people of Bonfeba are grateful to the Rotary Clubs of New England and Niger who are making paths to better futures for those who have never had supportive role models to help them become the first educated members of their families, who’ve never had the tools to start a small business or the knowledge to raise their families with better health and hygiene. All of this is now underway for the people of Bonfeba.

Bonfeba mentors and schoolchildren with Bess Palmisciano and Niamey Rotary members

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R a i n f o r t h e S a h e l a n d S a h a r a 2 0 1 0 A n n u a l R e p o r t 8

2010 Financial Statements RAIN FOR THE SAHEL AND SAHARA, INC. STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 AND 2009

Compiled and reviewed by Albert P. Stowe, Certified Public Accountant, PLLCFor complete Financial Statements and Notes please go to: http://www2.guidestar.org/organizations/73-1628703/rain-sahel-sahara.aspx

INCOMEANDEXPENSE 2010 2009 Temporarily (Compiled)Revenue and support Unrestricted Restricted Total TotalContributions $ 165,981 $ - $ 165,981 $ 106,552Grants 116,899 51,911 168,810 115,615Annual fundraising event 24,815 - 24,815 6,347Sale of Niger goods 6,776 - 6,776 5,578Sale of Niger women's cooperatives goods

549 - 549 3,356

Other program income 956 - 956 600Gain on sale of assets 4,800 - 4,800 833Recovery of (loss from) unauthorized

disbursement (Note 3) - 11,902 11,902 (12,104)Total revenue and support 320,776 63,813 384,589 226,777

ExpensesPrograms:Women's artisan cooperatives 13,302 - 13,302 11,360Education 109,950 - 109,950 138,030Agriculture, water security and animal husbandry

140,151 - 140,151 49,574

Cost of Niger goods 5,063 - 5,063 3,057Cost of Niger women's cooperatives goods 2,137 - 2,137 -

Total program expenses 270,603 - 270,603 202,021

Management and general expenses 39,938 - 39,938 46,377Fundraising expenses 47,850 - 47,850 22,559

Total expenses 358,391 - 358,391 270,957

Change in net assets (37,615) 63,813 26,198 (44,180)Net assets, beginning 137,119 - 137,119 188,387

Realized loss on foreign currency exchange (2,681) - (2,681) (7,088)Net assets, ending $ 96,823 $ 63,813 $ 160,636 $ 137,119

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BALANCE SHEET 2010 2009 (Compiled) ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents (Note 1) $122,239 $112,878 Prepaid expenses 1,704 2,145 Employee education advance (Note 1) 4,800 4,800 Women's cooperatives artisan payments (Note 1) 1,508 86 Total current assets 130,251 119,909 Property and equipment, Net (Note 1): Computer and office equipment 2,577 14,885 Vehicles 22,282 33,720 24,859 48,605 Accumulated depreciation (11,760) (28,037) Total property and equipment, net 13,099 20,568 Other assets: Intangible assets, net (Note 1) 18,137 20,961 Employee education advance (Note 1) 5,767 1,514 Total other assets 23,904 22,475 Total assets $167,254 $162,952

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Current liabilities: Credit cards payable $4,233 $ 175 Women's cooperatives school funds (Note 1) 979 5,001 Payroll taxes payable 1,406 1,257 Fiscal agent funds payable (Note 1) - 19,400 Total current liabilities 6,618 25,833 Net assets: Unrestricted 96,823 137,119 Temporarily restricted 63,813 - Total net assets 160,636 137,119

Total liabilities and net assets $167,254 $162,952

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We are grateful for the support of our donors

whose friendship we cherish.

FY 2010: October 1, 1009 - September 30, 2010

SAHARAN STARS$10,000 +

BID2WIN Software Inc.Hurlbut-Johnson Charitable TrustsThomas W. Haas Izumi FoundationJoanne LampreyMAZON: A Jewish Response to HungerNewman’s Own FoundationRotary Club of ExeterRoth Family FoundationThe Prem Rawat FoundationZakat Foundation of America

DESERT GALAXY$5,000 - $9,999

Liz & Rod BerensOneta & Jon BobbettThe Horne Family FoundationLelia & John LamsonBess Palmisciano & John Ahlgren

SALT OF THE EARTH$1,000 - $4,999

Margaret & Tom AllenAppledore Real Estate Nancy & David BordenDr. Angela BrowneKirsten & Hunter BrownliePatience & Tom ChamberlinIrja & Frank CilluffoGeoffrey Clark & Martha Fuller ClarkJohn U. Davis & Jen Burt-DavisJ. Michael Deasy

Barbara & Thomas DunningtonBarbara & Ivor FreemanKate & Bob HorganLee & Tony IronsRee & Firoze KatrakCharles & Sooky LassenMichele LettiereLossing & Elston Jenny & Guy MarshallMary H. Rice FoundationDavid Hills & Catherine McLaughlin-HillsPAX World Funds Janet Prince & Peter BerghQuincy Hydronic Technology Roderick & Kathy RichardsRockefeller Financial Wealth Advisors Rotary International - DoverSamonas Realty GroupDaphne & Peter SchwabLinda Shaughnessy & Ed LowrieStella SmithEmilie & Dick SpauldingAnn & Peter TarltonElsie Van BurenThe Community Church of DurhamKatie & Doug WheelerPeter Winthrop/OLLI

THE DRUM GROUPSandy Agrafiotis & Carl PehrssonMary & Steve AhlgrenLindsay & David AhlgrenAmanda Ahlgren & Mark PueschelNouf Al-Fahhad

Sooki & Kurt AldagSusan AldenKittery Point Yacht YardFilomena AlviggiBarbara AndersenPhilip AndrycPeggy BadenhausenLynn & John BadgerCatherine BakerGlenn & Sally BarberAnn Beattie & Lincoln PerryPhyllis Bennett & Ray BellesJane & Lucien BergeronBarbara & Charles BickfordHolly BiddleElizabeth BingErnest & Muriel BodenweberLynne BolstadMolly & Jeff BolsterJessica BonkoskiLynne BolstadNicolas BoyonJuliet BradleyDr. Bruce & Irene BragdonZenagui BrahimDorrie &Edward BrockHelen Brock & Doug KnightBarbara BroderickJane & David BrownEllen & Randy BryanIrene & John BushJoyce & Dan CappielloRobert Carrigg, Jr.Janet CarterLawrence CassidyBelknap Dental AssociatesLaura ChandlerHeidi & Cliff ChasePaulette & Brian ChernackBirgit Christiansen & Patrick Malloy

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Kate ClarkKit & Noele ClewsHelen & Ken CohenBurt & Patty CohenKathryn Coke RienhoffThe One CampaignJulie CorsettiMarie CrabtreeSara CrokeJason CurrierJosias Cordeiro da SilvaChris & Stefanie DalyKaren DawsonJan DodooBernard & Gene DohertyJane DoodaGreenland Central SchoolJoan & Bill DrapeauMary Ann & Tim DriscollAnn and Peter DriscollSteve & Margo DruschelDudley & Tom DudleyElizabeth & David DudleyMorgan Dudley & Ted NaughtonMil & Bill DuncanJohn & Mari-beth DziadoszSusan & John EdwardsCarol & Jay EhlenAshraf El-AriniJackie EllisMarion & David EllisHeidi & Bob ElyFred & Barbara EngelbachMary Ann & Guy EspositoElizabeth EspositoElena and David EwingJoyce and Lincoln FairchildCynthia Fenneman & Peter BraddockMichael FerberPeter Fernald & Susan KanorBarbara FerreroElaine and Steve FinkLois FondaPatricia FoxJameson & Priscilla FrenchJackie and Stephen GacekDiane and Paul GallantCatherine and James GardnerDawn and Ben Genes

Fil and Shirley GlanzRachel & John GolderDonna Lee & Gary GoldsteinBambi GoodAnna-Lisa GotschlichJoan & Frank GrafSarah & Jeremy GreerJim GriffinOtto & Jaci GroteDebbie & Dennis GrubbsKathleen & Richard GsottschneiderKathy Gunst & John RudolphBeverly Hallam & Mary-Leigh SmartHelene HallettBill Hamilton & Karen EvansAlbert & Madeline HankardJohn HansonBeryl HarperJerri HarrisThrae Harris & Ed DulchinMargo HarveyJ. Campbell Harvey & J. Elliot BerrySusan & Craig HaskellWilliam HealySusan HeckamanAngela & David HileyBeth HillLouise HirshbergNancy HirshbergJane and Sandy HislopSally HollamanLily HolstonNorma HoltEtoile & Jot HolzaepfelLeslie & Peter HomansRichard & Nancy HowardJennifer HowardW Bronson HowellNancy HubbeHolly Hunter & Dan GairElizabeth & Stephen HunterJohn HurdFlatbread & CompanyAnn & Paul IngemansonRobert & Gwen JacobsFred & Jan JervisJudy & Lloyd Johnson

Jeffrey JohnsonRuth & Larry KaneMaureen KaneTim KapustkaLucy & Ramesh KarnaniBrooks & Mary KennedyAlex & Maggie KennedySarah KennedySusan & Dennis KepnerPhyllis Killam-Abell & Robin WilletsAbigail KingAnita Ruthling Klaussen & Bud CollinsBarbara & Larry KoffDebra KonterCarole & Robert KunstadtPhillip KwongMargaret LamsonRobert LamsonMarty & Dave LefebvreGranite Construction Inc.Robert LeonettiJackie Lessard & Michael FeinsteinMimi & Peter LeVineDonna & Andy LietzJoan LockhartKay LohnesSusan LohseBarbara LondonMarianne LubenowElizabeth & Craig LundSuzanne MacDonald & Dennis MeadowsDan & Marcia MainBarri MarksGreg MarroneMary Beth MartinLaurie MartzRachel May & Tom BrockelmanDr. Larry & Susan MayerDonna and Bruce McAdamLuanne McCarthyBecky Varner & Tom McCormackJackie McDonaldRobin McLaneAnthony McManusLoren & Bonnie Meeker

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Karen Petersen MehraFrancoise & Jochen MeissnerLinda and Robert MendizabalMichele MillerEugene & Dorothy MillsInternational School Of The PeninsulaOlivier MonteilCarol MonteleoniZelita & Tom MorganDiane Morin & Val SheltonBetty Morton BelcherMark MosesSandra & Ted MoskowitzJohn & Kathy MulhernKate & David MurrayGerald & Sally NeedellSarah NewickMary NgDawn NolanMatthew NormanVirginia O'BrienClare O'Brien & Charlie DoaneLarry & Jane O'ConnellMichelle & Martin O'DonnellJean Alexander O'DonnellShaun & Mary O'ShaughnessyJanet Osmund-CulverHendrika OvertonIn Honor of Bess PalmiscianoPamela Palmquist & Jack BinghamIla ParnellJim & Jacqui PattonDana Smith PattonMari PattonMatthew PattonJohn & Holly PerraultSharon PetersJen & Steve PetersonSusan PezzeCrystal PillonJanice Plourde & Peter AgrafiotisGene Porter & Carol Shea PorterMuriel Poulin

The Puckhaber Law OfficesJudith & Peter RandallHusain RasheedRepresentative Robin ReadLuna OrganicsEllen & Allen ReedyAllison Reedy & Shane SmithTara & Robb RillCarrie ReganEric & Janabeth ReitterDrew RemignantiChelsey & David RemingtonWilliam A. Renaud TruckingJanice RibeiroRoddy RichardsCatherine Rielly & James HellingerTara & Robb RillJudy & James RingerDoug RobertsMargy RobertsNewmarket Elementary SchoolEliane & Tom RoddenTherese RosenfeldSarah RosenthalEmma & Walter RousGail SaccoJaimie SacksScott SadePatricia & Louis SalomeTeresa & William SammisNancy & Malcolm SandbergEllie and David SandersonBrenda SargentDenise SassamanDonna Saunders & Michael ChubrichAnika Savage & Michael SalesNina & Reinhard SchumannLaurence Schwab & Linda McMenimanLeonard SeagrenTom SeligmanCynthia & Joe ShanleyJohn ShawLisa and Tom ShermanJoanne Simon & Bill Harris

Paula & Karl SingerSally & Dick SmyserCharlie SneedPeter StanhopeAndrew Stancioff & Randi ChanlerLeah SternMargo & Donald SteverRichard SvensonCathleen SvensonAbby SvensonCy & Bobbie SweetIrma TamayoDelia TarleaR Peter TaylorAnne & Arnet TaylorKathleen & Greg ThayerSue & Bob ThoresenMarie UnderwoodBill VanderwolkCecile VerbekenPaola Vita & Trevor HarrisAndrea Walsh & Andy DavisDeborah WardMichael WarhurstCharlotte WarrenSandy & Sally WarrickJacqueline Webster-PattonCharter Weeks & Marie HarrisDaniel WeichartDonald Weir & Julia BlueCary Wendell & Peggi McCarthyMary Kate WhalenNat & Genie WheelwrightPamela Britton WhiteDavid R WhitmoreAnne Whitney & Susan Kress HamiltonBetsy & Frank WilczekAmity WilczekWendy WirasnikLois WolfPatricia & Christopher WronskyLatifa ZaidJudith & Gerald Zelin

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RAIN’s In-Kind Donors Support these local businesses!

Applebee’sTom BergeronBid2Win Software Inc.Blues TravelerBob’s Clam Hut The Common Man Dover Wine Co.Flatbread & Co.JetBlueThe Music Hall Opus Advisors Philbrick’s Fresh MarketPhineas

RAIN Board of DirectorsRed Hook BreweryRobert’s Maine Grill

Seacoast SportclubSheila Duffy SkincareSugarz SalonZero Gravity Films

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Roderick Richards, ChairLelia Lamson, Vice ChairHarry Schult, TreasurerNancy Borden, SecretaryJohn AhlgrenZenagui BrahimRee KatrakSusan LassenBess PalmiscianoAllison ReedyAnn Tarlton

ADVISORS’ CIRCLEJennifer Burt Davis, MadagascarJohn Uniack Davis, MadagascarThomas W. Haas, USASusan Hirshberg, USAJoanne Lamprey, USAElh. Ben Oumarou, Sultanate of AgadezJennifer Peterson, MadagascarAssalama Sidi Dalawak, Niger

RAIN REMEMBERSOUR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS

BARBARA BROCKELMAN PAUL NEWMAN

& DIANE SEAGREN

WITH WARMTH AND GRATITUDE

R a i n f o r t h e S a h e l a n d S a h a r a 2 0 1 0 A n n u a l R e p o r t 14

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEB SITE: WWW.RAIN4SAHARA.ORGAND THOSE OF OUR 2010 PARTNERS

R a i n f o r t h e S a h e l a n d S a h a r a 2 0 1 0 A n n u a l R e p o r t 15

GET SOCIAL WITH RAIN - BECOME A FAN, FOLLOW US ON TWITTER, WRITE A REVIEW

ON GREAT NONPROFITS.