In April, DAI launched its 40th ministry center in Niamey, Niger. This has long been a dream of DAI’s Francophone staff because leadership development is one of the critical needs of the country’s Christian minority (Christians number less than 1% of Niger’s Muslim-majority population). Moreover, Niger is strategically positioned to engage Christian leaders in neighboring Mali and Chad.
This launch is the result of many years of prayer and hard work. In 2018, the DAI staff of neighboring Burkina Faso began to work with four MAOL (Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership) students from Niger to train leaders in their home country. They started by holding non-formal workshops in the capital city of Niamey and have since been able to train around 80 Christian leaders.
When a ministry center is established in a country, the Christian community then has a localized center which is focused on the unique needs of its leaders. Like all DAI ministry centers, Niger’s is an independent organization run by its own director and governed by its own board. The goal is to train local facilitators, multiply non-formal workshops and eventually be able to host its own master’s program.
Elisabeth, Hannatou and Marie, three facilitators for DAI’s nonformal training in Niger.
Hannatou (middle) is an MAOL graduate.
We are full of hope and excitement for Niger after this important development! The first step in bringing positive change in any situation is effective, servant-hearted leadership, and we can’t wait to see how God uses DAI Niger to bring about his purposes.
