Rumble: Cyp in Niger

Another picture sent by Cyp. This one is from Agadez in Niger. It is a solar powered satellite communications system, providing voice (telephone) and data (Internet) in the middle of nowhere. Cyp installed it as part of a project mitigating chronic hunger resulting from frequent locust invasions and a severe drought inherent to Sahel countries: several food warehouses were installed across the country, but their older radio network was becoming insufficient to coordinate between the different parties involved.
So this (relative) low cost, compact Gilat satellite system was installed, providing telephone, fax, e-mail and Internet.

Not only the project, as an example of a longer term impact aid project, is fascinating, but also the picture in itself carries quite a bit of a message. Here we are in the middle of nowhere (look at the bushes in the background), and we can communicate to the world. The bit of chicken wire around it, has an opening in the front.. So it is not to keep the chickens out, but more to keep curious spectators away..