One hundred and thirty families live in Issa’s village. Millet is their main crop representing 80% of the agricultural production. It is also the staple diet that people depend on and often use as currency. This year, birds and late rains decimated the village’s harvest. As of March 2007, there is almost no food in Dan-Makaho.

A lean harvest can set in motion a cascade of events - most of them ruinous. It is a matter of honor for men to be able to feed their families. Many men leave the village in hope of finding work rather than watching their families starve if they stay. With the men away from home, women carry much of the burden during the hardest periods.

The men and women of Issa’s village are proud, warm people. These people are the holders of stories, songs and traditions that will only survive if the community is kept intact.