Rock for Niger is a non-profit organisation working in partnership with the foundation Making Niger Our Business! It is made up of undergraduate students in marketing at Telfer School Of Management at the University of Ottawa. Guy Laflamme, a professor of marketing at the University of Ottawa since 1992, wanted to foster a better understanding of marketing principles while demonstrating that this essential function should not be taken lightly, as has too often been the case in the corporate environment. He wanted his students to grasp that marketing does not exist in isolation from society and should be practised with respect for the community and awareness of business ethics. He also wanted to channel his students’ creative energy so that they could contribute to their world.

The “Making Niger Our Business!” campaign began in September 2005 with the involvement of more than 150 students. The challenge was to develop and implement a marketing campaign that would find sustainable solutions to Niger’s problems. These future entrepreneurs decided to help the African country of Niger by offering to its population long-term solutions in education and health.

In past semesters, students from other classes raised about $250,000 in medical equipment from hospitals in the national capital area. Recently, Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa has donated several thousands of textbooks from their own library. This represents almost 25% of the library of the University of Niger management school. All of this is patiently waiting in a container ready to be shipped to Niger. Every ticket sold will allow to our container to cross some kilometres and to cross borders and make its way to them.