Jim "Yacouba" Knowlton is a missionary with SIM. He was born in Nigeria,but came to Niger at the age of 7 weeks and has lived most of his life in the country: about 30 of his 45 years. Jim is very fluent in one of the many local dialects and this makes life much easier in Niger because local people don't expect to find a blond American talking their language and
knowing their customs!
Recently he passed the exam in the US getting his KC0IFR callsign and immediately after he obtained his 5U7JK license, too.
Jim is now active almost daily. His QSL Manager is I2YSB and cards are OK both direct and via the Italian Bureau.

The Hausa proverb says: "a patient man can dig a well with a needle". That's how life is in Niger: it's hard and it takes a lot of patience.

To get "5U7JK" took 41 visits to 15 different offices in 4 Government Ministries over a period of 5 months and 3 days! But it's been worth it, since every day is a pileup in Niger. And sometimes you need that needle when you're on this side of the pileup!