Benin, a small country in West Africa, has seen high levels of economic growth (5%) for several years. With sustained population growth, however (about 11 million inhabitants in 2017), the cycle of poverty is keeping whole swathes of the population in a vulnerable situation and threatening their prosperity. Nationally, one in three children are still suffering from malnutrition.

In Ouidah, a city on the Atlantic coast 42 kilometers from the capital, the literacy rate among the adult female population is barely 50%.

Goals

Educating girls improves the chances that they will not marry too young, will avoid HIV and will have children in good health.

It also substantially reduces the risks of war and subjection to extremist influences.

The aim of the project is therefore to finance school fees for young orphaned girls living in the Ouidah region.

The grants cover school fees, uniform and necessary school equipment, and amount to about 120 Canadian dollars per year for each girl.

Espoir d’Enfants

Myriad Canada  works with "Espoir d’Enfant" on implementation of this project. In 2003 Serge, who was working as a Beninese teacher at the time, began to gather a few street children at his home. A few years later he managed to create a small orphanage which he called “Espoir d’Enfant” (Children's Hope).  An enthusiastic, dynamic and generous man, he involves his whole family in the management and running of the orphanage, which is located in the south of the country in Ouidah and is now home to about sixty children aged 2 to 16 years.

In 2008, Suzanne Douville and Richard Strzelec had a memorable stay there which gave them an increased awareness of the scale and importance of the needs of young children, including the need for education.

The Foundation Myriad Canada is pleased to be working alongside them and to benefit from their commitment and expertise, which will allow donations to have the greatest possible impact and to minimise costs.