Christmas in Benin

Well, we did it. the volunteer class of 2006 made it through our first Christmas. AND we had a great time! Christmas Eve, we helped give a party for about 120 orphans through an NGO called Victory Way in Parakou. We gave presents that had been donated throughout the year and the staff cooked a fabulous meal of goat and rice. As I said in the pictures, this was probably one of the only times these kids will get a piece of meat for the year. Though it did feel good to be involved and give just a little something to these kids, I do not think I would do it again. The surface message being sent was not something I agree with. We are here to teach and promote self-sustainable skills and mass giving, though an amazing quick-fix does not mesh with the long term plan. Christmas day was nice with the other volunteers. We started with a pancake breakfast and went to a hotel pool. After a relaxing day we ended by treating ourselves to the nicest dinner I've had in country. I had salad and pizza with a glass of wine followed by a beer. This whole meal cost about $16 USD. I remember in the states when I used to drop that with no problem at a burger king. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and will have a great new year. Christmas is pretty widely practiced here but teh huge party comes in January. It's called Tabaski and it's a Muslim tradition. So far the only thing I can get out of people about it is that LOTS of goats are killed and eaten. Whoo-Hoo, meat!

rugby has hit benin!!!

so while sitting at a bar the other night with a fellow rugger/volunteer; we see a Beninese man walking by...with a rugby ball, like a Gilbert brand real rugby ball! WHAT? They practice twice a week at the soccer stadium and have some numbers. We hope to catch a practice soon. There is no other known activity in Benin so these guys just have to scrimmage themselves. Even so, what a great initiative! This could be the next activity for my english club, field trip kiddies! I'll try to grab some pics for everyone. So it has been confirmed, rugby has reached all corners of the globe.

my projects

i just realized that i've been posting pics and some explanations but not a full picture of what i'm doing right now. here's a list of things i'm either starting or continuing. if you have any ideas or could make any of these better, PLEASE let me know (remille5@yahoo.com).

1. my main project is reorganizing an NGO (non-government organization)based in the small village of Guinagourou. It's called GARPE and is a French acronym meaning for the betterment of children. our money making activity is growing and selling moringa. we work with a women's group in a nearby village called Bougnakou. We have the beginnings of a modest "factory", a two room building. one for an office and one for production and packaging. there is still a lot to be done at this site such as build a latrine and actually buy the necessary equipment for the inside. this february we are starting a "marketing campaign" at the village level. we will be educating people on the benefits of moringa and making it available at an affordable cost. we think the most we can sell it for right now is between 100 and 500 francs (that's between 10 cents and a dollar)

2. i am starting an english club with our middle schoolers. every saturday we will meet and work on things like accent, cultural questions and hopefully writing letters to a classroom in Painesville.

3. there are NO books here! as someone who passed many a rainy day lost in a story it is inconceivable to me that leisure reading isn't an option for these kids. there are no encyclopedias or dictionaries either. the challenge now is to find books in French.

i hope this gives a little more light on what i'm doing over here. hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season! it still feels very much like august here.

pics and parties

pics are up! just got back from a few really exciting events! first of all, i got to see a Moringa formation take place with about 60 Beninese participants. it was great! the first day people learned how to properly transform Moringa leaves to powder and the second day we got to cook and more importantly, eat. we started with bouille. that's a porridge like, corn or millet based thick liquid that you can just add a tablespoon of moringa to. after that was rice with fish and sauce, again with moringa added, with a lovely side of fresh moringa leaf salad. everything tasted great! since i was a bit south anyways, i continued on to Bohicon, a town near Abomey which is known for it's voo-doo culture. there was a massive fete for the 100th anniversary of the death of a king (back in the days when Benin was a kingdom called Dahomey). it was great and we even got to see the president Yayi Boni (said just like it's spelled). the next night was when we saw the dancers. they sang and danced all traditional songs and dances. this is based on a history of the white man invading and taking over a kingdom of very proud people. i'd be lying if i said i wasn't a little uncomfortable. it was amazing to see but was definitely a reminder that i am always a visitor here. although, people make me feel at home everyday!