April 2008: Update to the Global Board (Benin)

Wawata Epicenter

Start Year: 1997

Phase: 3

Major Accomplishments

• All fish farms have been well maintained and equipped as The Hunger Project-Benin managed to find a consultant who has helped to develop the fisheries.
• Preschool education: 95 children (50 girls) are enrolled in classes at the primary school at Wawata.
• Several Vision, Commitment, and Action (VCA) Workshops were organized.
• A workshop was conducted mobilizing 98 parents to ensure that they send their children to school and provide proper nutrition for their children as well.
• Another VCA workshop took place in conjunction with the 13th celebration of International Women’s Day, entitled “Invest in women and girls." At this workshop, female partners discussed what was necessary to invest in women and then how to reinforce this investment.
• A training was given to members of the Epicenter Committee on the following three themes seeking to build the capacity of local leaders:

  1. The notion of leadership;

  2. Sanctions in the case that certain leaders do not respect rules of good management; and

  3. Resource management at the epicenter.

• 171 children, of whom 80 were girls, were weighed and seen by a health official.
• 250 kgs of soy enriched flour and 25 kgs of soy milk powder were produced to improve the health of children in the epicenter and surrounding villages.
• The necessary steps were taken to ensure that the health clinic will be properly stocked in the second quarter.
• The water tower constructed with the help of The Hunger Project provided clean water to the entire preschool and a large portion of the entire epicenter population.

Kpinnou Epicenter

Start Year: 2000

Phase: 3

Major Accomplishments

• The rabbit breeding center at the epicenter is not only generating income for partners but also serves as a training center for different partners of surrounding villages.
• 18 poultry raising units have been installed in eight villages of partners who have participated in trainings to improve poultry farming techniques.
• 11 animators have been trained in animal husbandry and are able provide assistance to other partners.
• VCA workshops were conducted in Kpinnou, Adohoun and Atchannou for 442 partners who receive credit for the purpose of animal husbandry.
• A training was given to members of the Epicenter Committee on the following three themes seeking to build the capacity of local leaders:

  1. The notion of leadership;

  2. Sanctions in the case that certain leaders do not respect rules of good management; and

  3. Resource management at the epicenter.

• 126 children were weighed and seen by a health official.
• 150 kgs of soy-enriched flour were fabricated.

Major Accomplishments

• Partners continue their farming activities.
• A training was given to members of the Epicenter Committee on the following three themes seeking to build the capacity of local leaders:

  1. The notion of leadership;

  2. Sanctions in the case that certain leaders do not respect rules of good management; and

  3. Resource management at the epicenter.

Major Accomplishments

• The village store opened and seeks to make more products available to partners living in proximity to the epicenter.
• A training was given to members of the Epicenter Committee on the following three themes seeking to build the capacity of local leaders:

  1. The notion of leadership;

  2. Sanctions in the case that certain leaders do not respect rules of good management; and

  3. Resource management at the epicenter.

In total, 21 people (16 women) took part in this training.

• 150 children (85 girls) were weighed and seen by a health official.
• 50 kgs of soy-enriched flour was produced.

Major Accomplishments

• Two latrines were constructed in two villages that are part of the Avlamè Epicenter.
• Construction is in progress for an epicenter food processing machine. This machine will help increase production of baobab and orange juice.
• The stock of the food bank (five tons of maize, two tons of soybeans and two tons of peanuts) has been put on the market.
• A training has been conducted for women leading the bank on how to improve the reimbursement rate.
• 50 children are currently enrolled in the preschool at the epicenter. This school is officially recognized by the state.
• 4 km of road have been repaired.
• Workshops have been conducted to keep partners mobilized. In total, 960 partners (540 women) have participated.
• A training was given to members of the Epicenter Committee on the following three themes seeking to build the capacity of local leaders:

  1. The notion of leadership;

  2. Sanctions in the case that certain leaders do not respect rules of good management; and

  3. Resource management at the epicenter.

All 9 members of the committee took part in this training.

• 192 children (76 girls) were weighed and seen by a doctor.
• 316 children were vaccinated against tuberculosis, tetanus, polio, measles, rubella, and yellow fever.
• The following products were produced in an effort to improve child nutrition in the epicenter and surrounding villages:
  • 850 kgs of soy-enriched flour;
  • 220 kgs of moringa powder;
  • 25 Kgs of soymilk powder; and
  • 58 kgs of dried moringa leaves to be transformed at a later date.
• 800 treated bed nets have been distributed at a reduced price to pregnant woman and wet mothers.

Major Accomplishments

• The food bank stock (1.8 tons of maize, 1.6 tons of soy, 3 tons of peanuts and 1 ton of rice) were put on the market.
• The preschool currently has 76 students enrolled (31 girls). This preschool has been recognized by the state.
• As a result of a number of VCA workshops, a few different community projects have been initiated to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These projects include:
  • Latrines at Ouissi and Bariba;
  • Food production in 12 villages;
  • Food storage at Kipou, Gbagbédji, Gbédavo, Barro and Gozounmè; and
  • Child nutrition and the construction of huts for nutritional monitoring.

  A total of 1,272 partners (953 women) have taken part in these activities.

• 554 children (288 girls) have been monitored (weighed and seen by a nurse).
• 380 children were vaccinated against tuberculosis, tetanus, polio, measles, rubella, and yellow fever.
• The following products were produced in an effort to improve child nutrition in the epicenter and surrounding villages:
  
  • 250 kgs of soy-enriched flour;
  • 10 kgs of moringa powder;
  • 25 Kgs of soymilk powder; and
  • 50 kgs of dried moringa leaves.
    
• 90 pregnant women received prenatal care as well as their vaccinations at the epicenter.
• Six women gave birth to healthy babies this quarter.
• With the support of The Hunger Project, the epicenter community has improved the quality of water available for food processing.
• Two latrines were built in two epicenter villages.

Major Accomplishments

• New equipment reducing the drudgery in cassava processing and palm oil production has been installed.
• 104 children (39 girls) were weighed and seen by a health official.
• 221 children were vaccinated against tuberculosis, tetanus, polio, measles, rubella, and yellow fever.
• 80 kgs of soy-enriched flour was produced.

Zakpota Epicenter

Start Year: 2007

Phase: 3

Major Accomplishments

• Food bank stock (2 tons of maize, 4 tons of soy, 5 tons of peanuts, ½ ton of beans, 4 tons of sesame and 2 tons of sorghum) was put on the market.
• Literacy:
  • 90 literacy centers were opened throughout the course of the quarter.
  • At least 2,500 adult students (2,275 women) have been trained by the 90 animators (35 women). The students learn literacy and numeracy in their local language.
• Partners received a capacity building training for local leadership. 16 partners (7 women) took part.
• 256 wet mothers participated in a session on nutritional monitoring at the epicenter. The objective of this session was to emphasize the importance of maternal and child health.
• Ten women animators were trained in baby weighing.
• 158 children (93 girls) were targeted for nutritional monitoring at the epicenter.
• 24 animators were trained to conduct activities in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
• AIDS and Gender Inequality: Trained animators began to disseminate information to communities in the form of workshops. 8,600 people have participated (6,082 women).

Gohomey Epicenter

Start Year:

2000: IPEAA

2007: SPIA

Phase: 1

Major Accomplishments

• Monitoring and support to loan groups and loan committee members.