BENIN

(MissionNewswire) Youth attending Foyer Don Bosco, located in Porto-Novo, Benin, received a shipment of nutritious meals through a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Rise Against Hunger, a nonprofit that helps underserved people worldwide achieve food security and resilience through nutrition, education and economic empowerment. The meals fed 550 youth in the first half of 2025.

Porto-Novo faces issues related to urbanization, sanitation and high vulnerability of families. The need for food remains constant. Even when families manage to meet this need temporarily, the lack of stable income often causes the issue to resurface.

A Salesian noted, “One of the main successes of the project has been its strong emotional impact and positive reaction of the children. The project also contributed to improving the community’s nutrition with fewer cases of malnutrition-related illness reported. The feeding program also allowed children to remain focused on their education without interruptions from hunger.”

One of the recipients is Franck, age 10, who lives at Foyer Don Bosco. He said, “Beforehand, many of us did not always have enough to eat. Sometimes, we were hungry, and it was difficult to follow the lessons being taught. Today, we’re able to have meals and eat properly. When I eat, I am happy, I feel strong and I can learn well at school. For us, a meal is not just about eating. It is about finding joy, no longer thinking about the streets, and no longer being afraid to resort to stealing or begging. It is also knowing that someone, somewhere, is thinking of us and loves us.”

Fr. Emannuel Azagba noted, “On behalf of the Don Bosco Center in Porto-Novo, I extend our heartfelt thanks for the food assistance received through Rise Against Hunger. Providing a meal to a vulnerable child goes far beyond feeding. It is helping them believe in their future and grow in good health while keeping them in school without the burden of survival and protecting them from the street. It is also a way of preserving family unity in contexts where poverty often breaks bonds.”

For 30 years, the Don Bosco Center has been welcoming the most vulnerable children. Salesians protect, educate, train, and reintegrate them, restoring dignity and hope.

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with close to 70% of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5-13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country, and almost 20% are chronically undernourished.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Benin

UNICEF – Benin

The post BENIN: 550 youth receive healthy meals through Rise Against Hunger’s partnership with Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BENIN

(MissionNewswire) Salesian volunteers from Malta and France recently visited Cotonou, Benin to help provide support and resources for children who had been living on the streets. Two volunteers, Albert and Fay, were part of a mission led by “No Limits”, from the Friends of Don Bosco under the guidance and mentorship of Bryan Magro, the president of the World Confederation of Past Pupils.

The volunteers visited a center for street children run by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. Thanks to the generosity of many sponsors, Albert and Fay were able to provide the children with essentials including school supplies, hygiene products, and large bags of rice and pasta.

Magro explained, “This year was the volunteers’ second visit to Benin. Nothing is impossible when you believe in Don Bosco’s mission for the young, especially the poor, because love really opens all doors, and these children teach us the best lesson of love.”

Salesian programs in Cotonou provide education and care. At the centers, children have their basic needs met including shelter, nutrition, clothing, and access to adults who help them feel safe and protected from the exploitation and violence many faced while living on the streets.

These centers often first provide psychological assistance when a child enters the program. Staff members work to understand the family or child labor issues facing each child. Then, children receive health care, food support, hospitality, housing, school reintegration and vocational training. Education ranges from primary and secondary school to skills training to prepare them for the workforce.

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70% of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5-13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20% are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – Benin – The Friends of Don Bosco reach Benin: a dream realised with love and dedication

Salesian Missions – Benin

UNICEF – Benin

The post BENIN: Volunteers provide basic needs to children in need first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BENIN

(MissionNewswire) Children at Foyer Don Bosco (Don Bosco Kandi), a home for abused and abandoned children in Kandi, Benin, have their needs met thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funding covered food for three months, school fees for 10 children and clothing for 50 children at Christmas.

Leon Kansomede, age 8, was appreciative of the clothing he received. He said, “I celebrated Christmas well at Don Bosco Kandi and received beautiful clothes and had a nice party. Thank you and may the Lord bless you.”

Kaifatou Tino is a sewing apprentice who had her school fees paid so she could continue her education. “I thank Don Bosco for the financial help. It has enabled me to remain in school and have hope for the future.”

Foyer Don Bosco serves boys and girls in very complex situations, including those who have been abandoned by their families, victims of abuse, and victims of forced marriages. The area of Kandi often has an influx of children who are on their own. Children are sometimes sold on the black market and exploited in the workforce. A transit home was started with the support of UNICEF to host these children, while guiding them to other homes or trying to find their families.

Foyer Don Bosco was created for children who have nowhere else to go or need to stay for long periods of time. In collaboration with the juvenile courts of Benin, minors who are in conflict with the law and in high-risk situations are assisted by the Salesians. The border police also intercept children being trafficked from Niger and Burkina Faso.

Foyer Don Bosco relies on donations so that Salesians can provide youth with food, clothing, education and medical care. Salesians also work with families and try to provide reunification when appropriate.

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Benin

UNICEF – Benin

The post BENIN: At-risk children receive food, clothing first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BENIN

(MissionNewswire) Children at Foyer Don Bosco, a home for abused and abandoned children in Kandi, Benin, have received food support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funding provided food support for 36 children, as well as cleaning products and medicines for the infirmary. Ten girls and boys have also benefited from the purchase of toolboxes for various trades.

Lamidi Mounira, age 17, was one of the recipients. “I dropped out of school because my parents couldn’t afford it. I was at home when I was approached by Foyer Don Bosco and convinced to continue my education so I can learn a trade.”

Foyer Don Bosco serves boys and girls in very complex situations, including those who have been abandoned by their families, victims of abuse, and victims of forced marriages. The area of Kandi often has an influx of children who are on their own. Children are sometimes sold on the black market and exploited in the workforce. A transit home was started with the support of UNICEF to host these children, while guiding them to other homes or trying to find their families.

Foyer Don Bosco was created for children who have nowhere else to go or need to stay for long periods of time. In collaboration with the juvenile courts of Benin, minors who are in conflict with the law and in high-risk situations are assisted by the Salesians. The border police also intercept children being trafficked from Niger and Burkina Faso.

Foyer Don Bosco relies on donations so that Salesians can provide youth with food, clothing, education and medical care. Salesians also work with families and try to provide reunification when appropriate. Currently, there are 40 youth in the home, ranging in age from 5 to 15.

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Benin

UNICEF – Benin

The post BENIN: Children receive food support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BENIN

(MissionNewswire) Children at Foyer Don Bosco, a home for abused and abandoned children in Kandi, Benin, have their needs met thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funding covered new clothing for 30 children. Additional funding provided food support for 36 children, as well as cleaning products and medicines for the infirmary. Ten girls and boys have also benefited from the purchase of toolboxes for various trades.

Coco Benie, one young boarder at Foyer Don Bosco, said, “Thank you for your support. My housemates and I are happy to have new outfits to celebrate like other children who are with their parents.”

Mounanvi Mariano is an apprentice tailor with Foyer Don Bosco who was supported by this donation. She said, “Thanks to the help of Salesian Missions, I was able to get glasses which have allowed me to see better and to accelerate my learning.”

Foyer Don Bosco serves boys and girls in very complex situations, including those who have been abandoned by their families, victims of abuse, and victims of forced marriages. The area of Kandi often has an influx of children who are on their own. Children are sometimes sold on the black market and exploited in the workforce. A transit home was started with the support of UNICEF to host these children, while guiding them to other homes or trying to find their families.

Foyer Don Bosco was created for children who have nowhere else to go or need to stay for long periods of time. In collaboration with the juvenile courts of Benin, minors who are in conflict with the law and in high-risk situations are assisted by the Salesians. The border police also intercept children being trafficked from Niger and Burkina Faso.

Foyer Don Bosco relies on donations so that Salesians can provide youth with food, clothing, education and medical care. Salesians also work with families and try to provide reunification when appropriate. Currently, there are 40 youth in the home, ranging in age from 5 to 15.

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Benin

UNICEF – Benin

The post BENIN: Children in need receive clothing first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BENIN

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are working to give youth involved in child labor hope for a better future at four Don Bosco Foyer centers in Benin. Two are located in Porto-Novo, one in Cotonou and another in Kandi. Most of the youth in the program had left their poor families and were looking for work. Some parents had entrusted their children to craftsmen to learn a trade only to find that the children were treated like slaves. Other times, children are forced to work to help the family. All of these children have dropped out of school and face exploitation and abuse.

“It is an illusion that drags many minors into insecure contexts and so they end up living on the street. Our objective is to restore dignity to the child, to educate him so that he truly finds his place in the society, as a man created in the image and likeness of God,” explained Father Aurélien Ahouangbe, director of the Foyer Don Bosco in Porto-Novo in an interview with the Osservatore Romano and reported by Vatican News.

Don Bosco Foyer is a residential home for children coming directly from the street. Children’s most basic needs are met, including shelter, proper nutrition, clothing, and access to adults who help them feel safe and protected from the exploitation and violence many faced while living on the streets.

Don Bosco Foyer first provides psychological assistance when a child enters the program. Staff members work to understand the family or child labor issues facing each child. Then, children receive health care, food support, hospitality, housing, school reintegration and vocational training. Some young people study until their graduation while others receive skills training.

Fr. Ahouangbe is committed to combating child labor. To address the issue, Salesian missionaries in Benin have also built counseling kiosks in the markets and along national borders. These kiosks are monitored by teams of government officials, police officers and social workers who check the age and working and living conditions of minors. If they determine that the youth are under age 14 or that they are being mistreated, the minor is taken into Salesian care.

“We listen to them, accompany them into the community and look for their parents,” explained Fr. Ahouangbe. “We make the family aware of the laws that protect children and, if appropriate, we return their children to them and monitor them at home, ensuring their education and psychological assistance in case they have been mistreated.”

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5-13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – Benin – Don Bosco Foyers give dignity and rights to exploited minors

Salesian Missions – Benin

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

Vatican News – In Benin, the Foyer Don Bosco gives dignity and rights to exploited children

The post BENIN: Children exploited as labor find safety and hope first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BENIN

(MissionNewswire) The Mamma Margherita Salesian Center, operated by Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Cotonou, Benin, has started an introductory art course for street children from the Dantokpa open-air market. The project is leading children to discover their hidden talents, increasing their self-esteem and teaching them to establish themselves in society. Educators provide support to and teach children to stretch the canvas, prepare the necessary material and paint.

“Teaching children art skills gives them another healthy outlet for self-expression,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Street children in Benin suffer many injustices. Having adults they can turn to for support and a way to express themselves are important steps in their healing.”

The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians have been active in the Dantokpa market since 2001, where they have been working to reintegrate youth known as “vidomegon” into society and their families of origin. Vidomegon is a legacy of colonial custom. In the past, young girls from rural households were entrusted to a tutor to ensure the girls had access to a better education.

Today, these young girls are often sold into slavery by the poorest families and employed as low-cost laborers in private homes and in markets. They are victims of psychological and physical violence of all kinds. These young girls spend their lives working day and night, sleeping under benches, and are often exploited and abused.

In 2017, Salesians launched a new center for girls known as the Maison de l’Esperance. The main objective of the initiative is to provide young girls with a place where they can sleep in total safety, but also to raise awareness and provide support activities. In addition to receiving comfortable mattresses to sleep on, the girls have access to a psychologist and an assistant who will help them to overcome the traumas they have suffered. They also have access to skills training, and many go on to become bakers, cooks and pastry makers.

The girls first enter the program right in the market at Barra Vidomegon, a Salesian shelter where girls can rest, ask for help and find support participating in recreational activities. After they are provided information about the Salesian center, they can choose to formally enter the program. The dormitory can accommodate up to 70 girls each night.

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5-13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – Benin – Street children introduced to art to increase their self-esteem

Salesian Missions – Benin

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

The post BENIN: Street children increase self-esteem through art course first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BENIN

(MissionNewswire) Homeless children have support at the Foyer Don Bosco, a home for abused and abandoned children in Kandi, Benin, thanks to the support of Salesian Missions donors. Foyer Don Bosco serves boys and girls in very complex situations, including those who have been abandoned by their families, victims of abuse and victims of forced marriages.

Through the funding provided by Salesian Missions, Foyer Don Bosco was able to have the ongoing support it needed to facilitate several initiatives, educating more than 3,700 people on the rights of children and the child protective systems. This included educating parents about the rights and duties of children, alert mechanisms, and early detection of vulnerable situations in children. In addition, Foyer Don Bosco was able to teach school children and apprentices about their rights and duties as well as about personal hygiene and whistleblowing mechanisms in the event of abuse, violence and exploitation.

Foyer Don Bosco also brought its message to a broader audience and held public awareness events in the markets and on the radio about Benin’s criminal law in the event of abuse, trafficking, mistreatment or exploitation of children. Education was provided to local authorities and religious leaders about their role in the protection of children.

Directly for children and families, with the Salesian Missions donor funding, Foyer Don Bosco was able to care for 77 children at the home, including 22 young girls; reinsert 50 children between 15 and 17 years old into the programs; and reintegrate 50 children between the ages of 12 and 17 years old with their families.

One of the beneficiaries was Mireille, who is 15 years old. At the age of 8, her parents brought her from her village to stay with a close relative in Kandi. Early on, her schooling stopped and she had to work in the home. Later, she worked in a vegetable market to help her family survive.

Mireille said, “At the age of 10, I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to leave the house and found myself on the street. While meeting with educators from Foyer Don Bosco in 2017 in the Kandi market, I had the chance to learn about the program. They offered me a chance to stay at Foyer Don Bosco and resume my education. I learned literacy and cutting and tailoring with the Salesian sisters. Thank you to the Foyer Don Bosco for taking me out of my suffering.”

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

The Foyer Don Bosco project, like many that are funded by Salesian Missions, needs ongoing support from donors. To contribute to this project or others, Salesian Missions offers a “Fund a Project” section on its website with more details.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Benin

UNICEF – Benin

The post BENIN: Salesian Missions donors provide funding for education and care for children at Foyer Don Bosco in Kandi first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In 2017, Merckx and three other teachers launched an international project within their school, Saint-Vincent de Paul of Brussels, to address issues such as prejudices, stereotypes and discrimination. Fifteen students were selected to participate in the project. Together with VIA Don Bosco, the teachers organized seminars on migration and refugees, media education and gender equality. Then videos were produced to raise awareness among the other students on these issues.

The project was selected to be a part of a broader “Move with Africa” project. This broader project is a Global Solidarity Education (ECMS) initiative launched by the Belgian organization La Libre with the participation of eight other Belgian organizations, including VIA Don Bosco. It is a project that has a holistic approach to the role of young people in a changing society.

“Being selected for a project that leads to an intercultural journey has helped motivate students,” says Merckx. “The workshops on Wednesday afternoons, the preparatory weekend and fundraising activities that are a part of the global initiative require considerable effort, but the idea of reaching other young people in Benin was worth it.”

Students were able to visit Salesian programs like Don Bosco Foyer in Porto-Novo that serves boys and girls in very complex situations, including youth who have been abandoned by their families, victims of abuse and those who are victims of forced marriages. The program is a residential home for children coming directly from the street. Children’s most basic needs are met, including shelter, proper nutrition, clothing and access to adults who help them feel safe and protected from the exploitation and violence many faced while living on the streets.

Salesian missionaries also operate Foyer Magone, which is another residential facility for youth who have stabilized after spending time at Don Bosco Foyer. At Foyer Magone, youth are able to go to school and gain an education, including taking workshops that help prepare them for the workforce. Youth take workshops in subjects like carpentry, motorcycle mechanics and welding.

After returning from the trip to Benin, Merckx noticed a change in his students. He notes, “Most of them have opened their minds and now they question and challenge themselves more, rather than taking an attitude of judgment. For example, they changed their opinions on immigrants, society and the media, which play a major role in resolving these prejudices.”

“Initially, they had an attitude of rejection towards these people, for fear that they would come to take away their jobs,” adds Merckx. “Now they do not have the naiveté to believe that there are already ready-made solutions, but they do understand that rejection is not a reasonable answer. The trip also allowed students to become more interested in the causes of economic inequalities, which push people to leave their countries in the hope of a better future.”

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

ANS – Benin – “Move with Africa”. Educating young people with an open and international mind

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

ANS photo

The post BENIN: Youth in Belgium visit Salesian programs in Benin to learn about cultural differences and the struggles youth face first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Vidomegon, as they are known, are a legacy of colonial custom. In the past, young girls from rural households were entrusted to a tutor to ensure the girls had access to a better education. Today, these young girls are often sold into slavery by the poorest families and employed as low-cost laborers. Vidomegons are victims of psychological and physical violence of all kinds. Their childhoods are spent working in private homes and in markets. These young girls spend their lives working day and night, sleeping under benches and are often exploited and abused.

The new reception center entails the construction of a new building at the “Maison de l’Esperance,” a Salesian center for girls who have already begun to change their lives. The main objective of the initiative is to provide young girls with a place where they can sleep in total safety, but also to raise awareness and provide support activities. In addition to receiving comfortable mattresses to sleep on, the girls will be followed by a psychologist and an assistant who will help them to overcome the traumas suffered and to access skills training in order for them to gain a better life. Many become bakers, cooks and pastry makers.

The girls first enter the program right in the market at Barra Vidomegon, a Salesian shelter where girls can rest, ask for help and find support participating in recreational activities. After they are provided information about the Salesian center, they can choose to formally enter the program. The new reception center will be a girls’ dormitory that accommodate up to 70 girls each night.

“Salesian programs are so successful in part because they remain flexible and diversified to meet the needs of their students, and girls’ education has remained a priority area in Salesian programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Being an integral part of the communities in which they work, Salesian missionaries and Salesian sisters are aware of local needs first-hand and are then able to develop programs to directly address those needs.”

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

ANS – Benin – Rights of Children and Adolescents, in support of “vidomegon”

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

The post BENIN: New dormitory provides safe haven for young girls kept as child laborers first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Through the exhibition, Don Bosco Solidarity educated young children and older youth to change the way they see life under the motto “The secret of a better world.” The educational initiative aimed to create opportunities to learn more about the plight of street children and ways in which Salesian missionaries are helping youth across the country. It both raised awareness of the issue of homeless and at-risk youth and aimed to provide educational opportunities to help.

Salesian missionaries used the end of the school term to launch the “The secret of a better world” educational campaign. Both students and primary school teachers sought to expand their own personal vision of what’s happening in communities. Through drawings, storytelling, analysis of advertising and numerous other methods, children reflected on how to put an end to poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change. They were able to take a global view of their day-to-day existence.

“Innovative and creative projects help youth better express themselves and take a world view of problems affecting their communities and those around the globe. These projects also challenge youth to help contribute solutions to global issues,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Salesian missionaries across Benin are focused on helping to provide education and social development programs for poor and at-risk youth. The Salesian-run Mamá Margarita House, which took part in the project, continues to provide services to homeless and at-risk youth. At Mamá Margarita house, children access safe shelter and education that allows them to improve their chances in life. Workshops in dressmaking and motorcycle repairs have been provided so youth have an opportunity to gain the skills needed for long-term employment to improve their living conditions.

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

ANS – Benin – Better opportunities for Cotonou street children with “Change the story” project

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

The post BENIN: Salesian missionaries complete Benin project aimed at raising awareness of issues facing homeless and at-risk youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Don Bosco Solidarity educates young children and older youth to change the way they see life under the motto “The secret of a better world.” The educational initiative aims to create opportunities to learn more about the plight of street children and ways in which Salesian missionaries are helping youth across the country. It both raises awareness of the issue of homeless and at-risk youth and aims to provide educational opportunities to help.

In Cadiz, instead of the traditional popular festival held in the area, Salesian missionaries launched a fundraiser for projects aimed at helping at-risk youth in Benin and Burkina Faso. While this was happening, Salesian missionaries used the end of the school term to launch the “The secret of a better world” educational campaign. Both students and primary school teachers sought to expand their own personal vision of what’s happening in communities.

Through drawings, storytelling, analysis of advertising and numerous other methods, children reflected on how to put an end to poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change. They were able to take a global view of their day-to-day existence.

“Innovative and creative projects help youth better express themselves and take a world view of problems affecting their communities and those around the globe. These projects also challenge youth to help contribute solutions to global issues,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Salesian missionaries across Benin are focused on helping to provide education and social development programs for poor and at-risk youth. For example, Don Bosco Foyer in Porto-Novo, the capital city of Benin, serves boys and girls in very complex situations, including youth who have been abandoned by their families, victims of abuse and those who are victims of forced marriages. The program is a residential home for children coming directly from the street. Children’s most basic needs are met, including shelter, proper nutrition, clothing and access to adults who help them feel safe and protected from the exploitation and violence many faced while living on the streets.

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

ANS – Benin – “The secret of a better world”: from Spain to Benin

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

The post BENIN: New Awareness Programs Launch to Better Understand Plight of Homeless and At-Risk Youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The program is a residential home for children coming directly from the street. Children’s most basic needs are met, including shelter, proper nutrition, clothing and access to adults who help them feel safe and protected from the exploitation and violence many faced while living on the streets. Salesian missionaries also operate Foyer Magone, which is another residential facility for youth who have stabilized after spending time at Don Bosco Foyer.

At Foyer Magone, youth are able to go to school and gain an education including taking workshops that help prepare them for the workforce. Youth are able to take workshops in subjects like carpentry, motorcycle mechanics and welding. Salesian missionaries also operate three accelerated learning schools focused on youth who have left the state-run schools or dropped out of the educational system altogether. Missionaries try to reach youth where they are while living on the street. The Salesian-run organization Foyer Maman Marguerte operates in the market of Cotonou, helping minors who are working instead of attending schools and those who have been exploited into human trafficking.

In May 2013, Salesian missionaries at Don Bosco Foyer launched a program as part of a European Union collaborative initiative called Development and Action in the Republic of Benin. The program focused on the protection of youth at risk in the areas of Littoral, Ouémé and Alibori.

The four-year initiative culminates in February of 2017. It aims to strengthen the collaboration and coordination of the state and non-state organizations engaged in the protection of children. It identified children at risk and offered them advice, education and the opportunity to be rehabilitated. In addition, the program created awareness among local authorities, community leaders and the general population on the protection of children and the need for community programs to safeguard children’s rights.

“To see real success in the protection of youth, an entire community must be involved,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The program engaged community leaders, worked to unify the systems protecting children and worked with youth one on one, giving them the tools and resources to achieve a brighter future.”

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Sources:

PHOTOS courtesy of Don Bosco Foyer

MissionNewswire – Salesian Programs Focus on Improving Education and Child Rights Education

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

The post BENIN: Salesian Missionaries Provide Shelter and Education to Street Youth in Benin first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In many parts of the world school has become a place for the elite who have economic opportunities. In 2015, UNESCO released a report that noted there are 124 million children and young people who are not in school including 52.9 million in Africa. Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of five and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

“Most people ignore the problems in the educational system in Benin, which is often based in violence and threats,” says Father Elie Assogba, director of Don Bosco Foyer. “The violation of children’s rights is normalized. Therefore, it is critical that educators work with families and with the other institutions in society to coordinate services and protect the rights of children. Youth may be the best vehicle to raise awareness of their rights among their classmates and peers.”

Don Bosco Foyer offers a home that protects and educates youth, and seeks to create new opportunities so graduates of the program will have the opportunity to build a better future. In May 2013, Salesian missionaries at Don Bosco Foyer launched a program as part of a European Union collaborative initiative called Development and Action in the Republic of Benin. The program focuses on the protection of youth at risk in the areas of Littoral, Ouémé and Alibori.

A four year initiative that culminates in February 2017, the Salesian program’s goal is to strengthen the collaboration and coordination of the state and non-state organizations engaged in the protection of children. It will also work to identify children at risk and offer them advice, education and the opportunity to be rehabilitated. In addition, the program will work to create awareness among local authorities, community leaders and the general population on the protection of children and the need for community programs to safeguard children’s rights.

“To see real success in the protection of youth, an entire community must be involved,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The program works to engage community leaders, unify the systems protecting children and work with youth one on one, giving them the tools and resources to achieve a brighter future.”

This is not the only program the Salesians have in Benin. Through the Vocational Training Center Laura Vicuña, Salesian Sisters are providing shelter, education and training in skills and trades to young girls, many of whom have been victims of trafficking, to give them the opportunity of a more stable life. Other Salesian programs exist in Benin as well, providing poor youth shelter, nutritious meals and education.

“Salesian programs are adaptable to the communities they serve,” says Fr. Hyde. “Education remains at the forefront. Our programs strive to keep youth safe and provide them an education, which is a direct path out of poverty.”

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Sources

ANS – Benin – Faced with a culture in which “violence is part of the education system”

UNESCO – 2015 Report: Findings from the Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

The post BENIN: Salesian Programs Focus on Improving Education and Child Rights Education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

This is the second campaign run by Salesian organizations in Spain to help the people of Benin. In 2014, a container was shipped carrying rice, lentils, beans, pasta and other non-perishable food items as well as donated school supplies, bicycles and t-shirts. The items were donated to several Salesian programs in Porto Novo that provide education, workforce development and social services for poor youth and their families.

“Campaigns like these are a great example of how youth in Salesian programs are able to take what they have learned and pay it forward, supporting families in other communities in a time of need,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Both campaigns for Benin have been possible thanks to the cooperation of many individuals, small businesses, supermarkets, food suppliers and local shops.”

Salesian programs in Benin provide food, clothing, shelter, medical services and education to poor youth. With the goal of caring for youth in supportive environments with access to education and training, Salesian missionaries in the country hope to help break the cycle of poverty and provide hope for the future.

The Saint Joseph Center, run by Salesian Sisters in the city of Parakou in northern Benin, operates with financial assistance from UNICEF and offers children refuge from the cycle of poverty and exploitation. The Salesian Sisters at the center ensure that children receive nutritious meals and enroll in nearby schools, providing the essential support their families cannot. At the Vocational Training Center Laura Vicuña in Benin’s largest city, Cotonou, Salesian Sisters are working with young girls, many of whom have been victims of trafficking, providing shelter and education that includes training in skills and trades in order to create more stable lives for them.

In 2013, Salesian missionaries at Foyer Don Bosco in Porto Novo launched a program as part of a European Union collaborative initiative called, Development and Action in the Republic of Benin. The four year initiative focuses on the protection of youth at risk in the areas of Littoral, Ouémé and Alibori. Through this program, Salesian missionaries are working to strengthen the collaboration, coordination and teamwork of the state and non-state bodies engaged in the protection of children as well as work to identify children at risk, offer them advice and education and rehabilitation. The program is also creating awareness among local authorities and community leaders in addition to the general population on the protection of children and the need for community programs to safeguard their rights.

Youth in Benin face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. Almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished and the effects of poverty in rural areas are severe. Child labor and trafficking are also concerns with about half of all children between the ages of five and 14 engaged in some form of labor.

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Sources:

ANS – Benin – 23,000 kilos of aid for Benin

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

The post BENIN: Salesian Programs in Spain Support Food for Benin Campaign with Recent Shipment first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In 2014, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) produced A Global Report on Trafficking in Persons which offered the first global assessment of the scope of human trafficking and what is being done to fight it. Based on data gathered from 155 countries, the report shows that more than 1.2 million children worldwide are victims of child trafficking which accounts for just over 20 percent of all trafficking victims. In some parts of Africa children are the majority and in parts of West Africa, children make up nearly 100 percent of trafficking victims.

The report also notes that close to 80 percent of human trafficking is for sexual exploitation with the victims being predominantly women and girls. A surprising finding from the report is that in nearly 30 percent of the countries assessed, women make up the largest portion of traffickers. The second most common form of human trafficking, accounting for 19 percent, is forced labor. Although, research notes that this may be underrepresented because forced labor is frequently harder to detect than trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Child victims of trafficking are forced into all types of labor including work on farms, in sweatshops, construction, hotels and restaurants and in private homes as domestic servants. Some are forced to beg on the streets and are used as child soldiers. Others are sold into sexual slavery and forced into prostitution.

In Benin, a country in West Africa, Salesian missionaries are focusing their work on providing hope and healing to victims of child trafficking. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of five and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

The Don Bosco Center in Porto-Novo, the capital city of Benin, cares for more than 200 victims of child trafficking, many who have been sold into slavery by their parents for the equivalent of $30 or less. Nearly 40,000 girls and boys are forced into agricultural or domestic labor each year within the country of Benin alone.

“Trafficking isn’t the children’s wish … and it’s a terrible situation for the girls and boys who suffer it. It kills their hope,” says Marc Tsanda, a child psychologist who works on behalf of rescued youth at the Don Bosco Center.

Tsanda’s work is featured in a recent documentary called, “No Estoy en Venta” (“I am Not for Sale”), produced by the Salesian Missions Office in Madrid, Spain. In the film, he and his colleagues expose the child trafficking that occurs in Benin and in communities across in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America and elsewhere.

Often invisible to society, innocent children are shipped across borders ending up alone in a foreign land where they are forced into labor, exploited, abused and often starved. With no connection to their homeland, they lose their language, self-identity and hope for the future.

“Once they get these children into another country, the traffickers can do what they want with them,” says Father Juan José Gómez, director of the Foyer Don Bosco youth hostel at the Don Bosco Center. “The children have absolutely no rights. Sometimes, they may only eat once a day and that’s only if they’ve worked ‘hard enough.’”

Jules, a boy whose story is highlighted in the documentary, is one of thousands of children in Benin who has endured such horror.

“One day, my father brought me to his friend’s house,” he recalls. “And the friend brought me to Nigeria, to a lady’s house. The lady gave my father’s friend money—and then he left me there, alone. I didn’t know why. And I was scared.”

“The children don’t understand,” confirms Carine Agossou, another psychologist working at the Don Bosco Center. “They say, ‘why have they done this to me?’ And when it’s the people who should be protecting them—the people who should be keeping them safe and sound—that’s very hard to accept.”

Agossou points to poverty first and foremost as the reason parents sell their children. Many families live in conditions of extreme poverty and don’t make enough money to meet their basic needs. Under such desperate conditions, the idea of trading a child for cash becomes a consideration and innocent children like Jules pay the price.

Fortunately for Jules, after years of brutal domestic servitude, he took a chance and escaped, eventually finding his way back across the border where he found the Don Bosco Center in Porto-Novo. At the center, he enjoys safe shelter, nutritious meals and the chance to reclaim his lost childhood. When he is ready, Jules will return to school and begin building the foundation for a future he once thought was impossible.

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Sources:

ANS – 16 April: World day against child slavery

Salesian Missions Madrid – Documentary “I am not for sale”

UNICEF – Benin

UNODC report on human trafficking exposes modern form of slavery

The post BENIN: Salesian Missionaries Provide Hope and Healing to Victims of Child Trafficking first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“I was born in Guinea,” Solange says. “I was 8 years old and I was in second grade at primary school when I left the country.  My grandmother fell sick, and she took me to my mother’s in Cotonou.”

Lost

Separated from her grandmother and living in a new country, Solange found herself in a family with two children, a step-father, and her mother, whom she barely knew. She was lost. She dropped out of school.

“I used to tell her that she is not my mother,” she says. “I insulted her because she had abandoned me in the past. Then she would hit me very hard.”

Two months later, Solange was taken to the home of an aunt. She attended school in the daytime, but in the evening she had to sell rice on the street, staying until midnight to cook and sell food. Her aunt was often angry at her because she did not obey.

“Every evening after school, she used to beat me,” Solange says. “I stood on my knees, and she hit me with an electric wire. She did it most of the time when I broke glasses or made such mistakes.”

When she turned 12, Solange was sexually abused by her aunt’s husband. “I denounced him to my mother, but everyone said I was lying,” she says.

Soon after, Solange became pregnant. The family forced her to have an abortion and sent her back to live with her mother, whose husband raped her. This time, the family listened to her and treated it as a serious matter. They took her to the police to make a formal complaint, but they left her at the police station. Nobody came back to get her.  Once more, Solange was alone.

After several days, she was handed over to the Salesian Sisters, who run a transit center for girls who are victims of abuse, exploitation and trafficking.

Heartbreaking

Yvette Dayé Lalèyè, the project coordinator at the center, is a strong advocate for the children’s cause. “Here at the center, all the girls benefit from health care and psychological support.  They get an education and have access to vocational training.  They can become hairstylists or dressmakers,” she says.

“Listening to these girls is heartbreaking. You suffer in their place,” she continues. “We try to give them some hope, so that they can have happy moments like any other child. But this is just a drop in the ocean. Much more should be done.”

A safe environment

About 40 girls live in the transit center, staying from one day to three months while they wait for the results of family tracing. “We want to be sure that they get into a safe environment,” Ms. Lalèyè says. “Those who cannot find a host family may stay in the biggest section of the center for three to four years. The Sisters take care of some 500 girls per year.”

Solange’s dream is to open her own beauty salon. She also wants to buy a computer and connect with her friends. “I like the center because nobody is bullying me here,” she says with a smile.

She is also optimistic: “One day, I will go back to Guinea.”

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By Hadrien Bonnaud / UNICEF

Photos: © UNICEF Benin/2015/Bonnaud

See this UNICEF article at its original location.

The post BENIN: Girl’s Long History of Abuse is Put to an End through the Help of a UNICEF-Supported Program Run by Salesian Sisters first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Two Salesian programs in northern Spain, in collaboration with the Provincial Youth Ministry Delegation there, recently held a fundraising campaign to help a Salesian program for street children in the capital city of Porto Novo, Benin. The campaign kicked off last November and while the total collected is still being assessed, more than 9,200 kg of food was received from the town of Azkoitia alone.

“The fundraising campaign was a great success allowing many families to be helped,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This has all been possible thanks to the cooperation of many individuals, small businesses, supermarkets, food suppliers and local shops.”

Rice, lentils, beans, pasta and other non-perishable food items were collected in Azkoitia at a Salesian institute and at various shops and supermarkets in the city. The community was very generous in its support of the fundraising campaign. On December 26, a shipment of the collected food and other donated items including school supplies, bicycles and t-shirts made its way from Azkoitia to Pamplona and then onto its final destination in Benin.

“Campaigns like these are a great example of how youth in Salesian programs are able to take what they have learned and pass it forward, supporting families in other communties in a time of need,” adds Fr. Hyde.

There are a variety of Salesian programs in Benin that provide food, clothing, shelter, medical services and education to poor youth in the country. With the goal of caring for youth in supportive environments with access to education and training, Salesians in Benin hope to help break the cycle of poverty and provide hope for the future.

Saint Joseph, a center run by Salesian Sisters in the city of Parakou in northern Benin, operates with financial assistance from UNICEF and offers children refuge from the cycle of poverty and exploitation. There, a team of caretakers ensures children receive nutritious meals and enroll in nearby schools, providing the essential support their families cannot.

At the Vocational Training Center Laura Vicuña in Benin’s largest city, Cotonou, Salesian Sisters are working with young girls, many of whom have been victims of trafficking, providing them shelter and education to learn skills and trades in order to create more stable lives for themselves.

Recently, Salesians at Foyer Don Bosco in Porto Novo launched a new program as part of a European Union collaborative initiative called, Development and Action in the Republic of Benin. A four year initiative culminating in February 2017, the program focuses on the protection of youth at risk in the areas of Littoral, Ouémé and Alibori.

Through this program, Salesians are working to strengthen the collaboration, coordination and teamwork of the state and non-state bodies engaged in the protection of children as well as work to identify children at risk, offer them advice and education and rehabilitate them. The program will also create awareness among local authorities and community leaders in addition to the general population on the protection of children and the need for community programs to safeguard their rights.

“Salesian programs are adaptable to the communities they serve,” says Fr. Hyde. “Education remains at the forefront and our programs strive to keep youth safe and provide for their basic needs so they can focus on gaining an education.”

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Sources:

ANS – Spain – 9,200 kilos of smiles and hugs

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

The post BENIN: Salesian Youth in Spain Pay it Forward to Help Poor Youth in Benin first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In May, the Salesians at Foyer Don Bosco launched a new program as part of a European Union collaborative initiative called, Development and Action in the Republic of Benin. The program focuses on the protection of youth at risk in the areas of Littoral, Ouémé and Alibori.

A four year initiative that culminates in February 2017, the Salesian program’s goal is to strengthen the collaboration and coordination of the state and non-state organizations engaged in the protection of children. It will also work to identify children at risk and offer them advice, education and the opportunity to be rehabilitated. In addition, the program will work to create awareness among local authorities, community leaders and the general population on the protection of children and the need for community programs to safeguard children’s rights.

“To see real success in the protection of youth, an entire community must be involved,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The program works to engage community leaders, unify the systems protecting children and work with youth one on one, giving them the tools and resources to achieve a brighter future.”

The Salesian program was officially launched in early May with three other programs included in the same European Union initiative. The first, Handicap International, will focus on the participation and integration of people with disabilities into the local community. The second, Protos, is working to improve the water supply, hygiene and sanitary services in the area. The third program, Plan Benin, is focusing on the participation of citizens in local development and water services.

At the launch event in May, each of the organizations gave a brief presentation of its history and proposed program, concluding with a short dramatization. Youth from Foyer Don Bosco provided a short sketch on the rights of minors. The main focus of the event came later in the day with several speeches and more in depth information on the Salesian program provided. The event also included cultural, sporting and recreational activities for youth, including street children, at the Salesian Center.

This is not the only program the Salesians have in Benin. Through the Vocational Training Center Laura Vicuña, Salesian Sisters are providing shelter, education and training in skills and trades to young girls, many of whom have been victims of trafficking, to give them the opportunity of a more stable life. Other Salesian programs exist in Benin as well, providing poor youth shelter, nutritious meals and education.

“Salesian programs are adaptable to the communities they serve,” says Fr. Hyde. “Education remains at the forefront. Our programs strive to keep youth safe and provide them an education, which is a direct path out of poverty.”

Source

ANS – Benin – Foyer Don Bosco cooperating with the European Union for the protection of young people in difficulty

UNICEF – Poverty in Benin

The post BENIN: New Salesian Program Works to Enhance the Child Protection System and Provide for Youth at Risk first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Now seven years old, Eric is one of about 20 children for whom the center has become a permanent home.

CYCLE OF POVERTY

In Benin, child labour and trafficking are central concerns. About half of all children between the ages of five and 14 are engaged in some form of labor, a consequence of the country’s pervasive poverty – nearly half of Benin’s population lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day.

Saint Joseph, run by the Salesian Sisters with financial assistance from UNICEF, offers children refuge from this cycle of poverty and exploitation. There, a team of caretakers ensures children receive nutritious meals and enroll in nearby schools, providing the essential support their families cannot.

These days, Eric prefers to focus on his future. He is now in Grade four, earning the highest marks in his class, and he dreams of one day becoming a priest.

A BRIGHT FUTURE

Twelve-year-old Nahomie Abdoulaye arrived at the center after escaping an abusive step-mother. She is now learning to speak and write French at school. Nahomie is eager to begin an apprenticeship in Benin, after which she plans to support her four younger siblings as a tailor.

Like Nahomie, 11-year-old Thierry Kouagou has a bright future ahead of him thanks to the centre. His mother died when he was only six, and his father, who is living with HIV, has grown too sick to care for him. Still, Thierry smiles when he speaks of his life at Saint Joseph. He is attending classes and is on track to complete primary school next year.

CHOOSING HER OWN PATH

Céline Tchetekoua also lost a parent – her father. After he died, her mother placed her with a host family as a ‘vidomegon’, an unpaid domestic worker. For three years, Céline cooked, cleaned, and cared for the family’s children, though still a child herself.

In spite of her heavy workload, Céline found time to attend daily literacy classes at a recreation centre hosted by the Salesian sisters. One day, UNICEF Representative Dr. Souleymane Diallo visited the class with a television crew. Forgetting her natural shyness, Céline blurted out, “Mr. Representative, I would like to go to school!”

She grins as she tells this story at Saint Joseph Center, where she now lives. The center has helped her enroll in a nearby primary school.

Like the other children at Saint Joseph, Céline refuses to let poverty or hardship dictate her future. Through her own force of will – and with a little help from the center – she is choosing her own path, one to a world of possibilities.

By Gisele Langue-Menyé/ UNICEF

Photo: UNICEF/Langue

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Learn more about Salesian Missions and how it help the world’s poorest youth in 130+ countries around the globe.

Learn more about the Salesian Sisters in Benin (in French).

The post BENIN: Salesian Care Center Offers a Path Away from Poverty first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In Cotonou, Ms. Kidjo visited 99 children at the ‘Black Style’ hair dressing center, where she paid tribute to the NGOs that are working with the Government and with UNICEF to implement career-training activities.

“Your education is a priority,” she said. “This is the opportunity that enables you to build up your one life. It gives you the autonomy you need to become a responsible adult.”

At Hindé, a shelter run by the Salesian Sisters, Ms. Kidjo met with many children – including 72 girls who have been victims of economic exploitation and child trafficking. Twelve of these girls had been excluded from formal education, but are now attending accelerated courses and getting a second chance at an education.

SAFE HAVENS

At the Minor Protection Brigade—where nearly 1,000 children were sheltered in 2009—Ms. Kidjo met with Commissaire Tokpanou, a passionate defender of children’s rights.

The center hosts vulnerable children—from those abandoned in the streets to those that were victims of trafficking. Though in desperate need of more social workers,  the center remains open.

In Porto Novo, Ms. Kidjo visited children in Don Bosco’s center where 137 boys live. Many are victims of violence, abuse, economic exploitation and/or child trafficking. The center provides accelerated education and vocational training to prepare these children for a brighter future.

At each stop on the visit, children described their painful experiences to Ms. Kidjo, all wondering why life had been so harsh for them, yet all still hopeful about their future.

INNOVATIVE APPROACH

During her visit, Ms. Kidjo learned about the innovative dual education approach.

This innovative program enrolls older children aged 14 to 17 in three-year apprenticeship training program – in hair dressing, vehicle and motorcycle maintenance, and tailoring. The Government supports 90 per cent of the fees, and UNICEF contributes 10 per cent.

To date, over a thousand children have benefited from this program.

Concluding her visit, Ms. Kidjo called for “the responsibility of parents, families and the State, to fulfill the right for each Beninese child to have a birth certificate, to be educated and to be safe from child trafficking.”

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PHOTO © UNICEF/2009/Asselin

By Gisèle Langue Menye / UNICEF

See this article at its original location >

The post BENIN: UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Visits Salesian Programs that Give Hope, Opportunity to At-Risk Youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.