BEF Blog Posts

We hope our BEF Blog posts will enlighten and challenge you. Thank you for supporting us in our tireless efforts to improve the lives of so many through education.

Thank you for rising to the Challenge!

Posted on Dec 13, 2012

BEF's annual DECEMBER CHALLENGE ended with a bang! Your generous support raised $14,065 in just 31 days. There is still time to donate if you haven't yet. Every dollar raised will provide scholarships and educational support to promising high school and university students in West Africa.

WHAT YOUR DONATION WILL DO

Flood Relief Report - THANK YOU

Posted on Dec 13, 2010

A big thanks to everyone for your donations to help the flood victims in Benin.

We raised $6000 through our Benin Flood Relief Campaign. Your support was truly appreciated. The funds helped over 300 families in 39 villages, roughly 2200 individuals. Each family received a share of 18,000 tons of corn and other food products to help alleviate famine, as the flood destroyed many crops, homes, and other properties.

To ensure the funds would go where they were needed most, I met with representatives of several other organizations already on the ground. The Red Cross, a delegation from the World Bank Group, and the Benin Ministry of Interior were kind enough to share their reports with me and help orient my efforts.

For once, politics were a blessing in an African country. Due to the upcoming elections in Benin, all the presidential candidates rushed to make monetary and in-kind donations to the flood victims (on camera, of course), aiming to take advantage to gain publicity.

Most of the southern towns where homes were destroyed and families displaced received attention from the politicians. Unfortunately, many towns not seen as important to the electoral votes were ignored, including most of the northern provinces.

We decided that our primary focus should be to help those families affected by flooding but not reached by aid. BEF local staff and a Peace Corps Volunteer worked intensively to identify families in areas recommended by the Red Cross and distributed food to 39 villages in Northern Benin on November 28-29, 2010. Thanks to some local help, the transportation cost to deliver the food to the victims was minimal.

We have some funds remaining and plan to help additional villages identified in the coastal areas, near Porto Novo, where mosquito nets are still needed.

About the Floods

You may have seen pictures or read stories about the flood in Benin; in the late rainy season during September and October 2010, numerous families lost their homes, farms (crops) due to unanticipated rain that caused severe flooding throughout the country of Benin. There were also many deaths among the losses.

The majority of the homes destroyed, and the deaths occurred in the Southern villages, but farms were wiped across the entire country. Most articles made no mention of lost crops, which is very important as it has already created food crises in some areas of the country and will have a longer-lasting effect on the families. A food crisis, triggered by the flood, is anticipated in the spring through the summer months in Benin.

Many thanks to all of you from the BEF Board in the US, the staff in Benin, and the families that received your generous donations. - Alphonse Kouagou, BEF Founder who traveled to Benin in November

World AIDS Day Event in Benin

Posted on Dec 06, 2010

On December 5, 2010, in Natitingou, Benin, the Mayor's office held its annual World AIDS Day Event. World AIDS Day 2010 raised awareness to tackle HIV prejudice and help stop the spread of HIV in Benin.

Nearly 140 BEF students from Natitingou and three surrounding villages - Perma, Toucountouna, and Tempegre - participated in the World AIDS Day activities.

The Mayor's office organized a parade through the city center, where students showcased their HIV/AIDS awareness. PSI, Population Services International, a leading global health organization with programs targeting malaria, child survival, HIV and reproductive health, provided condoms to those in attendance.

A local doctor who specializes in the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients spoke to students about the prevention of HIV/AIDS. During the event, students were offered free HIV testing, and students from the Lycée de Jeune Fille, an all girl's boarding school, performed a skit.

After the event, BEF students enjoyed sodas and sandwiches and recapped the vital information they had learned throughout the day.

Over $6000 Raised for Flood Relief!

Posted on Nov 03, 2010

In just a few weeks, dozens of individuals came together and raised over $6000 to help victims of the floods in Benin. Thank you to each donor for your generosity, support, and rapid response. Every dollar raised will go directly to flood relief. The BEF founder is currently in Benin to distribute the funds, and we will provide an update upon his return.

About the Floods

Over the past two months, the most extreme floods since 1963 have plunged Benin into a crisis. As of early November, over 680,000 people have been affected by flooding in two-thirds of the country. Over 800 cases of cholera have been reported. Approximately 55,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed. Read more here. These events have received very little coverage in the U.S. media. Blessedly, most BEF students live outside the worst-affected areas—but they, and we, are anxious to help their fellow citizens in need. Our students have been surveying the damage and identifying the greatest material needs, and BEF established a fund for Flood Relief.

BEF Founder Alphonse Kouagou is traveling to Benin this month. Funds raised will purchase supplies for those who need them most. All supplies, except for water purifying tablets, will be purchased in Benin.