One Year Deep

I realized many of my entries thus far have said little of my work. Well the school year is over, the grades have been calculated for more than a month now, and I have had a chance to relax. A couple of weeks a go I got to thinking about the little time I have left here in Benin and what I wanted to accomplish before setting out on a new course. While it doesn't always feel like it, two years pass far too quickly. In the coming year I have 4 projects I hope to complete other than teaching:

1: Art Club
Art in Benin is something largely left to the professionals. The Beninese are not given many opportunities to manifest their world view through artistic expression. Children simply do not have access to supplemental resources, but when given the opportunity they jump at it. So in the coming school year I am hoping to put together a group that meets a couple of times each month to create little projects. Resources are scarce in village but I am hoping to use largely found objects and cheap supplies so that they can continue once I'm gone. I would also like to give the students the opportunity to work with some media that they haven't encountered before. I am looking to get tempera paints black construction paper, and anything else I can sent over from the states for a few projects I have in mind. If you have any interest in supporting this project, I could really use the help.

2: Toothbrushing Club
Most children here come from very poor families who have difficulty covering school fees each year, so dental hygiene is not a high priority. It is rare to see an elder person with all of their teeth, and often those they do have a have been ravaged by cavities and tooth decay. In an effort to instill good habits in some kids I have devised a program that will teach children the importance of good dental care.

Traditionally, Beninese people chew small pieces of wood every morning to clean their teeth, this is a practice pattern that continues to this day.  When there is a tooth problem children and adults alike are given a strong alcohol infused with roots as a traditional cure.  Due to these practices, dental problems are nearly guaranteed to the young people off my village.  Behavioral change is the most difficult part of development/aid work, by starting young I am hoping to instill the importance and acceptance of dental hygiene at an early age so these children will avoid some of the pitfalls of their parents.

In the coming school year I am hoping to organize a dental hygiene club with some of the students at the school.  To help share the responsibility for their own dental health, I am requiring that the students themselves purchase the tooth brushes which can be found in our market for about $0.25.  The project will supply the students with toothpaste every morning, five days a week for one school year.  Each morning we will brush together before class.  The students will also be taught the signs of tooth decay and what to do in the case of a cavity or other malady.  This will also help to ensure the students arrive on time to class every morning.

To supply the toothpaste I am hoping to find donors in America to materialize 200 tubes of toothpaste for 300 kids, that should cover the entire school year.  If you know anyone with connections that could help, I would really appreciate a hand.

3: An Introductory Computer Classification
I have arranged cheap access to the computers at a local cyber for a group of 10 teachers and professionals. I will give rudimentary computer literacy lessons for 4 days in things such as typing and mouse use. Hopefully this will become a monthly get together. These skills are becoming increasingly important in Benin, especially for teachers who have little resources to work with in the classroom. I'll write updates on how things go.

4: Moringa Powder

What is the largest and most serious of my new projects is a field I am planting with an NGO in my village to plant an orchard of trees known as Moringa Oleifera. Malnutrition is a huge problem in Benin, specifically for mothers and young children. Malnutrition, and low birthweight lead to numerous health problems, diseases, and exacerbate the effects of diseases like malaria all over Africa. It also contributes to a staggering rate of infant mortality (13% here in Benin).

What we are hoping to do is manufacture a powder from the dried leaves of the tree which we will sell to local health centers. We will also give information sessions on the dangers of malnutrition and how to avoid it through cooking with Moringa.

I am currently writing a grant proposal to fund our project. We have started with 50 plants and they are doing extremely well. If everything goes well we should have 800 trees planted soon and a fence built to protect them. One of my favorite parts of this project is that it is economically and environmentally sustainable. The trees are excellent for inter-cropping and the profits from the sale will ensure that the NGO doesn't have to come looking for aid money every year.

I'm hoping I can get all of these organized before the school year starts so that I'm not scrambling once things heat up. If you can help with the toothpaste or the art supplies, just write me a quick note.