Benin

Benin is one of the most stable democracies in all of Africa. But many people here live in extreme poverty, and only a minority can read and write. Helvetas focuses its efforts in Benin on education and occupational integration — especially for young people — and on the supply of clean drinking water and a better sanitary infrastructure.

Capital

Porto-Novo
Area

114,763 km²
Poverty rate*

53% of the population live under the poverty line of $1.90 per day
UN DEVELOPMENT INDEX*

Rank: 166 out of 193
Population

11,167,000
People supported per year

27,069
Thematic focus

Private Sector Development
WASH & Water Governance
Education and Vocational Skills

* Source: UN Data

Helvetas has been active in Benin since 1995. This West African republic is relatively politically stable. And yet it has a lot of catching up to do in the areas of education and poverty reduction: roughly a third of the population lives in extreme poverty. Almost 60% of the adult population cannot read or write. Helvetas seeks to improve the quality of basic education and enable children who were previously excluded, or had to leave school early, to go (back) to school.

Developing youth entrepreneurship

Helvetas is committed to supporting young people by facilitating self-entrepreneurship and income generation for people living in rural areas. For several years, young women and men have been receiving technical training and entrepreneurial coaching, enabling them to improve the performance of their small businesses. These young people, who process agricultural products or raise poultry, accumulate enough know-how to advise other young people in the area. Based on this model, thousands of young people benefit from the knowledge of their peers, and a network of advice and sales has been set up in the remote regions of northern Benin.

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Drinking water for schools

Medical care is scarce in Benin: For 100,000 inhabitants there are only four doctors here – as against 200 in Switzerland. The infant mortality rate in Benin is one of the highest in the world. The lack of sanitation and poor hygiene are the main reasons so many infants get sick. This is why Helvetas provides support for the building and maintenance of drinking water supply systems, e.g. in schools. These systems are either hand-operated or driven by solar energy. A functional infrastructure alone, however, is not enough to improve public health: hygiene education is equally crucial and forms an integral component of Helvetas' sanitation projects.

Living together according to one's needs

At a time when northern Benin is being affected by a wave of instability from the Sahel, the question of access to resources and social cohesion is once again at the heart of concerns. Pressure for access to fertile land and water is accentuated by climate change and demographic growth, and pits the interests of nomadic herders and farmers against each other. This is a situation faced by populations who fear for their way of life. Helvetas is therefore committed to preventing conflicts, by facilitating the development of productive resources, notably through agricultural infrastructures, and usage agreements that unite the interests of these populations and improve social cohesion.

Visit the website of Helvetas Benin.