Benin

WeWorld is committed in Benin to ensure food and education for girls and boys and to support female empowerment.

Child nutrition remains one of the main causes of mortality in the country with permanent consequences on the development of children. The lack of micronutrients in preschool age can also have serious effects on school performance.  

We guarantee food safety and support for the most vulnerable groups, such as women and children, starting from the schools. Here, for example, teachers are trained to become focal points concerning issues related to health, nutrition and the monitoring of children's growth. Cases of malnutrition identified within schools are reported to the Health Centres in order to receive adequate assistance. In addition, training and awareness-raising courses on good nutritional practices are organised for health workers and volunteers in order to diversify the diet within families and promote the consumption of local food of high nutritional value. Within the nursery schools, community gardens are created, meals based on integrated flours are distributed, the nutritional situation of boys and girls is mapped and health and hygiene promotion campaigns are carried out with the Health Centres.   

To ensure quality education: pedagogical training programmes are implemented for teachers, including the role of play and educational excursions, which are both important in the learning process; remedial courses are instituted in extra-school hours to support pupils in difficulty; school buildings are built and refurbished, and pedagogical material is distributed. 

Again in support of girls and boys, we intervene against all forms of violence against children, which is a very common practice in Benin, both in the family and in the community.  We work to improve community child protection mechanism through the implementation of awareness-raising campaigns, the strengthening of teachers' capacities on the prevention of cases of violation of children's rights as well as the creation of child protection mechanisms and funds for families in difficulty. 

Another problematic aspect remains the issue linked to women's rights, on whose shoulders the care of children weighs almost entirely. Furthermore, there is an increase in cases of early or unwanted pregnancies among adolescents.  In the light of this context, we intervene with a series of activities, such as: organising debates within the community on the subject of rights and raising awareness on family planning.