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Mobilized Youth Promote Education, Health, Sustainable Agricultural Practices at THP-Benin Epicenters in 2012

Benin 2012 - Youth at Daringa Epicenter compete to race with THP Netherlands.preview

Update to the Global Board

October 2012

THP-Benin had a busy period, kicking off 2012 with two well-attended epicenter inaugurations as well as two investor trips and a visit from Global Office staff. Expansion of programs, epicenters and staff also continued with the hiring of a Partnership Building and Resource Mobilization Officer (PBRMO) and the identification of a possible new epicenter in the north of Benin. THP-Benin continued implementing its innovative program initiatives, from its cross-cutting environmental and youth mobilization activities to its nutrition campaign to expand use of moringa trees.

Accomplishments

  • Community & Youth Mobilization: THP-Benin inaugurated both Tré-Dassa and Sonon-Guinagourou Epicenters in early 2012. Both epicenters began their kindergarten activities over the same period, progressing well into full implementation of programs. Both of these epicenters were begun in the past two years as part of Benin’s ongoing scale-up into the central and northern regions of the country. On top of this continued mobilization, THP-Benin has also proceeded with its youth mobilization strategy, which is unfolding at six epicenters that are working with thousands of youngsters from nearly five dozen partner villages. The youth population is taking part in the “Clean Fields, Fertile Villages” program, through which youths collect organic household waste to use as fertilizer at the epicenter fields. THP-Benin is also participating again in the Race to End Hunger in Amsterdam in the fall of 2012. (Highlights from last year’s race.)
  • Health & Nutrition: To address women’s health, THP-Benin partnered with Population Services International on a family planning initiative that successfully provided family planning tools to nearly 100 women. Additionally, THP-Benin expanded its very successful “Moringa ++” campaign into a three-day campaign called “Three Moringa Tree Days,” designed to increase awareness of the importance and usefulness of this plant, while supporting epicenter households to plant seedlings and incorporate the highly nutritious leaves into children’s foods.
  • Education & Literacy: THP-Benin successfully partnered with the Ministry of Education in Benin to carry out Functional Adult Literacy classes. THP-Benin received about $42,000 USD in funding to implement these activities, and exceeded its target of 1,400 people trained by fully training 1,525 adults, of which 75 percent were women.

 

October 7, 2012