Expected results 

• Development : more books, magazines, educational games, more opening hours, more cultural activities and more girls attending the library.
• Autonomy: progressive integration into the library network of Benin until full appropriation of the project by local authorities.

Your financial support

• Purchase of African books, in French and Fon (Beninese native language), in bookstores in Cotonou, Benin (average of $15 per book)
• Salary of an employee responsible  for the opening, maintenance, inventory and attendance statistics since 2008 (30,000 CFA francs per month, approximately $70 CAD)
• Salary of a new employee responsible of cultural activities and the implementation of programs that encourage more girls and women to attend the library(30,000 CFA francs per month, approximately $70 CAD)
• do-it-yourself material
• Library management stationery
• if funds are available, we support living expenses of Canadian volunteers who come working on site
• There is also a 20% administration fee for the Canada-Africa Community Health Alliance. Income tax receipts are automatically sent for donations of $20 or more!

Your donation of books, magazines, and educational games

• contact the project leader to find out what your specific needs are at this time: [email protected]

The library to date

• more than 2,300 books and 1,000 magazines
• educational games
• do-it-yourself materials
• open from 9 am to noon and 3 pm at sunset (no electricity), from Monday to Saturday
• free entrance

A brief History

• 2008 : founded by Catherine Dallaire and Josée Gauthier with a local committee composed of Martial Gandébagni, Aimé Tougan, Julien Akpandé and Eugène Delidji
• 2014: resumption of activities on the Canadian side: Annie Desnoyers became the new project manager
• between 2014 and 2016: the number of books doubled
• 2016: reorganization of the project funding
• 2018: Hiring of a new employee (now 2 employees)

A Unifying partnership

• donations from local authorities: building, shelves, road signs, signs
• Canadian donations: books, magazines, games, salaries, tables, stools, benches, shelves, chairs
• donations from the Beninese diaspora (coming soon)

Francophonie

• Benin, just like Canada, is one of the 21 founders countries of the international Francophonie in 1970.
• French is the only official language of the country (language of administration, justice, education, business).
• On a daily basis, French interacts with nearly 60 national languages, including Fon in the southern part of the country, as in Cotonou and Aklampa.

The Aklampa Community

• 18, 000 inhabitants
• 3 nursery schools
• 6 elementary schools
• 1 high school
• no running water or electricity in general in houses and buildings

Benin (Source: Unicef)

• Population of 10 million, of which 5 million are under 18 years old (2015)
• Boys’ elementary school attendance: 72% (2012), 77% (2014)
• Girls’ elementary school attendance: 68% (2012), 73% (2014)
• Boys’ secondary school attendance: 49% (2012), 50% (2014)
• Girls’ secondary school attendance: 40% (2012), 38% (2014)
• Literacy for young men (15-24 years old): 55% (2014)
• Literacy for young women (15-24 years old): 31% (2014)
• Life expectancy: 59 years (2012), 60 years (2015)

Spending of funds is confined to CACHA programs and projects approved by CACHA’s Board of Directors. Each contribution directed toward an approved program or project will be used as restricted with the understanding that when the need for such a program or project has been met, or cannot be completed for any reason, the Board will determine the reallocation of  remaining restricted contributions.