AKLAMPA LIBRARY - DEVELOPMENT AND AUTONOMY
Location: Benin

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 15% 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: anniedesnoyers@yahoo.ca
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)