Benin
Benin is a French-speaking country in West Africa. It borders Togo, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Niger.
Hear from girls in Benin
The program aims to equip girls like Daouda with the tools they need to address the issues facing them and determine their own futures.
“At first, in the village, we were criticized. Now, we are appreciated, because we dare to tackle sensitive topics like girls’ education, teenage pregnancies and early marriage.” Daouda explains. “Sports are a way to be respected. In football, we do as well as boys. And now, they listen to us! I never imagined that sport would change my life.”
“I could not have imagined that I would have such a rich and diverse experience working with a team of young people from diverse backgrounds,” Madjidath says. “We now hope to secure funding and launch the application in the near future.”
Kevinne quickly became pregnant, and her husband became severely abusive. “I had to escape for me and my baby. I didn’t love him. What was I supposed to do?”
Kevinne was able to return home. She still faces many challenges, but she has been able to take control of her own life. Through Plan, she’s now involved in educating other girls about the risks of teenage pregnancy. And she’s being trained to become a hairdresser.
“I want to make my own income and build a life for me and my children,” Kevinne says. “In the future, I want to graduate and open my own salon.”
Plan International has been working to improve children’s lives in Benin since 1994.
Welcome to my home!<br /> My name is Rose, I’m 13 years old.<br /> :15 I have been a sponsored child with Plan International for 6 years. I live in Benin.<br /> :19 This is my grandmother.<br /> :21 This is my family.<br /> :25 This is our kitchen and fireplace where we cook.<br /> :28 This is where I sleep.<br /> :30 This is our sheepfold.<br /> :33 My grandmother is a farmer.<br /> :36 This is our farm, where we harvest corn and other crops.<br /> :41 This is the water tower.<br /> :43 Before our water tower was far away, but now it is closer.<br /> :54 I wake up early in the morning, wash my face, greet my grandmother,<br /> :59 and then I go to school.<br /> 1:04 This is my class.<br /> 1:06 I am in grade 2 of secondary school.<br /> 1:08 My favourite subject is French.<br /> 1:13 I go to school to prepare for a career in the future.<br /> 1:25 I know of some girls who got pregnant at a young age.<br /> 1:28 They are between 15 and 16 years old.<br /> 1:35 Early pregnancies have hindered their future and this is not good.<br /> 1:45 Our teachers encourage us to study, so that we can prepare for our future and career.<br /> 1:52 This is our Health Centre.<br /> 2:01 I have contact with my sponsor through letters.<br /> 2:03 I receive 1 letter per month.<br /> 2:15 I would like to become a journalist because it will give me opportunities to travel all around the world.<br /> 2:29 I am very happy to be a sponsored child with Plan International.<br /> Goodbye!
Plan stats in Benin
Offices & operations
Plan Benin’s country office is located in Cotonou, with program unit offices in Adjohoun, Bohicon and Natitingou.
Technical areas
Education, child protection, health and skills and work.
Number of sponsored children
As of June 2020, people like you sponsor 29,433 children in Benin through Plan International.
When you sponsor a child through through Plan, you form an incredible friendship.
But that’s just the beginning. With Plan, you also have the unique opportunity to:
Send her birthday gifts and cards.
Give her special holiday presents called Little Treasures.
Subscribe her to Plan’s educational kids’ magazine, Sunny Days.
— Visit her (when travel restrictions are lifted), with individual travel assistance from us.
Each gift offering is safely hand-delivered by us, and given to your child with personalized cards from you. It’s likely that the child you sponsor will have never seen anything like these gifts, and they’re available year-round to make the bond between you and your sponsored child even stronger.
Meet a child to sponsor