Bisous du Benin!

(written 24March2011)

Hello all! I have been absolutely awful about writing blog posts because I've been traveling a lot and have been suuuuuper busy the last monthish, so I figured I should just fill you all in on what I've been doing!

For the last month or so I've been planning (with Shannon) for a Journee des Filles (a girl's day) which is going to happen April 2nd in Bassila. It's basically a mini-conference for the girl's clubs in our region. Ten girls from each of the five nearest clubs will be coming- and we'll have eight volunteers acting as counselors. The purpose of the day is to make a mini-girl's camp. We have a weeklong girl's camp every year during the summer, but only two girls from each school can come. So this is to benefit the girls who won't have the opportunity to make it.

At the day, we're gonna have two different midwives come and speak about health, periods, pregnancy, and birth control. There will be a career panal made up of important women in the community. There will be skits from each club- currently the Bassila girl's are learning Bad Romance. I'm trying to upload the video to my facebook- it's super cute! We'll have a environmental conservation lecture, tree planting at the high school in Bassila, and a screening of Planet Earth (in French). We're serving lunch, we've made T-shirts. Am I forgetting anything? So... it's been a lot of work to put it together. I've been spending my time applying for grants, creating the schedule, putting together the manual each girl is going to get on the day and talking to the volunteers who are coming. But that doesn't include the travel. I've been to Parakou three times to resolve issues with our t-shirt order, and to meet with one of the NGOs there. I'm going again this weekend to pick up our shirts which are finally ready! I was in Nati to borrow the Planet Earth DVDs from another volunteer. And for the last week, I've been in Bassila with Shannon, handing out invitations to the midwives and the career panal, requesting sound systems and projectors from the mayor, arranging the taxis to pick up the girls in the different towns, reserving the high school and basketball court, and bargaining with the restaurant who is providing the food. Next week I'll be back again confirming everything before the big day. Busy right!!?

I'm really excited for the day to finally come! It could be really awesome, but it could also be a disaster, which is kind of half the fun. Everyone I've been inviting and requesting things from have all said yes. But often in Beninese culture, a yes doesn't actually mean that you'll show up. So I have no real way of gauging what's gonna happen. Exciting! It has been feeling REALLY good to be actively doing something, and to be keeping myself busy. I've been having a lot of fun putting it together, and I'll let you all know how it goes!

P.S. If you like this project- most of our day is being funded by GAD grants from Peace Corps Benin! It's not to late to donate to our GAD fundraiser in April if you so desire! (Check out the blog post before this one for more info.)

Also- new pictures are up on Facebook! Enjoy!

Hello all my dearest friends!

I want to do a little bit of a fund-raising plug to you all for an upcoming Peace Corps event here in Benin.

One of the main ways (and pretty much the quickest and simplest way) that we as volunteers get funding for our projects in country is through a pool of money called the GAD fund. There is a volunteer run committee that oversees the dispersal of the grants, and they also manage our scholarship fund for girls. Here is a little blurb about what GAD is.

“GAD-Benin (Gender and Development) was created by Peace Corps Volunteers to encourage and empower Beninese girls and women through the education of women, men, and children. GAD-Benin works with members of the Beninese community to develop sustainable programs that motivate, educate and inspire Beninese girls and women to actualize their full potential, thereby developing the capacity of their communities and country. Further, to educate and involve men to inspire equality on all levels of society.”

This year, I'm going to be using money from the GAD grants to paint maps in my elementary school, pay for art supplies and guest speakers for my girls' club, plan a day long health camp for all the girl's clubs in our region, and help start up a community garden in Penessoulou. It is the most accessible and reliable source of money for us, and is integral to most volunteers' projects.

Each year in Benin there is a charity dinner and auction, set up by volunteers and attended by volunteers to raise money for this fund. People auction off their talents, like coming to your house to paint a mural, or sometimes people just bring back things from America. There is a talent show, a date auction, and we donate all sorts of fun things out of pocket that are all auctioned off to benefit our GAD fund.

My post mate Heather and I will be auctioning off a two-day getaway that we're going to plan, cook for and host at our workstation in Natitangou. It'll be a delicious dinner, followed by an all expense paid trip for four lucky winners to the nearby waterfalls. We're really excited about planning it, and looking forward to seeing how much we can raise!

Now that I've attempted to give you the Cliff Notes version of the program (I'm sorry if this is confusing!), this is where you come in. GAD is an official part of Peace Corps. And Peace Corps, as a government agency, is not legally allowed to fundraise. In years past, volunteers have perfected a loophole. Money “donated” from America to in-country volunteers, which is then spent at GAD dinner, goes straight to GAD grants without being directly linked to Peace Corps. If you are interested in getting involved with Peace Corps Benin, and helping fund our awesome projects here, this is the way to do it!!

The GAD dinner this year will be the last weekend in April. If you would like to donate and help us out, you can send your delightful checks to my house in California, or send it to me direct through Paypal. My mom will be rounding up the check donations at the beginning of April, and putting them into my American bank account, which I can access at ATMs over here. I will then lavishly spend all the money at our auction, making it possible for more Peace Corps magic.

I realize that this is probably really confusing, and sounds a little like a Nigerian scam. So please email me your questions (that I will try to reply to within two or three weeks!). And please know in advance, we all appreciate your support over here, monetary or otherwise. I am thinking of you all and sending my love.

Yours,
xoxo
Shelly

Send checks to:
Shelly Mussett c/o GAD
6292 Tracel Dr.
San Jose, CA 95129

or paypal it to:
mussett333@gmail.com