BENIN

Véronique Gnanih – Founder of the first Emmaus group in Benin (Tohouè)

Holding a certificate in Tropical Agriculture Studies and qualified as a rural community worker, she spent 14 years working for the Ministry of Rural Development and Cooperative Action. Since 1988, she has worked with Emmaus International, holding various positions over some fifteen years (Regional Delegate, CEI member, Vice-President, and member of the Council of Elders). She is the founder and head of the Emmaus Tohouè community in Benin, where she works with 26 at-risk young people in agriculture, livestock farming, and waste management. It is a community based on shared living and work that has been in existence for 28 years.

Patrick Atohoun – President of Emmaus International and Project Manager

He holds a Master’s degree in Economics, has co-facilitated participatory action research initiated by Enda Jeunesse Action, and works with at-risk youth. In 1987, upon completing his studies, he started an independent market gardening business to explore the world of self-employment for people in precarious situations. In 1990, he was called upon by the late Monsignor de Souza, former Archbishop of Cotonou, to mentor young people estranged from their families and former prisoners.

Djiguene & Goor Project

In collaboration with several cultural organizations in West Africa, I paid tribute to six women and six men through the creation of permanent murals. I organized an artistic tour that ran from September 8 to November 10, 2016. This project was dedicated to Africans both women and men who inspire and encourage the younger generation. With the Djiguene & Goor project, I wanted to showcase the faces of individuals who have made positive contributions to society. In each city, one woman and one man were honored. The individuals selected were environmentalists and people working with determination and selflessness to improve living conditions or foster their country's development.

Drawing on this experience of working closely with people living in extreme poverty, he helped establish an Emmaüs community in 1992 originally known as the Emmaüs Hêvié community and later renamed Emmaüs Pahou. He coordinated second-hand goods operations and micro-credit schemes for over six hundred women, as well as various income-generating activities. Committed to defending the rights of the marginalized, he has since 2007 coordinated a water and sanitation access project in partnership with Emmaüs International. Thanks to this project, more than 90,000 people in a lakeside area now have access to drinking water and latrines. Through their association, the local population manages this system collectively alongside municipal authorities, ensuring the right to drinking water for all.

Regraff Festival in Cotonou

Following that enriching experience in Senegal, my journey continued in Benin for a fresh immersion into African urban art. I took part in the "Regraff" international graffiti festival in Cotonou. This event provided an opportunity to further the process of exchange and creative work through conducting workshops, participating in exhibitions, and creating murals.

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