More Schooling

A photostory of an APEED performance. The students expressed their difficulties (and many talents) through song, dance and theatre.

Barthelemy Sodansou was our excellent host ably assisted by the active members of his APEED committee and local friends and sponsors such as the Head Teacher of the local girls secondary school:

These students who all face family losses and hardship are sponsored by APEED had planned an entertaining & informative event at their Red Cross HQ & Library. This included a welcome song and dance:

A play showing difficulties for some students who having lost parents are having to live with extended families while they try to continue their school studies:

The many seated and actively dancing and performing students are all part of the APEED project.

A very informative active and friendly day was had by everyone and we are most grateful for APEED’s hospitality and friendship.

 

 

THANK YOU for YOUR CONTINUED support.
Donate to our current campaign to send 10
refurbished computers to Benin. Help give
the students access to basic computer literacy.
Go to: www.paypal.com and search for us
using: moreschooling.com@gmail.com
(any amount welcome)!

 

The students of APEED are seeking 10 refurbished computers (sourced through a UK NGO), as a means to gain basic computer literacy. The computers provide an opportunity to be a self sustaining organisation through a revenue stream from non-student paying users. APEED currently suppports 120 high school students to complete their education by partially paying school fees and providing basic school materials. 

APEED’s focus as an organisation is to assist the most needy students in Parakou - students who have lost one or both parents and suffer severe financial hardship - to reach their potential. It supports its students to complete their high school education equipped with valuable work and life skills and to be a future voice in the community for those suffering similar hardships. 

BUDGET
Pentium 4 PC Kit £45 A$70 x 10 = £450/$700
Shipping to Cotonou = £410/$675
Insurance to Cotonou = £40/$65
Carrier Documentation = £65/$107
Security for 1yr = £494 $810
Power for 1yr = £82 $135
Salary for IT teacher 1yr = £494 $810 
TOTAL = £2005/$3294  

BBC journalist, Nick, speaking with students on his trip to Benin

The 120 students of APEED and its supporters celebrated this week as their story was told as part of a BBC World Service Documentary on the people who meet in internet cafes. APEED founder Barth, made connections with supporters as they came into his place of work, an internet café. His goal was support for the students in the completion of their schooling.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2009/12/091217_
internet_cafe_hobe_doc2.shtml

 

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APEED supporter, Corinne and BBC journalist, Nick meet in Fiji

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2010/03/100310_
internet_cafe_hobo_3.shtml

Final Istallment of BBC Story, Nick Meets Anna, Sam & Corinne….read on……!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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BBC Journalist Nick, with APEED supporter, Sam

BBC World Service journalist, Nick Baker, follows the story of APEEDs global network to Australia and Fiji, tracing the connections APEED president Barth has made whilst working in an internet cafe in Parakou in seeking support for APEEDs students. Barth’s networking skills, personality and charm has turned encounters with people in an internet cafe into solid support and long term relationships. Nick was taken by Barth and his success. Rising from a position as a school boy being forced out of school due to financial hardship to helping hundreds of students continue their schooling. Nick’s story the Internet Cafe Hobo can be viewed online parts 1 and 2 of the radio piece are being aired on BBC World Service currently. The third and final installment will be online on March 11th.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2009/12/091217
_internet_cafe_hobe_doc2.shtml

 

The BBC World Service journalist, Nick Barker interviews APEED founder Barth in Parakou. The interview, part of a global story on the meetings that occur everyday in internet cafes, focused on Barth meeting key supporters for APEED whilst at work in an internet cafe.

Stories from the blog will be aired on BBC World Service Radio and later in the year form part of a 3 part TV documentary. This is hopefully a sound bite of more to come…if you’re feeling inspired leave a comment on the site.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldservice/internetcafehobo/

Cheers to all who came down to the Living Art Gallery last wk. $3500 was raised to contribute to this years purchase of school materials and the partial paying of school fees for the 120 students of APEED, Benin.

The money is raised to coincide with the beginning of the school year in Benin where APEED holds an event each year to distribute the essential school materials to each of APEED’s 120 members. We will be posting photos and a report of this event soon.

A special thanks goes out to Masmoudi Artapis, owner of The Living Art Gallery and rug designer, thanks for opening your gallery to us and for your enthusiasm for the event. And to all the auction bidders and auction prize donors, a big thanks to you.
and…. to Papa Mbaye for an awesome Senegalese percussion performance, certainly added to the vibe.

Thanks again and see you next time!

 

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An article I found on HIV in Benin, you can read the full piece at:

http://www.worlded.org/WEIInternet/features/breaking_silence.cfm

Summarised….

Although the pandemic was slow to reach Benin, it is growing at an alarming rate - close to 4% of the population is infected and in certain regions, up to 10%  This is a worrying trend for APEED, Parakou and Benin. The Beninoise Government has brought out some progressive policies with regards to HIV/Aids, however it’s resources are limited. Sex education is not on the agenda in primary schools and can sometimes face opposition from parents even in high schools (much like in parts of the US).

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Re-stock! The library has been replinished with multiple copies of texts and novels for the yr 7-12 curriculum. This increase in copies will allow for books to be taken out on loan overnight. This is the first installment of the library upgrade project. In addition to new books, two new shelving units have been built to library specifications large enough to allow for the next round of stock. The project was funded by 2008 fundraising activities, totaling to $1200.  

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check out photos from the cruise and from the book distribution ceremony online:

www.moreschooling.com

News for NOV/DEC :

Fundraising Success:
The boat cruise was a success, raising £1640, of which £1, 191.38 has gone to the Annual Distribution of School Books, which was held on October 8th. The remaining will be put to paying the salary for the librarian £30 monthly and to re-strocking library total cost coming to £1624.

Fundraising Goal- Re-Stocking the library:
Since its conception in 2006 it has not seen any additional purchases, by January next year we are looking to restock texts and novels for all secondary grades. The aim is to buy 2 copies of each text to allow students to borrow and take books home to study. Total cost coming to £1624.

School Fees:
This year each student had 3/4 of their school fees paid by the Association. The students in the school Lycée M. Bouké, pay school fees of £15 per year, £11.5 of which was paid by the Association. In the other schools the fees come to an average of £16.50 per year of which the Association paid £12.50.

This was funded by a private donation from a London Family who have a family connection to Benin and More Schooling.

Further Activities:
The Asssociation sees further activities funded by its Steering Committee, established as an adult advisory group to the Associations activities, based in Benin. This involves administrative costs aiding the development of the Association and broadening its funding base. The main cost being a series of ‘investigations’ into students to establish their eligibility as members, this occurs each year at a considerable cost of money and time to travel to each of the 100 students homes and school to meet with parents and teachers to confirm the need. This year this cost the association £190.