The West African country is one of the poorest countries in the world. In rural areas poverty is particularly widespread. Here, every second person is considered to be extremely poor. The majority of the population lives from agriculture, also most of the Kolping members. The farmers make a living from the cultivation of basic foods and are inventive when it comes to generating other sources of income.
Kolping in Benin
The Association was founded in 2005 and grows continuously. It has now 4.200 members and 200 Kolping Families. As all the members live in rural areas, the work by Kolping starts here: farmers are trained so that they can better cultivate their fields and have more food. All members in Benin have joined in savings groups to improve their situation through savings and joint actions.
More money for the family
Rosalie Ahinon is very busy. The farmer from the Kolping Family Tankpa is happy when she talks about her own business that she runs apart from all the work on the field and at home: She specialized in the production of tofu. Her fried tofu is very delicious and she has many customers. The sale of tofu ensures a regular income and her family benefits also, above all the children who she can send to school. Rosalie is a member of a savings group like all the other members of her Kolping Family. Thanks to a loan from the joint savings she could develop her business.
All Kolping Families in Benin are organized as savings groups. They commit themselves to saving around 3 euros per month. The money is put on a savings account and disbursed at the end of the year. Through the sale of maize products, raffia mats or the rental of chairs for festivities, many Kolping Families have created an additional source of income and improved their situation considerably.
