March in Benin on World Water Day
Credit: Lambassa Institute of
Cultural Affairs Benin
Prompted to act by the lack of water facilities in the village of Assodè, in Benin's Donga district, the Lambassa Institute of Cultural Affairs Benin plans to march through the village on 22 March 2008, which marks this year's World Water Day.
The institute is rounding up members of the community and partner organisations from surrounding villages to participate in the march. To continue the momentum that the march is expected to bring, they intend to follow up with a conference on water issues in the region to influence local decision makers.
It is hoped that through these activities, the institute can collaborate with local and international institutions to further Assodè's continuing efforts to bring better access to water to the community. Assodè villagers have made several attempts to raise funds for water projects, but so far have been unable to address the needs of the entire population. Women currently wait five to six hours to retrieve water from the pump pictured above.
The Lambassa Institute of Cultural Affairs Benin is a non-profit organisation founded in 2003, and is a member of End Water Poverty. Reflecting the goals of the institute, "lambassa" is a Lokpa word meaning "to do appreciable things". Its mission is to support rural communities so that they can contribute to their own development without waiting for external assistance. It has, for example, already provided water management training to villagers in Assodè.
To learn more about the Lambassa Institute of Cultural Affairs Benin, visit its website.