The World Bank representation in Benin initiated a mission of discovery and exchange for young people committed to development. This 4-day mission was launched on Monday, April 11, 2022 with the aim of allowing participants to touch some of the institution's achievements in Benin.

Félicienne HOUESSOU

The top is given for four days of discovery and exchanges on a dozen projects implemented with the technical and financial support of the World Bank in Benin. The first day was marked by a visit to a fruit-to-juice processing plant. Al Fanni Sarl is a company of transformation, training and marketing of fruit juices created in 2008 by Aminatou Bagoudou, with the transformation of 20 pineapples. Today, thanks to the support of the World Bank and other partners, Al Fanni Sarl processes up to a ton of juice per day. With an annual turnover estimated at about 30 million CFA francs, it employs a team of twelve young people dominated by women.

This first day ended with a visit to the classified forest of Dan, a district of the municipality of Djidja. With an area of 530 hectares, this area was completely degraded. According to Joseph Zimazi, coordinator of the technical cell of forest management and classified forest, 10 years ago, there was no more forest because the population destroyed everything for charcoal production and food crops. With the "Classified Forest" project that was launched in 2020, 681 hectares have already been reforested. This project, financed by the World Bank, opted for participatory management with the association of the population. In other words, several indirect jobs have been created on the margins of the protection of this forest, from production to maintenance and security of the area.