Sarah Chapman, Founder & Executive Director of Build A Better Benin

Please join me on my 200th show on Monday, May 13th, as the host of the Born To Talk Radio Show, with my guest Sarah Chapman, Founder and Executive Director of Build A Better Benin. Click on the link above to hear the live show starting at 1:00 Pacific Time. An archived link will be available later in the afternoon.

Meet Sarah Chapman.

In 2011, Sarah took her first trip to Benin, West Africa as a volunteer nurse. This show is about how that initial trip changed her life and the people she supports when she became the Founder of Build A Better Benin in 2012. We will be talking about how she got started without even knowing the language.

What is the mission of Build A Better Benin?

“The mission of Build A Better Benin is to deliver healthcare and education to the people of Benin, West Africa, by establishing relationships, educational programs, safe housing, sustainable projects, and smart partnerships.”

Who do they do?

Here’s a glimpse of their ongoing projects.

House of Destiny.

They actively liberate orphaned children out of human trafficking, child marriages, and other at-risk environments. Their House of Destiny is located outside the city of Bohicon, Southern Benin, where this home provides a loving, kind, protective, and FUN place for our children to laugh and grow. The construction finished in April 2017 and all the children moved into the house in May!

School Bridge Project.

The village of Ganvie has often been called the Venice of Benin. It is a town that is completely built over a lake. Originally built to protect the village from voodoo spirits, all huts in Ganvie are built on stilts and hover over the water. Unfortunately, this water is full of bacteria and is a health concern.

The primary school is made up of separate buildings, in which the children must wade in the mud/water to get from classroom to classroom. During the rainy season, this is very difficult and the conditions cause illness. Build A Better Benin has partnered with the local community to build bridges to provide safe passage from room to room, keeping the kids dry, safe, and sickness free!

Rural Healthcare Education.

Volunteers and nurses go into rural areas of village communities. While they work there, sometimes they also live in these remote parts of Benin. They conduct healthcare education to both local nurses and hospital staff as well as the villagers. Subjects include family planning, clean water sourcing, food preparation, malaria prevention, childbirth, and child-rearing. It takes a village!

Clean Water at Village Clinic.

One of the local, rural clinics in Benin was without access to continuous clean water. They have successfully coordinated with the village and built a water tower, giving clean water to the clinic year-round.

Calavi Nutrition Center.

Along with their partnership with Foundation Regard d’Amour, a local Beninois non-profit they provide many services. This nutrition center allows mothers to bring their children for inpatient treatment for starvation and also provides classes for families to better improve their food practices. They have helped supply their nutrition clinic with supplies and food.

Sustainable Chicken Farm.

In partnership with local friends, they have established 2 chicken farms to provide eggs and meat for local abandoned children. All food is donated to local children’s homes.