Video: Voodoo and Vaccines in Benin

This video is a good introduction to my life in Benin. Most of it is filmed in Dangbo, so you can see the village as well as the local dress, dance, etc. The film also gives a taste of the work I will do. You can see what a Beninese health center looks like and learn about vaccinations. In Sonsoro, I will be working to increase participation in the vaccination program and to educate mothers about its importance, and this video discusses both those subjects

The video is at least a year old, so apparently some of the information in it about access to vaccines is no longer accurate.

Photos: Sonsoro

The Sonsoro Health Center. This is where I will be working every day in my village.

The delivery room. Most women give birth on the white metal table on the left. The babies are cleaned and prepped on the counter on the right.

This is the child and maternal health room where children are vaccinated, pregnant women get pre-natal check-ups, and sick children and pregnant women are treated. This is where I will spend most of my time in Sonsoro.

This is my colleague from the health center with his four children (his wife declined to be photographed since she is pregnant).

Mailing Address

I now have a mailing address! Should anyone be inclined to write, this is where you can send a letter:

My Name
Corps de la Paix
BP 126
Kandi, Benin
West Africa

Any mail would be greatly appreciated, and I will certainly write back to anyone who writes me.


In case anyone is feeling ambitious, here are some special notes on packages:
- Only send padded envelopes (boxes are slower and may be subject to fees in Benin)
- Send via USPS
- NEVER send DHL (there is a $200 DHL fee here)
- Writing "Dieu te regarde" or other religious messages on the envelope can help prevent theft

Guessing Game: What Are These Things?

Item 1: What is this?

Item 2: What are these?

Item 1: Not a potato, it's a fruit! The closer you get to the center, the more it tastes like caramel.

Item 2: It's a Beninese toothbrush. You chew one end until it flattens and softens; that end should become somewhat like a stiff paintbrush. Then you use it to brush your teeth.