Project implemented during the 2024–2025 academic year
Sinendé is a rural municipality located in the Borgou Department in northern Benin, a West African country with an estimated population of more than 13 million people. Benin is officially a secular and democratic nation whose economy depends largely on subsistence agriculture. Although the country has made progress in human development over recent decades, significant disparities remain between the urban south and the rural north, particularly in access to education, healthcare, and basic infrastructure.
The northern region, where Sinendé is located, faces considerable socioeconomic challenges. Communities are predominantly Muslim, with polygamous family structures and livelihoods centered on agricultural work.
Since 2007, the Dominican Sisters of the Annunciation have managed Foyer Anunciata, a boarding facility that provides accommodation, educational support, and holistic formation for young people—primarily girls—from rural villages who are at risk of school dropout, early marriage, or child labor. Since 2021, the center has also welcomed boys in response to requests from local families.
The community depends mainly on agriculture and the export of agricultural products. However, economic instability linked to regional crises and insecurity in the Sahel has significantly reduced household incomes. Many families struggle to meet their basic needs, making formal education increasingly difficult to sustain.
One of the center’s greatest challenges has been the lack of a reliable and safe source of electricity. Frequent power outages prevent students from studying at night, compromise security, and force them to rely on candles, exposing them to accidents, vision problems, and other vulnerabilities.
The project
This project aims to install a self-sufficient solar energy system at Foyer Anunciata in Sinendé, including solar panels, batteries, lighting equipment, and the necessary electrical infrastructure to ensure a reliable power supply throughout the center.
The project directly addresses a structural need: guaranteeing the right to education in safe and dignified conditions. A stable source of electricity will enable students to:
- Study during extended evening hours.
- Improve academic performance.
- Reduce risks associated with darkness, including encounters with reptiles and fires caused by candles.
- Prevent eye strain and visual impairments caused by studying in poor lighting conditions. In a disadvantaged rural setting, solar energy is more than a technical solution—it is a tool for educational justice, fully aligned with the educational and evangelizing mission of the Dominican Sisters of the Annunciation.
Objective
General objective
To improve the quality of life and learning conditions of the young people living at Foyer Anunciata.
Specific objectives
- Provide a stable and safe source of electricity.
- Improve the academic performance of boarding students.
- Increase safety within the boarding facility during nighttime hours.
- Prevent visual health issues and accidents resulting from inadequate lighting.
Beneficiaries:
- 128 boarding students (80 girls and 48 boys).
- The wider educational community of Foyer Anunciata.
- The students’ families, who rely on the center’s mission as an alternative to school dropout and early marriage.
Total project budget: €13,073.91
The budget includes the purchase and installation of solar panels, batteries, charge controllers, wiring, lighting fixtures, power converters, installation materials, and specialized technical labor.