A Promise Fulfilled

By AdminAfrica, Benin, Capacity Building, Conservation, Education, Little Green Guards®, Mammals, Primates
On behalf of the people of Gnanhouizounmè village, the Chief expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Mariano Houngbedji, our Benin Education Program Coordinator and head of our partner organization ODDB, for a gift that will benefit current and future generations. (Photo © ODDB/LVDI International)

The Gnanhouizounmè Nature Center is officially open!

It all began with a promise to the people of Gnanhouizounmè. Now after a year of planning and construction the dreams of this rural community in southern Benin have been fulfilled (see post Building a Legacy for Current and Future Generations).

On December 20, 2019, local stakeholders, including representatives of our partner organization ODDB, as well as officials from the Bonou and Damè-Wogon districts, and the Forestry Office of Bonou attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event marked a new beginning for our conservation efforts in Benin.

The center is one-of-a kind in Gnanhouizounmè and will serve multiple purposes for the local community. (Photo © ODDB/LVDI International)
The center is one-of-a kind in Gnanhouizounmè and will serve multiple purposes for the local community. (Photo © ODDB/LVDI International)
Mr. Mariano Houngbedji (Benin Education Program Coordinator) welcomed guests to the grand opening. (Photo © ODDB/LVDI International)
Mr. Mariano Houngbedji (Benin Education Program Coordinator) welcomed guests to the grand opening. (Photo © ODDB/LVDI International)

Located at the edge of the Gnanhouizounmè Sacred Forest, the center is home for the Little Green Guards®. Students in this program will use the facility as a classroom and learn about their native fauna and flora. Besides the 150 m2 (1615 ft2) building, an outdoor learning lab soon will be completed, offering visitors an opportunity to connect with the surrounding natural environment. A tree nursery is also part of the center’s master plan.

With artwork depicting the local flagship species adorning its walls and a small but growing reference library and museum collection, we will continue to raise awareness and educate children and adults about the importance of preserving biological diversity. (Photo © ODDB/LVDI International)
With artwork depicting the local flagship species adorning its walls and a small but growing reference library and museum collection, we will continue to raise awareness and educate children and adults about the importance of preserving biological diversity. (Photo © ODDB/LVDI International)

The opening of the center was planned to coincide with the seventh annual Christmas in the Forest, a field trip for the schoolchildren of Gnanhouizounmè to experience the wonders of the forest.

Huge THANKS to our donors and partners, especially ODDB and the German Embassy in Benin. We could not have done it without you!

We did it! Our environmental education program is now taking a new dimension. (Photo © ODDB/LVDI International)
We did it! Our environmental education program is now taking a new dimension. (Photo © ODDB/LVDI International)