The Gnanhouizounmè Sacred Forest, located inland from Porto-Novo, the capital of Benin, is one of the country’s last refuges for endangered primates and other wildlife, most of which are also threatened at a national scale. Public surveys conducted by the staff of Organisation pour le Développement Durable et la Biodiversité (ODDB), LVDI International’s partner in Benin, suggest that the majority of Porto-Novo citizens are not familiar with either the Sacred Forest or the magnificent wildlife it harbors. Through the tireless efforts of Ms. Chrystelle Dakpogan and Mr. Mariano Houngbedji, (founders of ODDB), a new Little Green Guards® conservation education program funded by LVDI International has been implemented in the Porto-Novo school district. This program aims to familiarize urban children with the natural wonders of Benin, while fostering their affection toward their native wildlife and habitats. Of equal, if not greater importance, is the expansion of the program to rural schools located adjacent to areas of high biodiversity, such as the Gnanhouizounmè Sacred Forest. Using support and curricula templates provided by LVDI International, educators from Porto-Novo now travel to these impoverished areas and teach a customized Little Green Guards® program for children who would otherwise never receive exposure to conservation education.
