Since 2008, a volunteer group of Spanish, English and German business people from Tenerife has been organising week-long summer camps for the children of four villages in Benin – one of the poorest countries on the African continent.
In September each year, the volunteers go to the remote region of L’Atacora in north-western Benin and help the village children of four different ethnic groups – Koussu, Ourbunna, Tampegre and Materi, each with a different language and traditions – to learn how to integrate while enjoying a little fun away from their normal hum-drum routine.
The group approached The Smile Foundation for financial support for school materials, registration and uniforms, etc. but, because it falls outside the charity’s core remit – which is to help local children and families in need on the Costa del Sol and Tenerife – the request was referred to the Lions Club (who The Smile Foundation have helped on another project) and they kindly agreed to fund the programme with money for school supplies.
However, The Smile Foundation was delighted to donate some T-shirts and caps, which the kids can be seen proudly modelling in the photos.
Approximately 55 boys and girls, aged 10-15years, attend the camps and are allowed to return, although the intention is always to try to give the same opportunities to new children and widen the experience as far as possible. The children attend normal school during term-time, but each day after school they also have to work in the fields or around their homes, so the camps give them a chance to live for one week without working, simply behaving like children and forgetting about their roles in the adult world.
Some of the girls who attend the camps live with and are educated by nuns, to prevent them being sold for marriage – which can happen up to 3 times before the girls are even old enough to leave school and is the only form of income for some families in the region.
Objectives of the camps are to promote and develop the virtues of shared experiences; to enhance equality between boys and girls; to offer sporting and artistic opportunities and cultural exchange through song and dance and to improve team spirit through group games while also offering the children an opportunity to get to know their own region in more detail.
The camps develop values such as hard work, responsibility, sociability, team work and mutual respect among the children, who have their expenditure fully covered. The total cost can easily top €6.000, with finance coming from private contributions, companies and charitable organisations – some in cash and others in kind.
Map of the L´Atacora region of Benin, Africa
THE SMILE FOUNDATION, formerly known as Fundación Club La Costa, was initially founded by Club La Costa in 1999.
The Foundation’s objectives are the same now as they ever were, namely to help as many needy people as possible in the Costa del Sol area – financially or materially.
This aim has been achieved through the Foundation’s continuing support and dedication in raising funds for local charities – helping the Costa del Sol become an even sunnier place, where less fortunate people have a reason to smile more often.
Club La Costa continues to take care of all administrative and publicity costs associated with the charity, thereby ensuring that 100% of all donations reach their intended destination.
Loading ...
