USAID Benin: Education: Saved from Early Forced Marriage in Kpessanrou

Imagine a girl child promised in marriage to much older man. A dowry, or bride-price, has been paid and her family is pleased with having one less mouth to feed. Her education is jeopardized since she is expected to get pregnant at an early age. The course of her life has been set. Many of her human rights have been taken away.

Early forced marriage is a common practice in Benin. Fortunately, the situation is changing thanks to the efforts of the USAID-funded Community Action for Girls' Education (CAGE) project. In 2001, USAID/Benin awarded World Learning, a US Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), a 4-year grant of $2,333,749 to promote girls' education in 91 targeted communities. Kpessanrou, one of the thirteen villages of the Banikoara commune in northern Benin, about 900 kilometers from Cotonou, Benin's largest city, is one of those communities.

When the CAGE project started its work of promoting girls' schooling, Penon Bossonnin was saved from the cruel fate of forced marriage. Penon, a 15 year-old schoolgirl, was set to join her fiancé, Bio Gani, in another village. The situation was especially embarrassing for Penon's mother who was a member of the local Parent-Teacher Association. Experience teaches that in similar cases, it is very important to act immediately before the girl is snatched away and lost to school forever. Thus, a member of the local monitoring committee put in place by the project to support its efforts alerted community worker Sahadatou Issifou Adam about Penon's situation. Sahadatou took quick action to remedy the situation. She met with the local monitoring committee members and local authorities. Together, they decided to negotiate with the parents of the bridegroom to postpone the arrival of the bride at her marital home so that she could continue attending school in Kpessanrou. Eventually the negotiations were concluded satisfactorily in favour of Penon's future as she has been allowed to stay at her parents' house and continue her education. Penon's mother was satisfied to know that her daughter would continue her schooling. She was also relieved because the community would not point an accusing finger at her as being an usurper of traditions by postponing Penon's departure to her marital home. As a result, and from that day on, many parents realized that encouraging girls to stay in school does not prevent them from getting married later. The parents also understood that they should fight the practice of early forced marriage and give a chance to their daughters to complete at least their primary education. Consequently, a lot of children, particularly girls, seek their parents' support to be enrolled in school.

Changing peoples' minds, attitudes or behaviour is no easy task, especially when their actions are deeply rooted in commonly accepted and shared beliefs, perceptions, customs, and traditions. The situation is not helped when the mothers of many girls have also been victims of forced marriages and have accepted their fate. However, when communities are empowered through sensitization campaigns, training, involvement in all phases of project activity, its members can work together to make an impact that can trigger change. Thus, thanks to the invaluable assistance of CAGE, the local monitoring committee and a community worker, Penon continues to be enrolled in grade five of primary school. The success of this activity offers a promising means of raising the primary school retention and completion rates of girls.

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