Family Health > Success Stories

One Woman's Contribution
to AIDS Prevention in Benin

"Market Mama" Makes a Difference

The sprawling, bustling Dantokpa market in Cotonou, Benin, in West Africa, is the center of most commercial activity in the country. It's the source point for over half of all household and consumable products sold in the nation's towns and villages.

Thousands of individuals in Dantokpa operate small, wholesale distribution businesses, which, in turn, supply an intricate network of semi-wholesalers and retailers. Many of these businesses are run successfully by women, affectionately referred to as "Market Mamas." To tap into this commercial power house and build a sustainable, market- driven distribution network, Population Services International (PSI), with USAID funding, has worked to involve Dantokpa's traders - almost all female - in the social marketing of its popular Prudence-brand condoms for AIDS prevention. One of PSI's top sellers is Symphorienne Yededji, better known to her customers as "Savalouton," or the woman from Savalou (her hometown in central Benin). Savalouton first began selling condoms in 2000, after many months of fruitless sales pitches from PSI's mobile, condom sales agents. Previously, she had built a prosperous business by selling just rice and whiskey.

Initially, she was very reluctant to sell condoms. "It wasn't an easy decision to start," says, Savalouton, "and I kept putting off the salesmen. I was ashamed to be seen selling condoms - and was afraid of what my friends might say about me. Finally, PSI's sales rep helped me understand that with AIDS really becoming a problem, it was important that all the Prudence retailers around the country be able to easily get their condom supplies where they already bought their other stuff, from people like me."

Savalouton's first purchase was just 5,000 condoms, but sales quickly grew with help from PSI's field agents. The agent responsible for her section of the Dantokpa market helped her decorate her shop with point-of-sales stickers and posters and a large umbrella with the Prudence logo to help retailer customers more quickly find the "Prudence lady" on her street. Another PSI agent, based in central Benin where Savalouton has most of her customers, worked to direct the project's more than 800 condom retailers there to get their supplies from Savalouton in Cotonou. The agent and his mobile education team also organized condom use demonstration and AIDS prevention information events in front of key condom retailers in the region to increase AIDS awareness and build demand for condom use with those still unwilling to remain faithful or abstain. Condom use in central Benin has increased - and much of the business has gone to Savalouton, who in 2001 sold more than 288,000 condoms.

Savalouton has no regrets. "At first, my friends made fun of me and said that I was encouraging promiscuous behavior, but I took my time and explained my reasoning and now they understand my decision. Right now, I am really committed to doing my part. I still think that it would be better if people would just be faithful, but, until that happens-I'm going to keep on selling condoms."

Savalouton is so pleased with her condom success that she has recently signed up to be one of the first distributors in the Dantokpa market of PSI's insecticide-treated mosquito nets for malaria prevention, Super Moustiquaire, and a kit for home treatment of nets, Alafia. Both products also are supported by USAID/Benin financing. Savalouton is satisfied with initial sales. And she is also proud that she is no longer referred to just as the "rice and booze lady." More and more people now also know Savalouton as the lady who helps her community stay healthy by selling condoms and treated mosquito nets.

Savalouton is one of PSI/Benin's more than 50 private sector wholesalers who supply more than 14,000 retail outlets across Benin with PSI's Prudence brand condom for AIDS prevention. With USAID-financing, PSI distributed more than 6.5 million condoms in Benin in 2001 - more than one condom per capita in this country with a population of approximately 6 million.

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