Hands for life: Neonatology for newborns in Benin

Dear Donors,

Aleimar is really happy to write this updating report and to share with all of you really good news about the project “Hands for life” that our Organization keeps pursuing. As a collaborator of the Project Office of Aleimar, I’ve personally taken part in the periodic monitoring trip that has lasted one month, from the middle of April to the middle of May. Together with Antonio, our Country Manager, we have travelled many kilometers from the north to the south of the Country, visiting all the projects and above all embracing our children supported by you.

Their joy, curiosity and desire to get to know each other are really moving. All the children hosted in the centers that Aleimar supports are growing and learning in a safe place, away from violence or abuse. During our trip we had the opportunity to meet in person all our local representatives and to talk about the general situation in Benin. They have reported that international events are causing a strong impact in the daily life of the Beninese population. The general rise in prices, in particular of staple food, is steady and push a lot of families in vulnerable conditions: a lot of them cannot afford and provide a proper nutrition to their children and also a lot of mothers cannot follow a balanced diet.

Moreover, climate change keeps on showing evident and dangerous effects: in Benin half of the population works in the agricultural sector and it mainly relies on rain water. Now, at the end of the dry season, farmers witness a strong reduction of crops and an always higher difficulty to find water through wells. Uncertainty and resilience are nowadays part of the life of a lot of people that have to face drought as well as sudden floods.

Despite these problems, Aleimar has never stopped and wants – also thanks to your precious support – to help the most fragile part of the population of Benin. In particular, during our monitoring trip we have visited “Abbraccio Hospital”, the pediatric hospital of Sokponta. Here the neonatology department is growing and there are also Italian surgeons that decide to come to Benin for some months to operate in favor of a lot of newborns. We have met the local staff that every day works for the most fragile part of the population and we have visited the neonatology rooms.

Thanks to all of you that, through your support to this project, make it possible to provide professional pediatric assistance for a lot of children in need!