Mother, mentor, entrepreneur: How one woman is changing lives in Benin
Akimatou, 22, sits on her porch, equipped with condoms and an illustrated book about issues including safe sex, contraception and bodily autonomy. Presented in a comedic, cartoon style, the images are sure to bring uncertain glances and nervous laughter. The lighthearted presentation is how she conveys crucial information to women in Benin.
Akimatou knows personally the impact of a lack of information on these matters: When she became pregnant at 16, she was forced to leave school after facing family rejection and community stigma. Only one in three girls in Benin complete the first cycle of secondary education; adolescent pregnancy is a major driver.
“I wanted to stay in school to become somebody, but unfortunately my dreams never came true.”
Akimatou’s life has developed in ways she couldn’t have imagined since then. After attending a series of sessions on comprehensive sexuality education in her neighbourhood, she became a peer educator and youth advocate herself. She also works as a seamstress, running her own fashion shop from home, while raising her 6-year-old son.
“I talk to my friends to keep them from making the same mistake I did, so they look after themselves, know their menstrual cycles and understand contraception.”
The community sessions run by Akimatou, as well as her training, are part of a comprehensive sexuality education initiative in Benin run by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, which is the sexual and reproductive health agency of the UN. The project is innovative and community-led, engaging parents, teachers, students, employers, graffiti artists, religious leaders and many more to help people learn about the emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality, providing them with the knowledge to protect their health and well-being.
UNFPA, with the support of the Netherlands, promotes comprehensive sexuality education in both school and out-of-school settings in Benin and has reached hundreds of thousands of young people. Progress is being made: Between 2016 and 2024, the number of school-related pregnancies in the country declined by 62 per cent to 1,157 from 3,045, and the number of girls enrolled in schools is increasing.
This kind of headway illustrates the tangible impact of initiatives such as the one Akimatou carries out on her porch, changing the lives and futures of young people.
