Alibori Bike Tour

The Environmental volunteers of the Alibori Department toured the region on bikes for a four-day reforestation blitz. We stopped at a dozen villages to give brief talks about tree conservation, and planted Moringa trees with the chidlren of each town. Moringa is an incredible plant that yields highly nutritious leaves. The dietary problem in Benin is not lack of food, but lack of nutrients. Thus the distended bellies and bald patches on many children. Moringa offers a bright prospect for aiding this problem - as it produces leaves that are rich in vitamins, minerals and protein. What's more, it grows well in arid climates. So we cruised around talking about these miracle trees, gave out seeds, and taught the mommas how to use them in sauces. Kinda like adding a multivitamin to the diet. The Alibori is a striking region, and it was a joy to shoot a few pictures.

Small Fulani village - typical for rural Northern Benin

old wisdom.

Dendi girl

cotton farmer with harvest



kids will be kids

Niger River

Antelope - domesticated at a Baptist missionary's home

gratuitous cuteness

Perhaps the most suprising element of this image is the pavement. It's a rarity to find such buttery smooth tarmac. What a joy.

A typical gas station: the fuel gets siphoned off Nigerian pipelines and smuggled across the border. Once in Benin, it's sold by the liter in old booze bottles.

At the Kompa Medical Center it costs 500 CFA for a childbirth. Approximately one US dollar.

I found the crashing airplane decor for this mosque to be a little peculiar.

and the dead bats trapped in nets above the door did little to enhance the sanctity of the building. It seems incongruous with the cleanliness and beauty of most mosques.

Goumori sunset.