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To: Currently Serving and Returned Peace Corps Benin Volunteers Re: Peace Corps’ Tragic Event in Benin Upon hearing of the tragic event of which I’m about to tell you, please consider a small donation to benefit the communities of two Beninese girls who died tragically at a Peace Corps organized event. The goal is to raise $1000 for the community of each girl to be used in a project that benefits the family and community. The Peace Corps project where the tragedy occurred was at the northern Benin Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World), a camp Peace Corps Volunteers have organized world-wide. These are week-long leadership camps that focus on girls’ education, citizenship, self-confidence, money management, the environment and more. The first Camp GLOW in Benin took place in 2004 and was such a success that three more camps were organized for the summer of 2005. I had the honor of coordinating the Southern Camp GLOW, which took place June 19th - June 25th in Porto-Novo. It was the most rewarding experience of my Peace Corps service. It was at the second camp held August 14th - 20th, in the north western region of the country that tragedy struck. On the last day of camp, the volunteers took 34 girls and 10 women to the waterfalls, located just outside of Natitangou. Ten girls and one volunteer were standing in the water when suddenly four girls and the volunteer found themselves submerged in deep water. The volunteer was able to pull two of the girls to safety but tragically, two girls never resurfaced. The three volunteers present dove in after them and searched for the girls in vain. Sandrine Chabi and Aimée Ali Henri, ages 13 and 14, died on August 19th, 2005. Peace Corps Benin Director, Marilee McClintock rushed to Natitangou to help the volunteers deal with this crisis. The volunteers escorted the girls’ bodies back to their respective villages and stayed for the funeral ceremonies. What is most incredible about this tragedy is the reaction of the communities. They have no hard feelings against the Peace Corps Volunteers and instead are appreciative and thankful for their presence along with the Director’s at the funeral services. They want the volunteers to remain in their community and to continue to work with them. The Camp GLOW Memorial Fund, which has been established, will be used to fund a project that will benefit the entire community and will be chosen by the Peace Corps Volunteers in coordination with the village leaders. Camp GLOW taught Sandrine and Amiée to value their education and to make a difference in their communities. In essence, what this fund will do is make the positive impact in their communities that the girls would have made had their lives not ended so early. The Camp GLOW Memorial Fund is not tax-deductible because we wanted to act as quickly as possible on behalf of the Peace Corps Volunteers and the affected communities. While there are many tragedies in the world and so many other things going on, please think of the distraught volunteers and Peace Corps staff, the impact they are trying to have in Benin right now and the importance of solidifying a relationship with the affected communities. I thank you in advance for your donation. Sincerely, Britta Runbeck RPCV Benin, 2003-2005 All checks can be made out to the Camp GLOW Memorial Fund and sent to: Britta Runbeck 48 East Golden Lake Road Circle Pines, MN 55014 |