Après moi, le déluge

As some of you may have heard, there has recently been some terrible flooding in the southern regions of Benin. We're actually getting international press, which is not exactly a common occurrence, as you may have noticed. While this has only manifested itself, for me, in some traveling delays, other volunteers have been caught in the thick of it.

Take Ivy Walker. She's a volunteer in a village called Zangnanado, about 4 hours south of me. She's been working relentlessly, organizing information sessions and emergency distribution of necessary sanitary items in the villages surrounding her. 6,000 villagers in her village ALONE have been displaced by the flooding, creating the kinds of scenes shown in this picture below (taken by Ivy).

Here are the specifics of the effects:

• 51 out of 77 communes in Benin have been affected. Verdict: Worst flooding since the country's independence in 1960.
• 100,000 Beninese are without homes, 60,000 houses have been destroyed, and 300 schools have been rendered useless
• Malaria and cholera, conditions both exacerbated by stagnant water, are of grave concern

So Ivy and others have been distributing water treatment packets, mosquito nets and rehydration salts to effected villages. They've also been constructing emergency latrines so no more harmful waste is introduced into the already polluted waters. Ivy also helped organize a youth soccer tournament for students who are unable to attend school to boost morale. There's lots going on, and I'm appreciative of every volunteer who's been around to help alleviate some of the hardships.

Another volunteer, Sarah Binder, is working with CRS, an organization working day and night to ensure villagers in the south have enough clean drinking water and simple grains. If you feel a desire to help out, CRS is accepting donations:

Catholic Relief Services

228 West Lexington Street

Baltimore, MD 21201-3413

(410)625-2220

Please indicate that the funds are to be allocated to the Benin Flooding Response. You can also donate online at crs.org. This is only for those of you feel compelled, I'm not directly involved in this part of the country. For more information, visit this BBC article.

Thanks everyone, and have a safe and happy Halloween!