Project Launch:

In the Behon Be Se! (Behon Can!) project, World Connect supported a youth group for 50 kids, 25 boys and 25 girls, in the community of Behon, Mali. The youth group was focused on increasing self-esteem and leadership skills of the young students in the village. In a community where there are only three classrooms for six grades, where teachers get paid very little, and where kids often must work in the fields or at home, young people have few opportunities to participate in such unique, targeted programming. The group met once per week throughout the life of the project, each week’s activities being led by a different kid. Activities were always fun and practical, including creating jewelry and art for sale in local markets, planting trees, painting educational murals, and presenting educational theatre for the community on hand washing, preventing and treating common illnesses and improving nutrition.