Donation of rolling stock and IT equipment: SWEDD Benin and PAEG support sectoral Ministries

2024-09-11 23:43:58

(14 vehicles, 127 motorcycles, 324 laptops, 114 printers, 111 video projectors and other accessories)
As part of the implementation of the Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Project (SWEDD), financed by the World Bank and the Gender Equality Support Project (PAEG) financed by the Swiss Cooperation in Benin, the Minister of Social Affairs and Microfinance, Véronique TOGNIFDE, made this Wednesday, September 11, 2024, the official handover of a large batch of equipment and materials to strengthen the capacity for action of activists who work hard to empower women and strengthen their protection through gender violence combat. It was at the Palais des Congrès in Cotonou in the presence of beneficiaries, various activists and managers of the two projects.

Abdul Wahab ADO

The various batches of equipment and rolling stock for the SWEDD Benin project consist on the one hand of: 07 pickup vehicles, 05 Prado vehicles, 45 motorcycles, 324 laptops, 114 printers, 111 video projectors and other accessories and consumables, all on the total amount of six hundred and fifty-six million three hundred and ten thousand nine hundred and ninety-two point five (656,310,992.5) CFA francs; and on the other side for PAEG: 02 4×4 vehicles and 82 motorcycles, all for a total amount of more than one hundred and ninety-nine million eight hundred thousand (199,800,000) CFA francs. On the occasion of the official transfer of materials and equipment, Prince Comlan Eugène ADJOVI, Coordinator of the SWEDD-Benin project, in his welcome remarks, recalled that the specificity of the implementation of SWEDD Benin is the use of service providers of NGOs and consultants for flagship interventions to carry out, regional and national technical assistance to implement projects by UNFPA.

According to the coordinator, “the actors of the ministries, the project supervision body and the World Bank have been very concerned since the beginning of this year about the sustainability mechanism and the final monitoring mission of the World Bank was a point of honor”. … “The delivery of materials and equipment to the executives of the MASM, the Member States, to the training centers for nurses and midwives falls within the framework of this framework of the capacity of the sectors in relation to the feasibility of the proposed sustainability mechanisms”, said he.
Present at this ceremony, the head of the Swiss International Cooperation in Benin; Ms. Elisabeth PITTELOUD ALANSAR expressed that, in relation to the Swiss cooperation that has been active in Benin for 40 years and all its interventions, gender and governance represent the transverse and essential axes. Gender inequality is a source of discrimination and dominance and contributes to the worsening of poverty.

For her, the commitment to reduce inequality is a decision to respect human rights. “The fight against violence is a priority for our countries. The delivery of equipment helps to reinforce the proper functioning of the structures. Through these materials, we contribute to strengthening intervention resources.” She reiterated the support of Swiss Cooperation in Benin.

The representative of the beneficiaries, Lisethe Odoulami, thanked the technical and financial partners. She expressed satisfaction and joy to all the beneficiaries. She also promised that these materials would be put to good use and that they would be maintained.

Support for government activities

In his speech, the Minister of Social Affairs recalled the actions of Switzerland that supported Benin’s development efforts and the achievements of the Sweed project for more than forty years. This batch of rolling stock and IT equipment complements the efforts of the Government as well as the efforts of other technical and financial partners to effectively tackle Gender Based Violence. “Our social protection system which is deployed from the central level to the peripheral level is thus boosted and it will certainly be possible to offer better quality comprehensive services,” explained Véronique TOGNIFDE. The ministerial authority also pointed out that “the economic empowerment of women, the fight against gender-based violence and the capture of the demographic dividends are within the reach of ​​our beautiful and beautiful homeland Benin and the actions taken by Government of the President of the People. Poblach and its staff, with the help of technical and financial partners, through two different Government action programs, have already laid the groundwork to achieve the expected results. In the synergy of our interventions, the various ministerial departments present here will continue to play their full role so that Benin gives a pleasant response to the meetings of the national and international agenda.

The structures that benefit from the support

Three ministries are equipped with these materials and IT equipment. These are the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance and Higher Education. With a total amount of six hundred and fifty-six million, three hundred and ten thousand, nine hundred and ninety-two point five (656,310,992.5) francs, the equipment is distributed among different structures. Therefore, 05 Toyota Pick-up vehicles for the benefit of the department directorates Borgou, Couffo, Collines, Donga and Plateau; 02 Collected Toyota vehicles for the Socio-Educational Classes initiative; 02 Toyota Prado vehicles for the National Institute of Medicine and Health (INMeS) of Cotonou; 02 Toyota Prado vehicles for the Nursing and Midwifery Training Institute (IFSIO) of Parakou; 01 Toyota Prado vehicle for the National Agency for Primary Health Care in the Ministry of Health; 30 Yamaha brand motorcycles for Single Windows of Social Protection (GUPS) of the directorates of the Social Affairs departments of Alibori, Atacora, Borgou, Collines and Couffo; 15 motorcycles for the benefit of clinical assistant mentors.

Regarding materials and computer equipment, they will be distributed as follows: 150 laptops for clinical midwifery mentors; 60 computers for eSIGL scaling; 85 devices consisting of a laptop, printer, scanner, video projector and other accessories for 85 GUPS throughout the national territory; 12 devices consisting of a laptop, printer, scanner, video projector and other accessories for the 12 departmental directorates of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance; 06 devices made up of a laptop, printer, scanner, video projector and other accessories for social education classes; 03 devices consisting of a laptop, printer, scanner, video projector and other accessories for the Gender and Environment Unit of the MASM; 05 devices consisting of a laptop, printer, scanner, video projector and other accessories for the DPAF Monitoring-Evaluation service of the MASM.