VZCZCXRO9006
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0268/01 1761230
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251230Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0986
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1474
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000268 
 
PARIS FOR ARS (DWINTON) 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/PD (ANYASO, TITUS, LISENBY), ECA/PE/V/R/A 
(EBUTLER), AF/W (ACOOK) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC KPAO SCUL BN
SUBJECT: BENIN GPRA REPORT: AFRP WOMEN IN BUSINESS 
 
REF: STATE 34838 
 
¶1. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: Benin's participants in the May 11-29, 
2009 Women in Business Program, Dede Lea Edith Medji, Director of 
"Benin Chips" and Awahou Codjo Alabi, "Awa Fish" Manager, returned 
to Benin and debriefed the Public Affairs Officer, the Political and 
Economic Officer and Acting DCM, and the Economic and Cultural 
Affairs Assistants about their visit to the U.S.  Both women were 
very pleased with the program and assured us of their personal 
commitment to use the lessons learned from this enrichment 
experience in America to initiate follow-up activities, in 
collaboration with the American Cultural Center, to enhance young 
women's capacity building. 
 
¶2. DATE OF ACTIVITY: May 11-29, 2009; Third Quarter, FY 09. 
 
¶3. PROGRAM JUSTIFICATION/OBJECTIVES: The program was a good 
opportunity for both participants to explore the gender dimensions 
of international economics, trade liberalization and international 
finance and the essential role of international of non-governmental 
organizations in supporting women's development and empowering women 
professionally and personally. 
 
¶4. MPP UMBRELLA THEMES AND AUDIENCE REACHED: Subject program meets 
Post's objectives in promoting the status of Women, Economic Growth 
and Development, Human Rights and Mutual Understanding. 
 
¶5. ACTIVITIES/IMPACT/RESULT: During the debriefing session, both 
participants said they were impressed by America's great ethnic 
diversity, the differences between the different states as well as 
by Americans' kindness and open-mindedness. They highlighted their 
appreciation for the dynamism and determination to go further 
despite all the difficulties demonstrated by American businesswomen. 
 By way of example, they cited the positive attitude of the women 
business owners and the respectful way they treat their clients and 
their employees in the management of their businesses.  They also 
had high praise for the spirit of volunteerism that prevails in the 
U.S. and the association of networks that work to support and 
promote women's empowerment and leadership.  The U.S. experience 
intensified their conviction that Beninese women need to work 
together, not individually, in order to raise their status and help 
each other achieve their respective goals. 
 
¶6. As an immediate result of their participation in this program, 
Dede Lea Edith Medji prepared a list of planned activities for the 
short and midterm which includes the following: 
 
--To share her experience with her personnel and the Business and 
Professional Women Association in Cotonou; 
 
--To send some Beninese books and CDs to Berea College; 
 
--Identify Beninese students who could correspond with American 
students; 
 
--To invite her fellow IV from Guinea to Benin to visit her 
enterprise and eventually partner with her; 
 
--To facilitate a partnership between the Promotion Center of 
Artisans in Cotonou with Pangea at Berea, in Kentucky; 
 
--To put Ursuline Academy into contact with Notre Dame Girls High 
School in Benin. 
 
¶7.  Awahou Codjo Alabi's enterprise has already benefitted from the 
business management principles she learned from reading the book, 
"Mary Kay Ways," which she won as a prize during the visit in 
Dallas. She is aspiring to raise her small business to the status of 
a medium one and the trip to the U.S. gave her good ideas and hints 
about ways to achieve this goal.  As a member of the Islamic 
Chamber, she intends to work on establishing a partnership between 
the Chamber of Commerce in Dallas and the one in Cotonou.  As the 
President of the Association of Sea Products Business Owners, Alabi 
will organize a debrief session to raise the members' awareness on 
the need to change Beninese business owners' attitudes towards their 
clients. 
 
During the debrief, we discussed the possibility of sponsoring a 
women's business owner's conference at the American Cultural Center 
and developing a skit to dramatize positive customer service 
approaches to enhance business.  Alabi also discovered that Mills 
College in San Francisco awards 2-year scholarship to girls and she 
would like to publicize this so that Beninese girls could take 
advantage of this opportunity. 
 
¶8. The participants expressed their gratitude to the organizers for 
such a well organized and tightly focused program. 
 
 
COTONOU 00000268  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶9. NON-USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING/IN KIND SUPPORT: None 
 
¶10. QUALITY OF USG SUPPORT: Excellent. The participants were very 
impressed by the quality and professionalism of the speakers, ELOs 
and programs. 
 
RAWLINGS