Project 3420 - Acquisition of a still for the production of essential oils
Benedictine Sisters of Pèporiyakou (Benin)
The Pèporiyakou monastery was founded in 2005 by the Abbey of Jouques (France) in response to an appeal from Mgr Pascal N'Koué, Bishop of Natitingou, a diocese twinned with that of Aix-en-Provence, of which Jouques is a part. Construction of the monastery began in 2006 on land donated to the sisters 8 km north of Natitingou in northern Benin. In 2011, construction of the church was completed and blessed by Mgr Dufour, archbishop of Aix-en-Provence. The community comprises around ten sisters, including two from Benin.
Until 2022, the sisters were involved in farming: fruit trees, teak plantations, a vegetable garden, a farm and yam and manioc cultivation.
With jihadist attacks multiplying in the north-west of the country, the sisters had to leave their monastery in 2022 and move further south, to one of the buildings of the Guy Riobé Centre (Parakou), proposed by Bishop N'Koué.
With no more produce from the farm, apiary, shop and guesthouse, the sisters could only make a living from making altar bread and enriched flour. They plan to install a still to distil plants and market essential oils: artemisia, wild mint, basil, ginger, turmeric, eucalyptus, plants that are easily found in the region.
Requested amount : 5,000 euros.