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1985
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- Songhai is established. Fr. NZAMUJO, o.p,
launches the project with a team of six teenage dropouts on one
hectare of land in Ouando, a suburb of Porto-Novo.
October 5: Official inauguration of the Songhai project by the
Minister for Rural Development and Cooperative Action.
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1986
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- 28
student farmers are enrolled at Songhai for training in agro-biology;
extension of the site enlarges it by 10 ha.
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1987
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- Retail distribution of products begins.
A vending outlet is opened on the site in Porto-Novo.
- First financial support from ADF (African
Development Foundation - USA) for fish farming, pig farming and
motorized cultivation.
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1988
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- The farm becomes more structured.
- Debut of customized training (courses
and a few other activities for villagers)
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1989
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- In July, the 18-month on-site training
and 6 months/1 year on-farm experience in Porto-Novo is determined.
The practice of selecting 10 to 15 young people per semester is
established.
- Creation of the Songhai center in Tchi,
a rural area, on 25 ha. The production system is adapted to the
village setting. Ox-driven plowing is implemented as well as the
beginning of large animal farming (cattle, goats, etc), fish farming,
and rice planting.
- Publication of the first videocassettes
on the integrated system of farming practiced by Songhai.
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1990
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- Organization of a Colloquium at the insistence
of the CCFD (Catholic Commission against Hunger and for Development)
and in collaboration with Songhai, bringing together 35 NGOs from
the South, and all CCFD partners and involved in local development.
- Birth of the newsletter "L'Aigle
de Songhai" (The Songhai Eagle)
- Creation of the Songhai Village on an
area of 1.25 ha. (prototype of a family farm).
- First financial support from the Parish
of Froissy - St. Andre in the Oise region of France; this support
continues today.
- Creation of a training center at Tchi
Ahomadégbé, funded by the European Development Fund
(EDF).
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1991
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- Opening of the shop "Aliments Sains"
(Health Foods) in Cotonou selling products from the Songhai farm.
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