
Benin Market as Focus of Peace and Reconciliation
In central Benin, the village of Kaboua once boasted a lively local market that attracted merchants and visitors from as far away as Nigeria. But in 2010, community disputes led to insurmountable tensions and eventual closure of the market.

The village market in Kaboua was dormant for a decade due to community conflicts. Today, it is gradually coming back to life.
Photo by Jean-Michel Kpakpo/CRS
For 10 years, silence replaced the usual bustle. For women in particular, these years meant economic hardship, a decline in purchasing power, and the inability to carry out their small business activities. Merchants from other regions stopped visiting Kaboua, which weakened economic and social ties.

The women of the royal court of Kaboua offer prayers of blessing, seeking lasting peace within the region's communities and a favorable outcome for the revival of Kaboua's market activities.
Photo by Jean-Michel Kpakpo/CRS
In 2019, the U.S. Agency for International Development launched Kadjogbé Fou Itounou, which translates as “let’s live and work together in peace” in the local Nagot language. From this project, a glimmer of hope for reconciliation emerged.
Community leaders came together in workshops designed to promote understanding, collaboration and unity among diverse groups. They engaged in activities and discussions about conflict, building trust and encouraging peaceful coexistence.

The kings of the three neighboring villages support the revival of Kaboua's market and are working to restore constructive dialogue within their respective communities.
Photo by Jean-Michel Kpakpo/CRS
In tandem with these workshops, Catholic Relief Services began establishing Savings and Internal Lending Communities, or SILC, which brought opportunities for economic stability, especially for women. SILC groups also engaged women leaders in a local peace committee.
The committee is composed of representatives from surrounding villages and is championed by three local kings—King Onilukaboua of Kaboua, King Babaguidaï, and King Balè Bagbo of Bako. Committee members and local authorities, with support from Caritas Dassa, work to restore constructive community dialogue through listening sessions. This work eventually led to the return of peace and reopening of the beloved market.
The King of Kouba gave his blessing and provided all necessary assurances to prevent a recurrence of the conflict. Several women organized themselves to prepare the market for reopening.

Women leaders play a key role in the revival of trading activities at the Kaboua market. This market, which remained inactive for a decade due to a community conflict, is now being brought back to life by their efforts.
Photo by Jean-Michel Kpakpo/CRS
"A village without a market is a dead village because there is no life; one cannot buy or sell,” says Antoinette Atchadé, who serves as the president of the market vendors in Kaboua. “This situation impoverished us for 10 years. We took our small wealth elsewhere, to other villages that had functioning markets."
"Many things had been initiated in vain, but thanks to the KFI project, the solution was easily initiated," says King Onilukaboua. "We will support it with prayers for a successful outcome."
Joint efforts have led to significant progress. As the market begins to regain its former traffic, new businesses are being established. A crisis management committee was established to help prevent future conflicts. And other community initiatives are focused on enhancing the market’s appeal—with the hope that one day a larger more modern market can be established.
The Kaboua market, a symbol of division and inactivity for a decade, now stands as an example of resilience and collaboration, driven by initiatives implemented by Kadjogbé Fou Itounou and supported by strong community leadership.
As one resident of Kaboua says, "Where there is peace, there is social cohesion."
The Kadjogbé Fou Itounou project is a U.S. Agency for International Development, People-to-People Peacebuilding program. Developed in response to political conflicts in 2019 and the recurrent community conflicts between farmers and herders, Kadjogbé Fou Itounou promotes social understanding, encouraging intra- and inter-group collaboration, and mitigates risks of electoral violence, farmer-herder conflicts, the frustration of disadvantaged groups, and violent spillover from neighboring countries.
The project also supports economic inclusion activities through Savings and Internal Lending Community and youth entrepreneurship approaches, as well as integrated gender-responsive and transformative interventions. First implemented in March 2023 by Catholic Relief Services and its partners, Caritas Parakou and Caritas Dassa in four communes of the Borgou and Collines departments, the activities expanded to the other three departments of northern Benin—Alibori, Atacora and Donga. In its extended phase, the Kadjogbé Fou Itounou project aims to reach 11,336 direct beneficiaries and 70,583 indirect beneficiaries by the project's completion in August 2026.