For children in the slums of Benin, daily life in the West African country is full of hardships. Illegal trafficking of youths continues to trouble the country. The average Beninese worker earns $1,100 a year. But free speech, high voter turnout and a commitment to change give many in the infant democracy hope for the future. Y-Press, a local youth news organization, recently traveled to the cradl

The experienced fingers of 20 women crochet strands of plastic into one-of-a-kind gifts in a shop in Porto-Novo, Benin's capital. These women, led by Grace Dotou-Aboh, began their business, Qui Dit Mieux?, in 1996. They collect plastic bags littering Benin's streets, clean them and transform them into beautiful purses, bags and dolls. The group has received international recognition for raising en

As the first African country to transition from a dictatorship to a democracy, Benin has been hailed as a "beacon of democracy" by the British Broadcasting Corp. and has attracted admirers worldwide. The Beninese have former President Mathieu Kerekou to thank for that. Kerekou, who assumed power in 1972 and governed for more than 20 years, became a Muslim, a born-again Christian, changed his name

Though unfamiliar to Americans and home to a painful past, the West African nation of Benin quickly is becoming the center of hope in the region. Home to a population of nearly 8 million in a geographical area a bit larger than Indiana, Benin used to be a part of the powerful Dahomey kingdom that extended into present-day Nigeria. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Benin's coast was a prominent p

Being a teen in America today is not easy. There is pressure to do well in school, fights with family and friends, and more serious issues such as drug use, pregnancy and eating disorders. Now add being gay to that list. Often, homosexual teens face a whole new set of challenges. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, studies have found increased risk for suicide attempts a

L ike many people, I am affected by my environment. I didn't realize how much until my family's latest trip to Pakistan in December. Both of my parents are Pakistani, and I was born there. My family moved to the United States when I was 5. Growing up in Carmel has never been hard for me. Even though I am a Pakistani citizen, I have rarely felt out of place and was always proud to tell others that