Twenty-four students from the Odisee College on a two-week immersion trip to Benin!

From 12 to 26 February, 24 students of the Odisee College went on an immersion trip to Benin. Nursing students from the Aalst, Sint-Niklaas, and Brussels campuses and biomedical laboratory technology students from the Ghent campus participated.

For several years, Odisee has collaborated with the University of Dassa for laboratory technology and with the University of Parakou for nursing. Students and their teachers from Odisee and the two universities exchange techniques and experiences for a fortnight. They go out in mixed groups to discover “life as it is in Benin”. They also participate in our Foundation’s project on malnutrition and screening, take blood samples with the Red Cross in some rural villages and give lessons on health in several primary schools.

Odisee did not go to Benin empty-handed. A big pancake sale brought in almost 5000 euros. They gave this money to the hospitals in Benin, which will use it to buy new medical equipment. Students and teachers also brought new equipment, such as microscopes, blood pressure monitors, and surgical scissors.

A detailed report will follow.