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Remembering Sandrine and Aimee
Published on August 22, 2005 By Beninian Annie In Misc
I am about to write terrible news.

The last day of our camp, three volunteers and ten adult women took our 34 girls to a local waterfall. Later that day only 32 girls came back as we lost two to a freak drowning accident.

Thankfully, all of my girls arrived back safely. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, I was not there to do somthing, anything to help. The last few days have been playing the What If game. One of the girls who died - Aimee was from Djougou and born in a town very close to Badjoude. Myself and three other volunteers accompanied the taxi procession to the border of Togo.

I am now back in Nattitangou, processing and continuing to do logostical things. Peace Corps will probably keep us all here for a few days.

Just remember and reflect at how precious life really is and please keep their families in your thoughts. However, the good things that happened in this camp can never be taken away. The other 32 girls will take on the memory of Sandrine and Aimee and use that, I hope, to only inspire further the progress of young women in this country.

Only now the hard part remains, how to grieve and how to move on.

Comments
on Aug 22, 2005
Oh Annie, that is such terrible news. I am so sorry I wasn't available to talk when the telephone tree called (I was in Oshkosh for a rehearsal). I hope that it will not negate the value of what you and others are doing in the Peace Corps. It's much worse when one hears of the young and talented succumbing to such a terrible fate. Please keep the faith; you are on the right course.