Who are we?
Mi Kooabô!
Kooabô or "Kwabo" means "welcome" in the Fon language of Benin, where we come from. We are a dynamic
young startup specialized in the tourism industry and based in Cotonou. Through our digital platform, we
offer tourist experiences at the heart of the local population in Benin.
Our mission is to showcase the authentic and true Benin and promote the natural, historical, cultural, and
religious richness of our heritage while trying to minimize our impact on the environment. The majority of
our tourist offers also highlight the important role and dynamic presence of Beninese women, the true
backbone of our country.
Our values are authenticity, exchange, transparency, and respect.
Welcome to our home,
Welcome to your home,
Welcome to Benin!
Founders of Kooabô
Discover our hosts who will make you discover the wonders of Benin through our unforgettable experiences.
They will accompany you during your Kooabô experiences and make you discover their ancestral know-how and their love for Benin with passion. They are saleswomen, artists, potters, engineers, guides, and much more. Discover some of them here before meeting them during your experiences! Portraits of exceptional women... our fighting women!
JP, artist. Passionate about fashion and recycling. With her mother, she creates an association for
collecting street children whom
they teach to create artistic works from objects collected in the street so they can make a living from an
activity. Their ambition is to open a reception center for street children in Cotonou.
Meet JP by booking FÈNU, our experience of initiation to natural dyeing on Beninese batik,
here
.
Elyse, potter. A true expert in the art of pottery, she started at the age of 12. Now folded in two, she shapes clay in record time. An example of sisterhood and feminine solidarity, she has her own pottery workshop where she trains a collective of women in the manufacturing and marketing of pottery so that they can fully live off this activity. Meet Elyse by booking SÈ, our pottery experience in Se, here .
Catherine, agricultural engineer. Employed by a large agricultural farm, Catherine supervises and trains teams in the field. Infallible in the field of pisciculture and breeding, she is also a veterinarian. Whether it is vaccinating 400 hens in a few hours, castrating oxen, or counting thousands of fry in a basin, nothing discourages her. Meet Catherine during an afternoon in the field by booking our agrotourism experience, here .
Cadine, cheesemaker. Trained by women of Peuhl origin in ancestral techniques of 'Wagashi' cheese making, Cadine became an agronomist and launched her small production unit to market her activity in compliance with hygiene rules. Very quickly, she innovates and creates new varieties, including the first camembert made in Benin. Meet Cadine by booking WAGASHI, our Peuhl cheese-making workshop, here .