True restorative justice cannot live solely in history textbooks or corporate apologies. For us at Adam Sun Hope Sanctuary, it has to breathe. It has to take a tangible, practical form that changes lives in real-time.

When exploring the history of modern Benin, it is easy to focus exclusively on the coastal ports and the heavy shadow of the Atlantic trade. But if we travel inland to the Abomey Plateau—the historic heart of the Kingdom of Dahomey—we uncover a completely different layer of this powerful state.

Turning Loss into Legacy: How "Ride it Forward" Connects Vancouver to Benin At Adam Sun Hope Sanctuary, we believe in turning loss into legacy. Our Ride it Forward pilot project connects Vancouver with Porto Novo in the Republic of Benin. By partnering with Wale Lagos Car Wash, we deliver vital skills, tools, and opportunities to local youth through motorcycle and bicycle repair. To truly understand our mission, we must look back at Benin’s history—including its central, complex role in the precolonial and Atlantic slave trades. Understanding this past deepens our appreciation for the resilience of these communities and highlights the importance of building forward. The Precolonial Landscape: Power and the Atlantic Slave Trade Modern Benin traces its roots to the Kingdom of Dahomey, founded on the Abomey Plateau around 1600 by the Fon people. Dahomey was a highly organized absolute monarchy famous for its centralized bureaucracy, vibrant court arts, and its legendary all-female military unit, the Dahomey Amazons. Long before European ships arrived on the coast, various forms of domestic servitude, captive-taking, and pawnship existed across West Africa, often tied to warfare, debt, or judicial punishment. This regional infrastructure expanded exponentially with the arrival of European maritime traders. To understand the full scope of this era, several historical facts stand out: The Fall of Ouidah (1727): Eager to gain direct access to European firearms and manufactured goods, King Agaja of Dahomey conquered the neighboring coastal Kingdom of Whydah in 1727. This absorbed the bustling port town of Ouidah (Whydah) into Dahomey, transforming the kingdom into a primary gateway for international commerce. The Scale of the Port: Ouidah became the second-largest slave-exporting port in the entire Atlantic trade, surpassed only by Luanda in Angola. Between the 1670s and the 1860s, well over one million enslaved Africans were marched down the two-mile dirt track to the Atlantic shore from Ouidah alone. The Triangular Mechanics: Dahomey operated a highly militarized economy. It organized structured raids against neighboring societies (such as the Yoruba) to capture individuals, who were then exchanged with Portuguese, French, English, and Dutch merchants for muskets, gunpowder, textiles, and cowrie shells. The Transition to Palm Oil: By the 1840s, British naval blockades via the West Africa Squadron pressured Dahomey to end the overseas trade. Under King Gezo, the kingdom pivoted toward large-scale palm oil plantations. Rather than being exported, captive laborers were kept internally to work these royal plantations, shifting the nature of local bondage before French colonial rule took hold in the 1890s. To explore the deeper archival data and timelines of this era, you can review the extensive Emory University Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, or read through the historical overviews provided by the Encyclopaedia Britannica Guide to the Kingdom of Dahomey and the UNESCO Slave Route Project. From History to Hope: Reparations in Action For global communities, restorative justice is about more than uncovering the past—it’s about practical healing, education, and community empowerment. For Adam Sun Hope Sanctuary, reparations mean action. We are addressing the deep, multi-generational legacies of the slave trade by investing directly in today’s youth. Our Ride it Forward project transforms history into opportunity through three core pillars: Vocational Training: Equipping young men and boys in Porto Novo with concrete skills in mechanics and repair. Resource Shipping: Sending high-quality tools, parts, and resources to foster local independence and entrepreneurship. Dignified Partnerships: Creating cross-continental connections rooted in mutual respect, capability, and shared humanity. Today, Porto Novo is a vibrant city blending royal traditions, bustling markets, and a rich Vodun culture recognized by UNESCO. The resilient and entrepreneurial spirit of the past lives on in the city's mechanics and youth. By supporting their local expertise, we help them "ride it forward" toward a stable, purposeful future. Join the Movement: Call to Action You can help us turn history into hope. Your support directly funds the next barrel of tools and parts shipped straight to the youth who need them most. Together, let’s practice restorative justice through real, tangible action. 👉 [Donate Today and Help Build a Stronger Future from Vancouver to Benin!]