about us 

The Kouda Company was born out of a dream to start a tourism company in Benin, West Africa - to show the world the beautiful place where we, the Kouda’s, call home (at least part time!).

My (Debra’s) love affair with Africa began in 2003 when I was an intern at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia. Africa grabbed ahold of my heart, and when I returned to the US, I was always looking for a way to go back. Peace Corps was that avenue, and in 2007, I arrived in the bustling city of Cotonou, Benin.

The next few years were a whirl of changes. Learning French and marrying Thomas D’Aquin are just a few of the many marvelous moments. D’Aquin and I ventured to Fairbanks, Alaska (where I was raised) after Peace Corps and lived there for eight years. Our first son Aden, was born there. During the summer of 2017, we decided that it was time for a new adventure. We sold our house and took to the ALCAN (Alaska - Canada highway) and moved to northwest Washington, all while I was seven months pregnant! Our second son, Benjamin, was born shortly after arriving.

We have consistently traveled to Benin, building a home as well as starting a cashew tree farm. Benin is a special place, and for years we have wondered how we could share it with other people.

Now, here we are! Thank you so much for visiting our site (hopefully booking a tour!) - the joy would be all ours to show you the country that brought us together!

Merci Beaucoup!

mission

The Kouda Company exists to cultivate the exchange of ideas between different cultures in order to create a better understanding amongst people around the world.