A Solidarity Project in Togo: An Inspiring Initiative

Over two weeks, our young civic service volunteers, including Cynthia from Emmaus Pahou, took part in a solidarity project in Togo, organized jointly by the APPUIS association and the solidarity club of the Hilaire de Chardonnet high school in Chalon-sur-Saône, and was hosted by the local association Eke Deka, the beneficiary of the project.

The APPUIS association, a French organization operating in Niger, manages a sponsorship program and hosts, in its boarding school in Niamey, orphans or children from very modest backgrounds. This program allows about forty children to access quality education and/or vocational training.

The solidarity club of the Hilaire de Chardonnet high school develops solidarity projects every year, including a youth work site. It's the main event of the year: missions are carried out in southern countries such as Burkina Faso, Togo, Niger, Nepal, etc., to support the development of a local association.

EKE DEKA, meaning "one root" in Ewe, is a Togolese association aimed at improving the environment and living conditions of the poorest, especially in the isolated village of Klofé in the mountains north of Kpalimé.

During this project, the team, consisting of about twenty French high school students, a dozen Nigeriens, about thirty Togolese, and a dozen volunteers in civic service in Togo, Benin, and France, constructed a small building of about 30m2. This building will allow the Eke Deka association to develop its activities with the local population.

However, the main goal of this initiative was to promote intercultural encounters through artistic activities, such as the creation of bead bracelets and batik t-shirts, card games, and dance, and also solidarity by participating in Eke Deka's activities with children.

This experience proved to be extremely enriching and inspiring, and we hope to be able to welcome such initiatives in the future.