Volunteering Experience in Togo

Week 1

We arrived in Lomé on the 5th of March very early in the morning and, since it was already Thursday, the first few days were only of getting used to the heat, seeing a bit the city and the beaches, but also about trying some of the local foods and doing an “initial training” about togolese culture, way of life and language. We started working on the next Tuesday and for the first week I was assigned to Martin’s team with the potager and panier du coeur activities.

We didn’t spend a lot of time in the vegetable garden (project potager), but we went to make the budget to buy the seeds, talk to some local people about building an irrigation system; the next day we did the maraud, that means going around a quartier of the city to find new kids to involve in the activities and to help them getting back to their family, so we were able to connect with six new guys in the neighborhood of Bé.

With the Ecole alternative team we went to the neighborhood of Agoé Assiyeye close to the market to spend the morning doing activities for the ecole mobile with some kids that live in an abandoned building close to a big market, it’s not easy to see how they’re able to survive in such places, but at the same time we saw a big interest and curiosity in the geography session. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do the food distribution (panier du coeur), because not every week the restaurants has some food left to give us.

We also had to do some more management things, like the weekly rapport, statistics and inserting the new guys on the database of Halsa, where all the children from different projects are registered. On Friday we did the weekly reunion with all the teams and then we were able to visit the grand marché in the city center, see the independence monument and try more local foods, as well as going to Togoville and visiting la maison de les esclaves in Agbodrafo.

Week 2

The second week was with Gael in the project Ecole alternative, where we went with Fabrice, Tresor and Sharon. We spent Tuesday playing football in Agoé Assiyeye, with the same group of the geography class from the market of the week before, and playing a game with some wood, while in the afternoon we went back to the office to do more office work, like statistics, reports and filling the database. On Wednesday at Djena we did some informatic work, where the kids copied some book’s pages on the computer and later a painting session, with some games and a sensibilisation about the use of drugs and tobacco. During our free time we made some more walks in the neighborhood and at the market, trying for the first time fufu and ayimolou. Apart from work, we spent the weekend in Kpalime, a city northerner than Lomé, with Madame Sylvie and Sitsope that showed it to us; we visited the waterfalls of Womé and the Chateau Viale, always trying new local foods.

Week 3

I spent the third week with Gael in the project 4B (Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers), with Liman and Victoire. We went to Ollando, the beach where some young mothers live, to talk about the orange activity: it's an activity implemented in the weeks before, in which they were given some oranges to sell at the market, to improve money management, so we talked to them to understand how it went. Then, we made some bracelets with them and we did the same activity at Hotel la Paix, another place close to the beach where there are some other girls living. With these girls we also played table football and spent some time talking; this is another of those places where you really understand the daily difficulties they go through.

The next day we had a meeting with Monsieur Koffi, the boss of Ada organization (cos'è Ada...) to talk about a possible partnership; Liman proposed to make some session of sensibilisation with the guys and girls that live and stay in the center. This center is in Adidogomé, a neighborhood a bit outside of the city, and thanks to this I was able to get to know another organization and another reality of Lomé, since it's always an organization that helps kids that live in the street. Another activity me and Gael participated in, was the maraude at Hanoukopé; after talking with the boss of the neighborhood and having a guy helping us go around the neighborhood to talk to people, we were able to meet and register in the database three new girls, that we're hopeful to include in the project in the next weeks.

At this point, after three weeks, we still don't really understand our role in the organization, but we remember that the first weeks are always more about getting to know the projects and understanding how they work, so we're hopeful that we’ll help more and be more active in the next few weeks.

Week 4

The time of Ecole Alternative came again, this time with David. Tuesday it's always spent at Agoe Assiyeye; this time we went to talk to three guys about getting in touch with their parents, but unfortunately only one mother answered and what she said wasn’t so easy to hear and comprehend. We wanted to know more about why he left and why he couldn't go back home at this point, but she excused herself saying that when he was a child he wasn't easy, and that now that she has a new husband, who doesn't want kids, he can't go back home.

Hearing these things makes you really think about how sometimes we're so fortunate that we don't even think about some problems, this can happen here in Togo but also all over the world, so it's really only luck. The next few days we did some activities about the alphabet with words and drawn signs, then proceeded with the informatics exercises.

On Thursday we had a meeting with the ambassador of the European Union in Togo and talked about different things, for example about what's the European Union’s work here and our tasks and goals with the organization.

On the weekend we went to a festival of afro-tech music in nature close to Kpalimé; it was a nice time to be able to get out of the city’s traffic and noises and to get to know more people from Togo and other countries.

Week 5

On the fourth week I was back in 4B with David, we spent the time making bracelets with the girls from Hotel la Paix on the beach and the next day Liman and I went to talk to a girl about her work perspectives. She lives in the street but sometimes she can also stay with her grandmother, who takes care of her since the mother is in Nigeria and the father passed away some years ago; she's very keen to learn something she can work with, so we'll see what we can do to help her.

Next, we did another maraude at Hanoukopé and registered three new girls. We spent all the afternoons at the office, making statistics, reports and registering the new girls in the database. Me and another volunteer went to spend the weekend in Kara, a city in the Northern region; there, we saw park Sarakawa, a museum in the city and Koutammakou, an UNESCO city two hours away from the city. I think that this and the past weekend have been my favorite, because we saw so many beautiful things and met new people.

Week 6

The sixth week I was back with Martin at the potager project, but, first of all, on Tuesday we went to the CADJE (Center for Access and Rights to Justice for Children) with eight guys from Agoé Assiyeye and two girls from Ada. There, we had a talk with the director of the center, that explain the guys what happens when someone has problems with the law; later, she showed us the whole center and unfortunately we weren't able to do the activity that we planned, because there were some problems with its organization and the schedule of the guys from the center.

The next couple of days we went to the vegetable garden to water the small plants that are growing, the ones that the other volunteers planted with Martin, and to remove the weeds. I was able to participate in the panier du coeur project, since on Wednesday we picked up some food from a bakery and we brought it to Djena to distribute it to the children.

On Thursday afternoon we were supposed to go to talk to a guy from Bé’s mother, but unfortunately the guy didn’t show up so we weren’t able to go there for the mediation. This really impacted me, because working with children that live on the streets you really see how unpredictable life is.

On Friday morning we left pretty early to go to Benin, all the volunteers together, where we spent the whole weekend: we saw Cotonou, Ganvié, Abomey and Ouidah, it was a really tiring weekend, full of things to do, but at the same time it was really nice to see another country of West Africa and see how different but also similar the life is there.

Week 7

This has probably been the quietest week so far. With multiple public holidays, some of us — myself included — decided to combine two of our days off with the holidays and the weekend to take a short break. The others went on a four-day hike to Dudhkunda, while I stayed at the CLC to rest, spend some time alone, and allow my knee to recover. Ramadan also began during these days. It was a bit confusing since it was initially unclear when it would officially start in Nepal, but it was ultimately confirmed for the 19th of February. As usual, I missed water more than food, especially during the long trip back to Kathmandu.

It was decided that it would be better for me to return to Kathmandu earlier with the group of volunteers who were leaving this weekend so I could go to the hospital and have my knee checked. The day before we left, the sky turned very cloudy and it suddenly began raining heavily, with thunder and everything. In a way, it felt like Naratika’s dramatic way of saying goodbye. It had barely rained at all since we arrived, which made it feel a bit more symbolic. We left on Saturday, and this time the journey took ten hours. I had almost forgotten how good the food is at the hostel here— maybe it was also because I was fasting — but to be honest, dinner felt worth the wait. It was so delicious and perfectly seasoned, and I even went back for seconds.

The next day, the hospital visit was arranged and we went for a check-up. Initially, the doctor suspected an ACL or meniscus tear — or possibly both. It was very stressful to hear that, and my mind started spiraling, especially since the MRI report would only be available the following day. I could barely sleep that night, and I hadn’t been sleeping well for several days already.

We returned the next day to receive the report and speak with the doctor about the results and next steps. Thankfully, it did not turn out to be a tear in either ligament, even though most of the signs had very strongly suggested it. In a way, it felt like a miracle. Even the doctor was slightly surprised and visibly pleased that it was not. I had been praying all night that it wouldn’t be anything too severe, so hearing that was a huge relief.

However, my knee is still in quite a lot of pain, especially after the examination, since it was moved extensively during the check-up. There are some torn tissues, along with swelling, internal bruising, and fluid around the joint, most likely caused by the impact from the fall. I was prescribed a whole bag of medication and advised to start physical therapy as soon as I return home to prevent it from deteriorating further, with the possibility of resorting to plasma injections if medication and physical therapy don’t prove effective or sufficient. With only a few days left here, there isn’t enough time to begin proper treatment with physical therapy, as it would be cut short by my scheduled flight at the end of the project.

I must say, while this week began quietly, it sure ended with a loud bang.

Seven weeks down, one week to go.

Week 8

The final week is here. I’ve been spending it with minimal movement, as per the doctor’s orders, taking my medication and focusing on caring for my knee as well as finishing up my last reports. The others have finally returned from Okhaldhunga. It feels like we hadn’t seen each other in ages, even though it had only been a week. It was good to have everyone back one more time before departure, the hostel sure feels lively again now that it’s full.

I’ve been trying to move a little gradually, slowly going to a nearby shop to buy some necessities and to keep my joints from completely stiffening up.

We had the closing ceremony of the project to officially wrap things up, and afterward we spent some final moments together before everyone begins to gradually disperse and prepare for their journeys home. My flight was scheduled for the next few days, and I felt ready to return home. However, due to the war that has escalated in the Gulf region — where my connecting flight was planned — travel arrangements have become increasingly complicated. Flights have been canceled frequently, and I am now trying to secure an alternative route that avoids the affected area. Unfortunately, most available options are either fully booked or have increased significantly in price. I hope that I will be able to find a suitable flight soon.

All things considered, this has been such a vibrant experience, with all its ups and downs. I learned so much and had the chance to contribute, share, and receive so much warmth and good energy from the people here. It has truly been exciting and enriching, despite the recent developments as well as the setback with my knee.

I guess this officially concludes my Nepal chapter. I’ll be looking back on these memories fondly. Until we meet again.

Eight weeks out of eight — done.

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