ASTO 02: « RENOVATION ET LOISIRS : BIBLIOTHÈQUE ASTOVOT »

Name: ASTO 02: « RENOVATION ET LOISIRS : BIBLIOTHÈQUE ASTOVOT »
Start: 2024-07-07
End: 2024-07-26
Location: Kpalime, Togo

Code: daf80f428f894c1d963d948aa8ef3e76 Copied

Togo Construction Education Renovation Construction Education +1 Fixed dates

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

Our partner has more than 60 years of experience in international voluntary service. Each year, it welcomes many volunteers from all over the world on short, medium and long term volunteer projects (3 weeks to 12 months) in Togo. These projects allow the national volunteers (about 200) to work hand in hand with the international volunteers and to create a real intercultural exchange throughout the year. Our partner is a member of the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Servic and of the Network of African Voluntary Organizations (NAVO), and is in partnership with several volunteer organizations in Europe, Asia, the United States, Canada, and Africa. Its projects focus on community development through the promotion of education and citizenship, health, social, environmental protection and intercultural learning, and renovation and construction of socio-community infrastructures.

💼 What the programme involves

For several years our partner has been involved in setting up social and community facilities, in particular the construction of mini-libraries in the local communities where it operates. One of the libraries, called "Agbalényo", meaning "knowledge is good" in Ewé (the local language), which is located at the association's head office, needs renovation and refurbishment. This work camp aims to fit out the interior of this small library to make it attractive and comfortable for the children and young people of the Zomayi neighborhood. Over sixty children use the library every week. The renovation will be accompanied by socio-educational activities in the afternoons to enable the volunteers working on this work camp to rub shoulders with the local children.

OBJECTIVES:

§ To make the interior of the library more attractive through masonry and painting work;

§ Fitting out the reading area: repairing, arranging, and maintaining furniture, books, and other items;

§ Organise and lead socio-educational and leisure activities with the children in the afternoons;

TASKS FOR VOLUNTEERS:

§ Empty the library: remove furniture and books;

§ Help the mason with the floor covering and tiling work;

§ Paint the inside of the library: choose paints, sand the walls, whitewash, paint, decorate and clean;

§ Refurbishing the library after the work: installation, layout, maintenance and repairs;

§ Organise and involve the children in the socio-educational and leisure activities on offer;

🏠 Accommodation on site

Accommodation is generally basic, simple and specific to the project location. On site, volunteers are accommodated in groups of three or four people per room. The number of people per room depends on how the volunteers themselves organise the group. In some places, volunteers can use dry toilets and showers without water inside. This means that volunteers will have to fetch water from a fountain or well. The association provides volunteers with plastic or foam mats. Volunteers who have sleeping bags can bring them with them if possible. Access to drinking water on site. During the work camp, the volunteers will cook their own meals. An internal organisation will create groups that will alternate to carry out the various domestic tasks domestic tasks, including cooking. The food products used for cooking are imported, local and organic. The diet of each volunteer will be taken into taken into account when preparing meals. Volunteers will have access to tropical fruit such as bananas, oranges, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, papayas, etc. Along side the main activities of the work camp, other activities are organised, such as discovery walks, hikes, festive outings and cultural encounters. These activities enable the volunteers to come into contact with the local population and to discover Togolese culture.

🍲 Food

During the workcamp, the volunteers will cook their own meals. An internal organization will create alternating groups to carry out the various domestic tasks, including cooking. Food products used for cooking are sometimes imported, local and organic. The diet of each volunteer will be taken into taken into account when preparing meals. Volunteers will have access to tropical fruits such as bananas, oranges, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, papayas...etc.

📍 About the location

Kpalimé is about an hour and a half's drive from Lomé and is set in a beautiful natural environment. Located in south-west Togo, the area surrounding the town is lush and fertile, encircled by thickly wooded hills, deep valleys and small farming villages. Kpalimé is also the country's most important craft centre, home to a large number of artists and craftsmen: woodcarvers, batikeur, potters, weavers, calabash-makers, etc. The many "nature" walks and hikes take you along the paths to discover the daily life of the local people, who live mainly from agriculture.

🎒 Leisure activities

In addition to the site's main activities, other events are organized, such as discovery walks, hikes, festive outings, and cultural encounters. These activities enable volunteers to come into contact with the local population, as well as
Togolese culture. During weekends, group excursions are organized by volunteers and their leaders to discover tourist sites in the region where the work camp is taking place. It should be noted excursions and outings are not included in the participation fee. However, the association can facilitate or negotiate transportation for volunteers on outings or excursions.

⚠️ Requirements

This project requires specific qualities from volunteers: motivation, patience, team spirit, solidarity, sharing and listening

ℹ️ Additional information

The partner, like all associations in Togo, receives no subsidy from the Togolese government. It is the volunteers' participation fees that enable to finance its projects. The cost of participation in volunteer work camps is €220 per person for 2 to 3 weeks. This contribution covers accommodation costs; food; accompaniment of the group; administrative costs; purchase of materials and equipment for the project, and other steps involved in setting up volunteers on the project site. The funds contributed by the volunteers are divided as follows: 3/4 for the organization of project activities and 1/4 for the administrative management of ASTOVOT. The languages of the project are French and then English. However, we recommend that volunteers who are not French-speaking have a basic knowledge of French before they arrive, as the official language of Togo is French. The vast majority of local volunteers and local communities have a very poor level of English.

Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.

📅 Available sessions

ASTO 02

07/07/2024 at 00:00 → 26/07/2024 at 00:00

Closed

0 / 12

♂ 0/6 ♀ 0/6

ℹ️ Key information

Age required

18–75 years old

Solidarity donation

220.00 EUR

French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).

📍 Location

Kpalime, Togo

Togo

🌍 Location info

Local currency

West African CFA Franc (XOF / CFA)

Exchange rate

1 XOF = 0.001531 EUR

Rate as of 31/05/2026

Timezone

Greenwich Mean Time

Local time: 21:49 (12/11/2026)

🛡️ Before you leave

Security information

📞 Contact us

[email protected]

+32 2 888 67 13

Contact form

✅ Features

🏠 Accommodation

Collective

🗣️ Languages spoken

English French