📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The Togolese Association of Volunteers at Work (ASTOVOT) was founded in 1957 with the name «VAT» (Volontaires au Travail – Volunteers at Work). Nowadays, the association has became an apolitical ONG for International voluntary work, community education and development done for and by young people. Officially approved by the Togolese Government in 2002, ASTOVOT made it its mission to improve the citizens’ life conditions supporting their blossoming and their welfare through social and cultural activities, for example in terms of environment conservation or awareness regarding health issues. Pictured this situation, ASTOVOT is engaged to support the people’s and ideas’ flow through International and intercultural exchanges in order to arouse the mutual comprehension and the peace promotion.
💼 What the programme involves
Together with the local mason, the volunteers will render the building’s walls, prepare the plaster that will be used to render, cut the wood for the carpentry, put in place the windows, etc.
Another group of volunteers will create a green area for the centre, prepare the soil (spreading the manure, watering…) and plant the plants, turf and flowers.
🏠 Accommodation on site
The conditions of the accommodation are usually very basic. You will be accommodated in the centre of the village. The volunteers will share a small flat, with shared rooms, equipped with limited electricity and WIFI.
The group of volunteers will be responsible for the preparation of the meals and for taking care of the flat. To that purpose the tasks will be equally distributed. It is fundamental to maintain the respect of the common spaces and of the other people to guarantee a nice and intercultural cohabitation.
📍 About the location
Located 120 km South-west from Lomé, the town of Kpalimé is a dream location for the nature lovers and the hikers looking for beautiful mountain landscapes and tropical flora. You can cool off in the many natural waterfalls. Kpalimé is also the home of the Togolese handicraft, as many artists and artisans moved here.
With about 101,088 inhabitants, Kpalimé is a touristic town in the Plateaux region. Capital of the Kloto district, Kpalimé offers many infrastructures such as hospitals, post office, town hall, police station, banks etc. In addition to these public and administrative offices, you will find art shops, shopping centres, bars, restaurants and discos which will keep you busy. The great market of Kpalimé (the town’s biggest one) is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and sells several different products: you will find many tropical fruits, any kind of vegetables, African clothes, etc. Indeed, Kpalimé is a city that welcomes a huge number of visitors. Thus, you will surely enjoy your stay during the workcamp activities.
⚠️ Requirements
The ASTOVOT workcamps are open to everybody, no matter the volunteers’ nationality. The minimum required age is 18. No particular skill is required, being motivated about the activities and being able of maintaining a decent moral behaviour is enough.
ℹ️ Additional information
None