📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Created in 1957, the NGO Association Togolaise des Volontaires au Travail (ASTOVOT) is one of the first Togolese associations. ASTOVOT is a non-profit, secular organisation that has been supporting international solidarity initiatives for several decades, as well as the self-help of rural communities through its support for local development projects. ASTOVOT's mission is to contribute to the socio-cultural development of local populations in the communes of the Kloto and Agou Prefectures through the realisation of collective utility projects and the involvement of young national and foreign volunteers. Today ASTOVOT is a reference in international volunteering and civic service in Togo. Each year, ASTOVOT welcomes several dozen international volunteers from Europe (Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Spain, Luxembourg...) and Asia (Japan) thanks to solid partnerships with several organisations working in these fields such as AIME, SCI International, IJGD Germany, Solidarités Jeunesses, Compagnons bâtisseurs, Concordia, NICE Japan, Cadip Canada. Since its creation, the association has carried out numerous projects in its areas of intervention, with the aim of implementing a participative approach with the local communities. The projects carried out include the construction of classrooms and eco-sanitary latrines, reforestation, socio-educational activities, the renovation of school buildings and sanitary facilities, and the setting up of awareness-raising workshops (on themes related to education, citizenship, agro-ecology, hygiene and health, and entrepreneurship). The association aims to :
• To contribute to the animation of life by the participation of Togolese and foreign volunteers in the realization of works of general interest;
• To improve the living conditions of the local population by promoting their development and well-being through the protection of the environment and the socio-cultural heritage;
• Supporting socio-educational and sports initiatives in rural communities;
• To promote the movement of people and goods through international and intercultural exchanges
💼 What the programme involves
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
EIn collaboration with the village of Agou Kébo Dogbadzi, ASTOVOT launches the international workcamp called "Immersion in peasant families". This workcamp offers volunteers the opportunity to integrate into the daily life of farming families, to gain new cultural knowledge and lifestyle. They will also discover the realities, expectations and needs of the local population, which is mainly agricultural, through stays with the families, exchanges with the traditional chiefs, participation in agricultural work, visits to local markets, etc. In addition to the immersion programmes, the volunteers will organise socio-educational activities for the benefit of the village children.
AIMS OF PROJECT
- To discover the culture and way of life of the people of Agou Kébo Dogbadzi through stays and immersion visits;
- To exchange ideas, opinions and ways of life for a better intercultural understanding and respect between the volunteers and the communities.
- To open the mind to other realities in order to learn and improve intercultural experiences.
- To test one's own abilities, professional and social skills and preconceived ideas.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
• Immersion in the farming families: spending time with the families, accompanying them in their various activities (daily tasks, farm work, etc.);
• Exchange meetings with the traditional authorities and the youth of the village on interculturality;
• Participation in cultural activities organised by the villagers;
• Visits to the historical sites of the village; markets, places of worship;
• Programme of socio-educational activities with the children: games, percussion, storytelling, reading, drawing, singing and dancing workshops, football gala, etc;
🏠 Accommodation on site
Accommodation is generally basic, simple and specific to the location of the project. On site, volunteers are accommodated in groups of three or four people per room. The number of people per room depends on the collective organisation of the volunteers themselves. Depending on the location, volunteers may use dry toilets and showers without water inside. This implies that the volunteers will 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 the site. However, access to electricity and internet may be limited depending on the village. This is due to regular load shedding and difficulties in accessing the network respectively.
FOOD
During the workcamp, the volunteers will cook their own meals. An internal organisation will allow for the creation of groups that will alternate to carry out the different domestic tasks, including cooking. The food products used for cooking are sometimes imported, sometimes local and often organic. The diet of each volunteer will be taken into account in the cooking of the meals. Volunteers will have access to tropical fruits such as bananas, oranges, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, papayas, etc.
📍 About the location
Located at about a hundred kilometres from Lomé and going towards the city of Kpalimé, Agou Kébo Dogbadzi, is a small village and chief town of the canton of Kébo which is one of the 12 cantons of the prefecture of Agou. Perched on the slope of Mount Agou (the highest peak in Togo), the village of Kebo Dogbadzi is very wooded and green with a panoramic view over part of the prefecture of Agou. The village is made up of five districts with a total population estimated at nearly one thousand inhabitants. The majority of the population are farmers and live from agriculture. Their activities are based on the cultivation of maize, beans, cassava and yams. There are many fruit trees such as mango, orange, avocado, banana, etc. The village has a large number of children and young people. There is a primary school and a secondary school for pupils from the five districts of the village. There is also a peripheral health unit (PHU) in the village.
🎒 Leisure activities
In addition to the main activities of the workcamp, other activities are organised such as: discovery walks, hikes, festive outings and cultural meetings. These activities allow the volunteers to come into contact with the local population and to discover the Togolese culture. During the weekends, collective excursions are organised by the volunteers and their leaders to discover the tourist sites of the region where the workcamp is taking place. It should be noted that the expenses related to the excursions and the volunteers' outings are not included in the participation fees. However, the association can facilitate or negotiate transport for the volunteers during outings or excursions.
⚠️ Requirements
The languages of the workcamp are French and then English. However, we recommend that non-French speaking volunteers have a basic knowledge of French before their arrival. The official language of Togo is French. The vast majority of local volunteers and communities have a very low level of English.
ℹ️ Additional information
The languages of the workcamp are French and then English. However, we recommend that non-French speaking volunteers have a basic knowledge of French before their arrival. The official language of Togo is French. The vast majority of local volunteers and communities have a very low level of English.
