📝 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
The volunteers will raise the locals’ awareness about the effect of reforestation, explaining the importance of encouraging the creation of plantations and which kind of advantages this can bring to the environment. This is meant to have the local population understanding the aim of the camp and how very important for them is to protect their environment.
The second part will involve more active participation. Together with the local population the volunteers will clean the section of land that will be reforested. Then they will plant trees and water them.
Another task will be the organization of activities for the village’s young students to take place in some afternoons (games, debates, traditional dances etc.).
🏠 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. There is no 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
GAPE-AVELEBE is is a village located 80 km from Kpalimé, in the South-west part of the district of Zio in the Maritime region. With about 4000 inhabitants and composed by 3 small neighbourhoods, the village has a lot of peculiarities thanks to its geographical position. The population is mostly working in the farming field and is very welcoming. The traditional festivity is an occasion to meet all the villagers, also those who moved to other places in the country (and as well abroad). It is also a charming place according to its cultural diversity.
Beyond the working hours you can participate in hikes or meet with the particularly welcoming population. You can plan evenings and excursions to visit the surrounding villages and take advantage of the attractive waterfalls and mountains in the region.
⚠️ 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
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