Project Highlights

Community Development Project: Rural communities take charge of their own development

Better community infrastructures-- 101 basic infrastructures (classrooms, health centers, wells, feeder roads, etc.) have been built or rehabilitated for the benefit of 213 poor communities living in rural areas and have helped: (i) create better working conditions for school children and teachers; (ii) provide access to health care and safe drinking water; and (iii) offer better trade opportunities by providing access to markets. The project currently covers all 5 regions of the country.  

Living conditions improved for over 100 groups of people who received an average amount from about FCFA 1.5 million to over 5 million per group to engage in income generating activities in agriculture and commerce.  From revenue obtained through these activities, beneficiaries are now able to provide better agriculture and commerce.  From revenue obtained through these activities, beneficiaries are now able to provide better care for their children and to send them to school.  Women are particularly proud of being able to send their girls to school, because they have become more economically independent and can make decisions or take part in the family decision-making process.

• Children in the poorest communities are offered access to education— Over 20,000 school children in about 90 of the poorest communities in Togo are being offered lunches through the project’s school feeding program. This has contributed to relieve the hardship on parents and has contributed to keep the children in school. Based on the first year results, it appears that parents have stopped withdrawing their children from schools to use them on their farming activities, and as a consequence school attendance has increased in all five regions as follows: 2.78% (Région Maritime); 14.09% (Région des Plateaux); 7.31% (Région Centrale); 14.55% (Région de la Kara); and 29.07% (Région des Savanes).  It is hoped that this program will offer the chance to poorest families’ children to at least complete primary education. 
• Increasing agricultural productivity— A total number of 4,275 tons of fertilizers, over 325 tons of cereal seeds (maize, rice and sorghum) were distributed to 13,774 agricultural farmers during the 2008-2009 agricultural season. This allowed the cultivation of 13,395.80 ha of land which yielded a cereal production of 28,410.175 tons (representing an estimated increase of about 2 tons per hectare). As a result, cereals are on the markets at affordable prices, compared to previous years. 
  

Poor communities are empowered— The Community Development project has empowered beneficiary communities by providing them with tools and techniques that allow them to take charge of their own development.  To date, a total of 9,138 village development committee members (including 2,666 women) have received appropriate training, and are now able to identify their projects, prepare them, procure the works, and manage the funds they are granted. Women are also empowered and their participation in the project is up to 58.8% in the Savanna region, followed by 43.59% in the Plateaux region, 31.98% in Central region, 29.16% in Maritime region, and 11.15% in the Kara region.

Emergency Infrastructure Project: Improving road infrastructure in the capital city Lomé