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The West African nation of Togo is grappling with severe food insecurity, and the lives of Togolese children in poverty are under threat. Food prices have risen by as much as 87 per cent in the past year, according to the World Food Programme. In desperation, many caregivers have no choice but to sell their assets to provide the family’s next meal, only to purchase less food for more money.
The local church in Togo has been leading a response to the global food crisis that has seen many children recover from malnutrition through the provision of food packs. Our local church partners are currently focusing on increasing the income of caregivers through livelihood training, so they are best equipped to provide for their families.
Watch the latest video update below from our church partners in Togo to learn more.
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Thank you for praying for the children, families and local church partners we serve in Togo.
One of Compassion’s church partners in Togo teamed up with local charity Plan Togo to show 40 vulnerable families how to make their own hygienic handwashing stations. Without access to running water or bathrooms in their homes, these families have struggled to follow the hygiene guidelines for preventing COVID-19. Read more open_in_new
Please note: Togo is one of nine Compassion partner countries that are severely affected by the current global food crisis. Our local church partners are responding with both short-term relief and long-term solutions to fight hunger.
Compassion’s program is contextualised across countries and communities, as well as age groups.
Compassion assisted children in Togo typically attend program activities at their local child development centre on Saturdays. Here is an example of what a typical program day looks like for children in Togo.
9:00am - A time of prayer and devotion.
9:30am - Spiritual lessons where children sing songs and learn Bible stories.
10:30am - Break time where children can play in a safe environment and develop friendships.
11:00am - Social-emotional lessons from conflict resolution to developing healthy self-esteem and a godly character. Children often come from challenging home environments and are taught social and personal skills.
12:00pm - Lunch and social time. Children in Togo are generally given breakfast and a meal each day they come to the centre. There are some critical situations where children from extremely poor families are given more food to take home. A typical meal consists of rice or pasta with fish or meat.
1:00pm - Health lessons where children are taught practical health and hygiene tips. Example topics include how to prevent malaria and HIV.
2:00pm - Letter writing and career planning. Older children work with local staff to identify their strengths and interests, and set goals for their future.
In addition to Compassion’s curriculum, children have opportunities to participate in activities such as learning musical instruments, choreography, choir, art, football and puzzles. Parents and caregivers are offered parenting classes.
of people live below the poverty line
mothers die from pregnancy related causes per 100,000 births
of children are experiencing stunted growth
The West African nation of Togo is home to beautiful beaches, sacred forest and bustling markets. The nation is prone to experiencing extreme weather events and disease epidemics, both of which have a devastating effect on livelihoods and access to food, education and healthcare.
Poverty is a huge issue throughout Togo, particularly in rural communities, and the majority of households live below the poverty line. The nation was granted independence in 1960 after decades of colonisation, first by Germany and then, following World War I, by Britain and France. Shortly after, Gnassingbé Eyadéma seized power in a bloodless coup and ruled for almost 40 years.
Throughout that time, Togo has struggled with issues of poverty. Poor sanitation facilities and a general inaccessibility to safe drinking water, along with a lack of access to good medical care, particularly in rural areas, have cost many lives and held back the nation’s development. In fact, Togo has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world, and, according to UNICEF, more than half of the population still lives below the poverty line.
This has a significant impact on children. Without other options, many are forced into prostitution or child labour, which can interfere with schooling and expose children to dangerous situations.
Forced child labour occurs in the agricultural sector—particularly on coffee, cocoa, and cotton farms—as well as in stone and sand quarries. Children from rural areas are brought to the capital, Lomé, and forced to work as domestic servants, roadside vendors and porters, or exploited in prostitution.
Through much of the past few years, the nation has been caught up in a protracted political disagreement between President Faure Gnassingbé Eyadéma and opposition parties, who demanded he place limits on how many terms a president can serve — and step down. President Eyadéma was elected in 2005 following the death of his father, former President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, and each of his subsequent electoral victories (in 2010, 2015 and 2020) has been met with opposition protest and claims of vote-rigging; yet the elections have been declared free and fair by independent observers.
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