04.04.2021 Progress with the Kekeli project for girlsSome good news at Easter: We have come very far with our girls’ project!Thegirls'meetingplace,thegirls'house,whichwerenovated,isfinished;thegirls(andalsoboys from the village) have taken over the final cleaning in good spirits and with joy.TheassociationApothekerHelfen(PharmacistsHelp),whichhasalreadysubsidizedthemobile handwashingstations,isgettinginvolvedinourgirls'project(contraceptives).Withthehelpof twootherexternaldonors,asanitarybuildingforgirls(toiletsandshowers)willbebuilt betweenthemiddleandhighschool!Afterall,wehavewaterinKlologo...Theexcavationhas alreadybegun.Fromnowonweuseamodernlatrine-emptying-system,whichturnsthesolids into fertilizer. TheFrankWaldercompanyhasagreedtodonatewashablesanitarypadsforthewomenand girlsinKlologowhohavenohygieneproducts.Materialforthispurposewasdonatedbythe HofcompanyMündel.Duetothereportsinthelocalpressaboutourgirls'project,some women in Bad Steben agreed to sew washable sanitary pads - they have already sown 600 of them! Anothersuccessistheofficialpromiseoffundingfortheconstructionofalatrinewith12toiletsandwashbasinsattheelementaryschool;construction can now begin. So some things now got rolling after much preliminary work, and we are of course happy about these successes, which benefit the people in Klologo!March 21: International Day against RacismFromtheInternationalDaysthatareonthecalendar,youcanseethestateofthesocietywelivein:Musttherebean International Day Against Racism? Apparently so.Since 1966, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has been observed annually on March 21. Theinternationaldays,yearsanddecadesareadoptedbytheUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyontheproposalof MemberStates.Theycommemorateachievementsoftheinternationalcommunity,provideanoccasionforreflection on global problems, draw attention to important issues for the future, and motivate people to become more involved.LikeMarch22,InternationalWaterDay.Water-aproblemissue,afutureissue.Willtherestillbeenoughforeveryone atsomepoint?Whohasaccesstocleanwater?Whocontrolsaccess?Itmakesyouthink,butyoucanalsogetinvolved and do something concrete: be careful with water, donate money for well drilling projects in the global south... WiththeDayAgainstRacism,it'snotsoeasy.Whatcanandshouldwedo?Racism,likeanykindofdiscrimination,iskeptaliveandsolidifiedin language.Sothecommandmenttoushereistolistencarefullytohowourfellowhumanbeingstalkandtointerveneimmediatelywhenracistremarks aremade.Oftenitisonlyaword,oftenmeant"jokingly",sotospeak-but:Thereisnojokingaboutthistopic!Ifweallmakeourselvesstronginthis sense, not avoiding confrontations, we can contribute to the fact that racial discrimination slowly decreases. 28.03.2021 Donation jerseys 1. FFC HofKekeli Togo e.V. and the girls from Klologo would like to thank Katja Drechsel and 1. FFC HOF.Akpe Kaka!20.03.2021 Rapport „Blickpunkt“ - Hofer Projekt hilft Mädchen in Togo“20.03.2021 Rapport „Wir im Frankenwald“ - Ein Projekt für die Mädchen13.03.2021 The girls house: to be inaugurated soon! Klologo.Kekeli's"girls'project",aprojectfortheprotectionandpromotionofyounggirlsinKlologo,aimstocreatean environmentwhereadolescentgirlsinthevillageareprotectedfrompregnancyandearlymarriage,wheretheirrightsare respectedandwheretheirfulldevelopmentisguaranteed.Thiswillenablethemtocompletetheirschoolingandlearna professionsuitedtotheirabilities,thuspavingthewayoutofpoverty.Empowermentofgirls,buildingtheirself-confidence, is another important priority. Alocalcommitteetakesonthetaskofsupportingthegirlsonavoluntarybasis;anappropriatemeetingplace,thegirls' house, has been renovated thanks to a targeted individual donation and will soon be inaugurated!Thegirls(andboystoo)happilyhelpedwiththefinalcleaningofthemeetingandtrainingplace.TheVillageChiefmadethe house available; it was very dilapidated - now it has become a jewel, as the pictures show.13.03.2021 Especially for girls Klologo.Wecanstart!Thecontracthasbeensigned(photo),nothingstandsinthewayofthestartof constructionofthesanitarybuildingwithsixtoiletcabinsandshowersforgirlsonlyintheschoolyardbetween the middle and high school. Thesanitarybuildingforgirls(andtheirteachers)ispartoftheholisticKekeliGirlsProject.Insub-Saharan Africa, there is a lack of toilets for everyone, but especially toilets specifically for women. Womenandgirlsaredisadvantagedbecauseoftheirmenstruation.Menstruationisassociatedwithshame andtaboo;menstrualbloodisconsideredunclean;ifawomanleavesmenstrualbloodintheopen,inafield for example, the field is considered "contaminated" and a poor harvest is feared! Thisdiscriminationiscounteredbyasanitarybuildingespeciallyforgirls/women;itoffersthegirlsand women security, protection of privacy and discretion.Thereisnogender-segregatedtoilet/latrineinKlologosofar.Inthesanitarybuilding,girlscanperformtheirmenstrualhygieneduringtheirperiod withouttheusualshameandalsootherwisebeundisturbedandwithoutmalegazesamongtheirpeers.ThevillagehaswatersinceKekeliTogo installed two deep bore wells in the fall of 2019. More wells are planned, including at the health center.08.03.2021 Women's Day - March 8, 2021Wir wünschen allen Frauen einen besonders schönen und freudigen Tag! Hoffentlich bekommen alle die Anerkennung, den Respekt, die Liebe und die Achtung, die ihnen zusteht! 08.03.2021 International Women’s Day Which century are we living in? March8isInternationalWomen’sDay.Thisyear’smottois:Choosetochallenge.Thatmeans:speakupagainstdiscrimination,inequality,gendergaps. (WeatKekeliTogoareaddressingthegenderissuewithouryounggirlsproject.)Thereisstillalotofinequalityoutthere:Onaverage,womenhavejust three-quartersofthelegalrightsaffordedtomen,wereadintheWorldBank’s“Women,BusinessandtheLaw”Reportthatanalyzes190nationsin termsofgenderdiscriminationineightspecificsectorsofawoman’slife:Mobility,Workplace,Pay,Marriage,Parenthood,Entrepreneurship,Assetsand Pension. Equal rights – still a long way to goThreequartersonaverage!Inthelistofthe190nations,thelowestscoreisashocking26.3outof100points! Which means in some countries, women have practically no rights… (That Togo scores a proud 84.4 points, we have already reported.) Thequestionnaireusedforthereporthighlightsthefactthattheremuststillbecountrieswherebylaw marriedwomenhavetoobeytheirhusbands,cannotgetadivorcesameasaman,cannotopenabank accountorregisterabusiness,wherethereisnolawagainstdomesticviolence,whereawomancannotsign acontractsameasaman,whereawomancannotapplyforapassportsameasaman,wherethereisnolaw against sexual harassment at the workplace…Sadreadingreally,andonewonderswhichcenturywearelivingin. (https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/35094)08.03.2021 Equality- - a human right OntheoccasionoftheInternationalWomen’sDay,aquotefromMariElkaPangestu,WorldBankManagingDirectorofDevelopment PolicyandPartnerships.ShesaidinFebruary2021:„Genderequalityisafundamentalhumanright.Moreimportant,itcanboost economicgrowthandimprovedevelopmentoutcomes.Therehasneverbeenamoreimportanttimetoensurewomen’seconomic empowerment.“ World Bank, World Bank, February 202108.03.2021 The Kekeli Togo Girls ProjectOur"GirlsProject",aprojectfortheprotectionandpromotionofgirlsinKlologo,aimstocreateanenvironmentwhereadolescentgirlsinthevillage areprotectedfromearlypregnancyandearlymarriage,wheretheirrightsarerespected,andtheirfulldevelopmentisguaranteed.Thisenablesthem tocompletetheirschoolingandlearnatradesuitedtotheirabilities,openingthewayoutofpoverty.Alocalcommitteetakesoverthesupportofthe girlsonavoluntarybasis;asuitablemeetingplace,thegirls'house,isbeingrenovatedwiththehelpofanearmarkedindividualdonation;amedically trainedcontactpersonforthegirlsiscurrentlybeingtrainedattheexpenseoftheassociation;hereaswellasthere,donationsinkindof contraceptives, condoms, washable sanitary napkins are being sought. read more01.03.2021Women's rights reforms are bearing fruit in TogoLomé.TogoisthefirstcountryintheWestAfricanMonetaryandEconomicUnionareaandthe7thinsub-SaharanAfricatopromotewomeninbusinessandinpositionsofpublicresponsibility;inWestAfrica,itissecondonlytoCapeVerde Island.TheinformationcomesfromtheWorldBank,whichhasjustreleasedthe2021editionofitsreport"Women, BusinessandLaw2021",adocumentthatanalyzesthelawsandreformsadoptedbythe190countriessurveyed,in relation to the elimination of gender-based discrimination and the promotion of women.Withatotalof84.4points,Togoranks66thintheoveralllist,and7thintheTop10insub-SaharanAfrica,aheadofLiberia,Côted'Ivoireand Mozambique.(Germanyisinthirteenthplace,Franceinfourth.)Thecountryisvisiblyreapingthelaurelsofthereformsthathavebeenundertakento removeobstaclestowomen'saccesstoland,andtopromotetheirentrepreneurialsensethroughthemeasurethatreserves25%ofpublic procurement contracts for young and female entrepreneurs.Publicpoliciesthat,intheopinionofexperts,havebornefruit.In2020,womenformalized3426newbusinesses,or27%ofthenewentitiescreated,in line with the vision of the Togolese authorities for 2022, to have 28% of women business owners and 44% of women benefiting from access to credit.Togo'sprogressinthepromotionofwomenhasalsobeenmarkedbytheunprecedentedriseofwomeninpower,particularlyintheNationalAssembly, forwhichtheyaretheperch,thePrimeMinister'sOfficeandtheGeneralSecretariatofthePresidency,amongothers.Withthisperformance,the countrysurpassestheSeychelles(76.3points),whichusedtositwiththeislandatthetopofthebestAfricanrankings;andbyfar,itsWestAfrican neighbors, notably Benin and Ghana.ItshouldbenotedthatwhilethetoptriooftherankingconsistsofMauritius,SouthAfricaandZimbabwe,itiscountriessuchasEswatini,Guinea Bissau and Sudan that are jostling for the bottom of the ranking.(Togofirst, February 26, 2021)23.01.2021Did you know how big Africa is?Take a look at any map, and it’s clear that the African continent is a big place.However,despitethecommonperceptionthatAfricaisalargelandmass,it’sstillonethatisvastlyunderestimatedby most casual map viewers.ThereasonforthisisthatthefamiliarMercator map projectiontendstodistortourgeographicalviewoftheworldin a crucial way — one that often leads to misconceptions about the relative sizes of both countries and continents.ThisinfographiccomesfromKai KrauseanditshowsthetruesizeofAfrica,asrevealedbythebordersofthe countries that can fit within the continent’s shape. (Quoted from www.visualcapitalist.com)20.02.2021 Textile masks for KlologoMünchberg.KekeliTogorecentlyreceivedjoyfulnews:CarolinKittel,themanagingdirectoroftheMünchbergfashioncompanyFrankWalder,offeredourassociation50,000textilemouthandnosemasks. As a donation for the people in Klologo. "InGermany,textilemasksarelargelyobsoleteduetotheregulationofFFP2masksinstores,trainsand buses,etc..InAfrica,theyprovidevaluableservicestocontainthepandemic,"saysMichelKossihFrenzel-Assih, chairman of the association. "We are very grateful for this spontaneous donation!"Theelaboratelycraftedmasksmadeofdifferentpatternedfabrics,packedincardboardboxes,aresentto Togo in stages: in a consolidated cargo container; the "journey" takes five weeks. InthephotointhehallinMünchberg,bytheboxeswiththemasks,fromleft:CarmenSteinhäußerand MichelKossihFrenzel-AssihfromKekeliTogoe.V.aswellasthreeemployeesoftheFrankWalder company. (www.frankwalder.com)13.02.2021 The Kekeli Girls' HouseInwinter,asreported,welauncheda"girls"projectinKlologowiththeaim ofreducingthehighnumberofschooldropoutsduetoearlypregnancy througheducation,andthroughgirlempowermenttogivegirlstheself-confidencetopayattentiontoandseizetheiropportunities.Early pregnancyclosesoffgirls'educationalpathwaysandultimatelytheir pathway to the workforce.Wewanttogivethegirlstheopportunitytodecideforthemselvesto breakoutoftheviciouscircle-girlgrowingupinpoverty-earlypregnancy - no job - wife/mother living in poverty.InKlologo,ateamofsevenvolunteerswasimmediatelyformedtotake mattersintotheirownhandsastheCommitteefortheProtectionandPromotionofGirls(ComitépourlaProtectionetPromotiondesJeunesFilles, CPPJF). read more13.02.2021 There is already a song..."Dearsisters,getup.It'stimetogetready!Dearbrothers!Getup...!"Thesearethelyricsofthe hymnthatthegirlsofKlologohaveinventedastheirsong,theircallandself-motivationtogoalong with the new path that Kekeli Togo is showing them with the Girls' Project. Thisishowitisplanned:TheCommitteefortheProtectionandPromotionofGirlsinKlologo,which wasfoundedlocallyinDecember,willtakeoverthetrainingandeducationandaccompanythegirls asmentorsuntiltheyfinishschool.Thegirlsarealsotrainedinself-confidenceandpersonality development.Theprogramisroundedoffbyleisureactivities.Theaimistosolvetheproblemof the many school dropouts due to early pregnancy in the long term.Whilewaitingforthecompletionofthegirls'houseasameetingplaceandtrainingbuilding(see reportonthegirls'house),themembersofthecommitteehavealreadycommittedthegirlstothe newpathandencouragedthemtoparticipateactively.Thiscanonlygowell,onethinksatthe sight of the singing girls. read more10.02.2021 The yellow toolbox has arrived!Klologo.KodjoviGati,the19-year-oldapprenticecarpenterforwhomourassociationpaysthetraining,wasoverjoyedwhentheChefduVillage,theHonorableTogbuiGatiIV,presentedhimwiththeyellowtoolbox,complete andforthemostpartnewlystocked-thedonationofamemberofourassociation.(Sothataftertransportthe tools can all be properly sorted, a photo arrived with the package in Klologo). Toexpressthegreatjoyandespeciallytheheartfeltthanks,theyoungmanandhisfathercalledourassociation presidentrightontheeveningofthehandover."Thistoolboxispracticallyawholeworkshop,"saidthefather.And joked, "My son is now better equipped than his apprentice master." Ingratitude,thebuddingcarpenterplanstobeextradiligentinhisapprenticeshipandgraduateverywell;hewill donate his first carpentered workpiece to a Kekeli Togo project in Klologo. 05.02.2021 Hunger may kill more people than COVID-19“Thenumberofchronicallyhungrypeopleincreasedbyanestimated130millionlastyear,tomorethan800million– abouteighttimesthetotalnumberofCOVID-19casestodate.[…]Forthemostvulnerablepeople,thepandemic’s secondaryeffects–notthecoronavirusitself–willcausethemostdamage.Andthehungerpandemictriggeredby COVID-19 threatens to be the biggest killer,” one reads on a World Bank blog dated February 2. Howto“digest”suchhorriblenews?Withempathy.Feel,orimaginetofeelhowhungerhurts,knowinghowgoodwe haveit.Andthentakeaction.Therearesomanywayswecandonate–theinternetshowsnumerousorganizations that collect money to fight hunger worldwide, reliable organizations with little or no overhead. It will feel good!Intheidealcase,wecouldcombineourtraditionalspringtime“get-slim-for-summer”effortswithour“help-fight-global-hunger”effortanddonatewhat wesaveatthefoodstore.Ifeveryonedidthis,maybeevenasagrouptomotivateeachotherevenbetter,justforonespring–whatmightwenot achieve? 22.01.2021ThenumberofcasesofcoronaviruscontaminationisrisinginTogo.Thecountrycurrentlyhas more than 4300 confirmed cases.OnSunday,January17,2021,about30newconfirmedcaseswererecordedbringingthetotalnumberofconfirmedcasesto4302.These30newlyinfectedpersons,whoseagesrangefrom0to80years,wereamong the 801 people tested the previous day.OnJanuary16,thecountryfortunatelyrecordedtwelverecoveriesbringingthetotalnumberofpatientscuredof COVID-19 to 3,775.Thenumberofdeathsremainsunchangedat73.Thenumberofactivecasesis454.Atotalof193,879laboratory tests have been performed throughout the country.IciLomé, January 18, 202116.01.2021 It's been one year...Averyspecialdaywas16January2020inKlologo,thevillagethatisthefocusofourprojects:onthisday,thetwowells built by the Kekeli Togo Association were inaugurated. AsmalldelegationoftheassociationtravelledtoTogowiththechairmantobepresentatthecelebration.Therewas muchpraiseandthanksinthespeechesforthetirelessworkofourassociation.Afterall,wehadsetuptwodeepbore wells and a latrine in less than ten months.Thetwowells,withanetworkofpipesandninewaterpoints,supplyfiveofthesix districts,includingtheschoolandthekindergarten.Twomorewellshavetobebuilt,primarilyoneatthehealthcentre and the other in a part of the village that has not been directly supplied with fresh water so far.Weareincontactwithadonorforthewellatthedispensary-wehopewecansoongivetheheadofthedispensarythe good news that the well, which is urgently needed for hygiene reasons, will be built!13.01.2021 Foreigners seduced by local opportunitiesOnJanuary11,2021,theofficialwebsiteoftheTogoleseRepublicinformsthat2,891companieswerecreatedby foreignersin2020.Thisisalittlemorethanthepreviousyear,despitethecomplicatedeconomicandsanitary conditions.Regarding nationalities, there are Chinese, Guineans, Beninese, Nigerians. AccordingtodataprovidedbytheCenterforBusinessFormalities(CFE),mostofthesecompaniesarelocatedinthe Maritime region. This is not surprising. This is where much of the economic activity is concentrated.www.republicoftogo.com/13.01.2021 Did you know......thatthereiscottoninTogo?OlamInternaitonal,abigagriculturalgroup,recentlyacquired51percentofthenationalcottoncompany. Inadditiontocotton,Togoalsogrowscoffee,cocoaandoilfruitsforexport.Sweetpotatoes,cassava,maize,milletandsorghum,rice, beans,peanuts,sugarcaneandanumberofothercropsandfruitplantsaregrownfordomesticconsumption.AccordingtoFAO(UN Food&AgricultureOrganization)statistics,sweetpotatoes,cocoabeans,maizeandcassavaarethemainagriculturalproducts.Togo is a member of COPAL - Cocoa Producers' Alliance and the Africa Rice Center. (source: liportal)11.01.2021Tribalism is gaining ground in Togo"Mayourattachmenttonationalcohesionremaintheguidingthreadthatwillenableustoresolutelypursueourmarchtowards sharedprosperityin2021,"saidFaureGnassingbéinhisNewYearmessagetothepeopleofTogo.Indeed,forseveralyearsnow,the assertionof"nationalcohesion"hasbeenverypresentintheofficialspeechesofpoliticians.Andwithgoodreason,aseveryoneis awarethatadivisiveelementisgainingmoreandmoreground:identity-basedwithdrawal.Thisreflexisattherootofthe compartmentalization of populations and of conflicts. But very few people dare to approach the subject clearly.Let's say it clearly. Tribalism is one of the many evils undermining Togo. Theruptureisincreasinglypalpablewithincommunities,markedbypoverty,intolerance,fearofdifference,andthedesiretoconquerandconserve power.Thelackofdemocracyatthegrassrootslevelisdevelopingidentity-baseddivisions,mainlyduetothefeelingsofinjusticeandfrustrationthat maintain these divisions. The nation in danger...Today,tribalismisanirrefutablereality.InTogo,asinthemajorityofcertainAfricancountries,thesixtyyearsofindependence,brokendownintothirty yearsofsingle-partyreignandthirtyyearsofrandomdemocratization,havenotcausedthephenomenontoregressoneiota.Likeamutantvirus,it has even regained a certain youth by infiltrating social networks.ThecommunityspiritadvocatedbyFaureGnassingbéatthepriceofinitiativesforreconciliationhasneverbeensoindanger.Grassrootscommunities have been shaken, the public administration infected, institutions decried and the army accused.Itisthereforebecomingurgenttobuildacommonidealofpeacebetweenthedifferentgroups.Theexpressionofanassumedlivingtogether,which wouldresultinthestrengtheningofacollectivespiritandthepromotionofexcellenceattheexpenseofacertain"fraternitybasedonourorigins," according to one observer. Source: Fraternité No.386 of January 6, 202107.01.2021 A medical representative for KlologoOnDecember2,2020,hertrainingbegan:RosalineAfiAmedome,an18-year-oldfromKlologo,isgoingtoatop-classstateinstituteto train as a medical assistant. Kekeli Togo e.V. is covering the costs of the three-year diploma course."Weseethisasaninvestmentinourgirls'project,"saysMichelFrenzel-Assih,chairmanoftheassociation.Withtheplannedgirls' project-scheduledtostartthisspring-KekeliTogowantstocounteractthehighnumberofearlypregnanciesintheglobalSouth; manyteenagegirlsleaveschoolprematurelybecausetheyarepregnant.Thepathtoaprofessionallife-andthusoutofthepoverty trap - is thus blocked for them. read more 01.01.2021 Happy New YearWefromKekeliTogoe.V.wishyouayearofhealing,healthandjoy,alsointhenameoftheinhabitantsofKlologo,thevillageweserve with our projects. Letushopethatvaluesexperiencedasimportantinthepandemic,suchassolidarityandcohesion,canberescuedintothe"new normal". Together we can accomplish so much! Wewillcontinuetoworkhardtorealizeevenmoreprojects.Wearehappyifyouaccompanyusinthisprocess.Andwearesincerely gratefulforeverydonationthatbringsusclosertoourgoals.Ourwebsiteprovidesinformationaboutourworkandallprojects:www.association-kekeli-togo.com. 01.01.2021 Tomorrow the world will not be a different oneClaudia Mäder writes about New Year in Corona times in the NZZ on 12/31/2020: "[...]Thewavesthateveryoneseesclearlyinfrontofthematthemomentdonotnecessarilydefinethedirectioninwhichthingswillmoveinthe medium or longer term.Justbecauseeverythingseemstoberollingoverinabriefmomentdoesnotmeanthatallstructureswillbepermanentlytransformedandthatlater "nothingwillbethesameasbefore".Andcertainlyepidemicsdon'thavethepowertoupendeverythingunderneath-thatcanbesaidfromahistorical perspective insofar as none of these diseases "epochalized" in the recent past and gave their name to an era."Kekeli Microfinance: a balance sheet worth seeing 01.01.2021148villagershavereceivedmicro-financialaidfromourassociationsofar,asCobbyAdjanor,whomanagesthemicro-financial aid fund for Kekeli, reports. WiththeequivalentofEUR60asinterest-freeinitialfinancing,thepeopleinKlologocanbuilduptheirownlivelihoods.Theyare advisedinadvanceandnowtrained-becausetheyarenowsmallentrepreneurs.On20December,forexample,thefirst trainingcoursesinmanagementandorganisationwereheldfor30participants.Furthercourseswill follow between the end of December and mid-January. Withthisproject,KekeliTogoissupportingthepathoutofpovertybyhelpingpeopletohelp themselves. The fund started with a capital of 3,000,000 F CFA, which is equivalent to 4,500 EUR.Thebeneficiariespayaone-time,lowmembershipfee;theinterest-freestart-upaidisrepayablein instalmentsafterthreetosixmonths.Inthisway,thefundpotremainsfilledinthelongrun,andmorepeoplebenefitfrom the support. Itisinlinewiththeprinciplethatcharitablefundsarebestinvestedwhenlocalpeoplecanusethemastheyseefitwith regard to expanding or establishing their own economic existence. This is sustainable and guarantees lasting empowerment.
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04.04.2021 Progress with the Kekeli project for girlsSomegoodnewsat Easter:Wehavecome veryfarwithourgirls’ project!Thegirls'meeting place,thegirls'house, whichwerenovated,is finished;thegirls(and alsoboysfromthe village)havetaken overthefinalcleaning ingoodspiritsand with joy.TheassociationApothekerHelfen(PharmacistsHelp),whichhasalready subsidizedthemobilehandwashingstations,isgettinginvolvedinourgirls' project(contraceptives).Withthehelpoftwootherexternaldonors,a sanitarybuildingforgirls(toiletsandshowers)willbebuiltbetweenthe middleandhighschool!Afterall,wehavewaterinKlologo...Theexcavation hasalreadybegun.Fromnowonweuseamodernlatrine-emptying-system, which turns the solids into fertilizer. TheFrankWaldercompanyhasagreedtodonatewashablesanitarypadsfor thewomenandgirlsinKlologowhohavenohygieneproducts.Materialfor thispurposewasdonatedbytheHofcompanyMündel.Duetothereportsin thelocalpressaboutourgirls'project,somewomeninBadStebenagreedto sew washable sanitary pads - they have already sown 600 of them! Anothersuccessistheofficialpromiseoffundingfortheconstructionofa latrinewith12toiletsandwashbasinsattheelementaryschool;construction can now begin. Sosomethingsnowgotrollingaftermuchpreliminarywork,andweareof course happy about these successes, which benefit the people in Klologo!March 21: International Day against RacismFromtheInternationalDaysthatareon thecalendar,youcanseethestateofthe societywelivein:Musttherebean InternationalDayAgainstRacism? Apparently so.Since1966,theInternationalDayforthe EliminationofRacialDiscriminationhas been observed annually on March 21. Theinternationaldays,yearsanddecadesareadoptedbytheUnitedNations GeneralAssemblyontheproposalofMemberStates.Theycommemorate achievementsoftheinternationalcommunity,provideanoccasionfor reflectiononglobalproblems,drawattentiontoimportantissuesforthe future, and motivate people to become more involved.LikeMarch22,InternationalWaterDay.Water-aproblemissue,afuture issue.Willtherestillbeenoughforeveryoneatsomepoint?Whohasaccess tocleanwater?Whocontrolsaccess?Itmakesyouthink,butyoucanalsoget involvedanddosomethingconcrete:becarefulwithwater,donatemoney for well drilling projects in the global south... WiththeDayAgainstRacism,it'snotsoeasy.Whatcanandshouldwedo? Racism,likeanykindofdiscrimination,iskeptaliveandsolidifiedinlanguage. Sothecommandmenttoushereistolistencarefullytohowourfellow humanbeingstalkandtointerveneimmediatelywhenracistremarksare made.Oftenitisonlyaword,oftenmeant"jokingly",sotospeak-but:There isnojokingaboutthistopic!Ifweallmakeourselvesstronginthissense,not avoidingconfrontations,wecancontributetothefactthatracial discrimination slowly decreases. 28.03.2021 Donation jerseys 1. FFC HofKekeli Togo e.V. and the girls from Klologo would like to thank Katja Drechsel and 1. FFC HOF.Akpe Kaka!20.03.2021 Rapport „Blickpunkt“ - Hofer Projekt hilft Mädchen in Togo“20.03.2021Rapport„WirimFrankenwald“-EinProjekt für die Mädchen13.03.2021 The girls house: to be inaugurated soon! Klologo.Kekeli's"girls'project",aprojectforthe protectionandpromotionofyounggirlsinKlologo, aimstocreateanenvironmentwhereadolescent girlsinthevillageareprotectedfrompregnancy andearlymarriage,wheretheirrightsare respectedandwheretheirfulldevelopmentis guaranteed.Thiswillenablethemtocomplete theirschoolingandlearnaprofessionsuitedto theirabilities,thuspavingthewayoutofpoverty. Empowermentofgirls,buildingtheirself-confidence, is another important priority. Alocalcommitteetakesonthetaskofsupportingthegirlsonavoluntary basis;anappropriatemeetingplace,thegirls'house,hasbeenrenovated thanks to a targeted individual donation and will soon be inaugurated!Thegirls(andboystoo)happilyhelpedwiththefinalcleaningofthemeeting andtrainingplace.TheVillageChiefmadethehouseavailable;itwasvery dilapidated - now it has become a jewel, as the pictures show.13.03.2021 Especially for girls Klologo.Wecanstart!The contracthasbeensigned(photo), nothingstandsinthewayofthe startofconstructionofthe sanitarybuildingwithsixtoilet cabinsandshowersforgirlsonly intheschoolyardbetweenthe middle and high school. Thesanitarybuildingforgirls(and theirteachers)ispartoftheholisticKekeliGirlsProject.Insub-SaharanAfrica, thereisalackoftoiletsforeveryone,butespeciallytoiletsspecificallyfor women. Womenandgirlsaredisadvantagedbecauseoftheirmenstruation. Menstruationisassociatedwithshameandtaboo;menstrualbloodis consideredunclean;ifawomanleavesmenstrualbloodintheopen,inafield forexample,thefieldisconsidered"contaminated"andapoorharvestis feared! Thisdiscriminationiscounteredbyasanitarybuildingespeciallyforgirls/ women;itoffersthegirlsandwomensecurity,protectionofprivacyand discretion.Thereisnogender-segregatedtoilet/latrineinKlologosofar.Inthesanitary building,girlscanperformtheirmenstrualhygieneduringtheirperiod withouttheusualshameandalsootherwisebeundisturbedandwithout malegazesamongtheirpeers.ThevillagehaswatersinceKekeliTogo installedtwodeepborewellsinthefallof2019.Morewellsareplanned, including at the health center.08.03.2021 Women's Day - March 8, 2021WirwünschenallenFraueneinenbesonders schönen und freudigen Tag! HoffentlichbekommenalledieAnerkennung, denRespekt,dieLiebeunddieAchtung,die ihnen zusteht! 08.03.2021 International Women’s Day Which century are we living in? March8isInternationalWomen’sDay.Thisyear’smottois:Chooseto challenge.Thatmeans:speakupagainstdiscrimination,inequality,gender gaps.(WeatKekeliTogoareaddressingthegenderissuewithouryounggirls project.)Thereisstillalotofinequalityoutthere:Onaverage,womenhave justthree-quartersofthelegalrightsaffordedtomen,wereadintheWorld Bank’s“Women,BusinessandtheLaw”Reportthatanalyzes190nationsin termsofgenderdiscriminationineightspecificsectorsofawoman’slife: Mobility,Workplace,Pay,Marriage,Parenthood,Entrepreneurship,Assets and Pension. Equalrights–stillalongwayto goThreequartersonaverage!Inthe listofthe190nations,thelowest scoreisashocking26.3outof100 points!Whichmeansinsome countries,womenhavepractically norights…(ThatTogoscoresa proud84.4points,wehavealready reported.) Thequestionnaireusedforthereporthighlightsthefactthattheremuststill becountrieswherebylawmarriedwomenhavetoobeytheirhusbands, cannotgetadivorcesameasaman,cannotopenabankaccountorregister abusiness,wherethereisnolawagainstdomesticviolence,whereawoman cannotsignacontractsameasaman,whereawomancannotapplyfora passportsameasaman,wherethereisnolawagainstsexualharassmentat the workplace…Sadreadingreally,andonewonderswhichcenturywearelivingin. (https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/35094)08.03.2021 Equality- - a human right OntheoccasionoftheInternationalWomen’sDay,a quotefromMariElkaPangestu,WorldBankManaging DirectorofDevelopmentPolicyandPartnerships.She saidinFebruary2021:„Genderequalityisa fundamentalhumanright.Moreimportant,itcanboost economicgrowthandimprovedevelopmentoutcomes. Therehasneverbeenamoreimportanttimetoensurewomen’seconomic empowerment.“ World Bank, World Bank, February 202108.03.2021 The Kekeli Togo Girls ProjectOur"GirlsProject",aprojectfortheprotectionandpromotionofgirlsin Klologo,aimstocreateanenvironmentwhereadolescentgirlsinthevillage areprotectedfromearlypregnancyandearlymarriage,wheretheirrights arerespected,andtheirfulldevelopmentisguaranteed.Thisenablesthem tocompletetheirschoolingandlearnatradesuitedtotheirabilities,opening thewayoutofpoverty.Alocalcommitteetakesoverthesupportofthegirls onavoluntarybasis;asuitablemeetingplace,thegirls'house,isbeing renovatedwiththehelpofanearmarkedindividualdonation;amedically trainedcontactpersonforthegirlsiscurrentlybeingtrainedattheexpense oftheassociation;hereaswellasthere,donationsinkindofcontraceptives, condoms, washable sanitary napkins are being sought. read more01.03.2021Women'srightsreformsarebearingfruitin TogoLomé.TogoisthefirstcountryintheWest AfricanMonetaryandEconomicUnionareaand the7thinsub-SaharanAfricatopromote womeninbusinessandinpositionsofpublic responsibility;inWestAfrica,itissecondonlyto CapeVerdeIsland.TheinformationcomesfromtheWorldBank,whichhas justreleasedthe2021editionofitsreport"Women,BusinessandLaw2021", adocumentthatanalyzesthelawsandreformsadoptedbythe190countries surveyed,inrelationtotheeliminationofgender-baseddiscriminationand the promotion of women.Withatotalof84.4points,Togoranks66thintheoveralllist,and7thinthe Top10insub-SaharanAfrica,aheadofLiberia,Côted'Ivoireand Mozambique.(Germanyisinthirteenthplace,Franceinfourth.)Thecountry isvisiblyreapingthelaurelsofthereformsthathavebeenundertakento removeobstaclestowomen'saccesstoland,andtopromotetheir entrepreneurialsensethroughthemeasurethatreserves25%ofpublic procurement contracts for young and female entrepreneurs.Publicpoliciesthat,intheopinionofexperts,havebornefruit.In2020, womenformalized3426newbusinesses,or27%ofthenewentitiescreated, inlinewiththevisionoftheTogoleseauthoritiesfor2022,tohave28%of women business owners and 44% of women benefiting from access to credit.Togo'sprogressinthepromotionofwomenhasalsobeenmarkedbythe unprecedentedriseofwomeninpower,particularlyintheNational Assembly,forwhichtheyaretheperch,thePrimeMinister'sOfficeandthe GeneralSecretariatofthePresidency,amongothers.Withthisperformance, thecountrysurpassestheSeychelles(76.3points),whichusedtositwiththe islandatthetopofthebestAfricanrankings;andbyfar,itsWestAfrican neighbors, notably Benin and Ghana.ItshouldbenotedthatwhilethetoptriooftherankingconsistsofMauritius, SouthAfricaandZimbabwe,itiscountriessuchasEswatini,GuineaBissau and Sudan that are jostling for the bottom of the ranking.(Togofirst, February 26, 2021)23.01.2021Did you know how big Africa is?Takealookatanymap,andit’sclearthat the African continent is a big place.However,despitethecommon perceptionthatAfricaisalarge landmass,it’sstillonethatisvastly underestimatedbymostcasualmap viewers.Thereasonforthisisthatthefamiliar Mercator map projectiontendstodistort ourgeographicalviewoftheworldina crucialway—onethatoftenleadsto misconceptions about the relative sizes of both countries and continents.ThisinfographiccomesfromKai KrauseanditshowsthetruesizeofAfrica, asrevealedbythebordersofthecountriesthatcanfitwithinthecontinent’s shape. (Quoted from www.visualcapitalist.com)20.02.2021 Textile masks for KlologoMünchberg.KekeliTogo recentlyreceivedjoyfulnews: CarolinKittel,themanaging directoroftheMünchberg fashioncompanyFrankWalder, offeredourassociation50,000 textilemouthandnosemasks. Asadonationforthepeoplein Klologo. "InGermany,textilemasksare largelyobsoleteduetotheregulationofFFP2masksinstores,trainsand buses,etc..InAfrica,theyprovidevaluableservicestocontainthepandemic," saysMichelKossihFrenzel-Assih,chairmanoftheassociation."Wearevery grateful for this spontaneous donation!"Theelaboratelycraftedmasksmadeofdifferentpatternedfabrics,packedin cardboardboxes,aresenttoTogoinstages:inaconsolidatedcargo container; the "journey" takes five weeks. InthephotointhehallinMünchberg,bytheboxeswiththemasks,fromleft: CarmenSteinhäußerandMichelKossihFrenzel-AssihfromKekeliTogoe.V. aswellasthreeemployeesoftheFrankWaldercompany. (www.frankwalder.com)13.02.2021 The Kekeli Girls' HouseInwinter,asreported,welauncheda"girls"projectinKlologowiththeaimof reducingthehighnumberofschooldropoutsduetoearlypregnancy througheducation,andthroughgirlempowermenttogivegirlstheself-confidencetopayattentiontoandseizetheiropportunities.Earlypregnancy closesoffgirls'educationalpathwaysandultimatelytheirpathwaytothe workforce.Wewanttogivethegirlstheopportunitytodecideforthemselvestobreak outoftheviciouscircle-girlgrowingupinpoverty-earlypregnancy-nojob- wife/mother living in poverty.InKlologo,ateamofsevenvolunteerswasimmediatelyformedtotake mattersintotheirownhandsastheCommitteefortheProtectionand PromotionofGirls(ComitépourlaProtectionetPromotiondesJeunesFilles, CPPJF). read more13.02.2021 There is already a song..."Dearsisters,getup. It'stimetogetready! Dearbrothers!Get up...!"Thesearethe lyricsofthehymnthat thegirlsofKlologo haveinventedastheir song,theircalland self-motivationtogo alongwiththenew paththatKekeliTogois showing them with the Girls' Project. Thisishowitisplanned:TheCommitteefortheProtectionandPromotionof GirlsinKlologo,whichwasfoundedlocallyinDecember,willtakeoverthe trainingandeducationandaccompanythegirlsasmentorsuntiltheyfinish school.Thegirlsarealsotrainedinself-confidenceandpersonality development.Theprogramisroundedoffbyleisureactivities.Theaimisto solvetheproblemofthemanyschooldropoutsduetoearlypregnancyinthe long term.Whilewaitingforthecompletionofthegirls'houseasameetingplaceand trainingbuilding(seereportonthegirls'house),themembersofthe committeehavealreadycommittedthegirlstothenewpathandencouraged themtoparticipateactively.Thiscanonlygowell,onethinksatthesightof the singing girls. read more10.02.2021 The yellow toolbox has arrived!Klologo.KodjoviGati,the19-year-old apprenticecarpenterforwhomour associationpaysthetraining,wasoverjoyedwhentheChefduVillage,the HonorableTogbuiGatiIV,presentedhim withtheyellowtoolbox,completeandfor themostpartnewlystocked-the donationofamemberofourassociation. (Sothataftertransportthetoolscanallbeproperlysorted,aphotoarrived with the package in Klologo). Toexpressthegreatjoyandespeciallytheheartfeltthanks,theyoungman andhisfathercalledourassociationpresidentrightontheeveningofthe handover."Thistoolboxispracticallyawholeworkshop,"saidthefather.And joked, "My son is now better equipped than his apprentice master." Ingratitude,thebuddingcarpenterplanstobeextradiligentinhis apprenticeshipandgraduateverywell;hewilldonatehisfirstcarpentered workpiece to a Kekeli Togo project in Klologo. 05.02.2021HungermaykillmorepeoplethanCOVID-19“Thenumberofchronicallyhungrypeople increasedbyanestimated130millionlast year,tomorethan800million–abouteight timesthetotalnumberofCOVID-19casesto date.[…]Forthemostvulnerablepeople, thepandemic’ssecondaryeffects–notthecoronavirusitself–willcausethe mostdamage.AndthehungerpandemictriggeredbyCOVID-19threatensto be the biggest killer,” one reads on a World Bank blog dated February 2. Howto“digest”suchhorriblenews?Withempathy.Feel,orimaginetofeel howhungerhurts,knowinghowgoodwehaveit.Andthentakeaction.There aresomanywayswecandonate–theinternetshowsnumerous organizationsthatcollectmoneytofighthungerworldwide,reliable organizations with little or no overhead. It will feel good!Intheidealcase,wecouldcombineourtraditionalspringtime“get-slim-for-summer”effortswithour“help-fight-global-hunger”effortanddonatewhat wesaveatthefoodstore.Ifeveryonedidthis,maybeevenasagroupto motivateeachotherevenbetter,justforonespring–whatmightwenot achieve? 22.01.2021Thenumberofcasesofcoronavirus contaminationisrisinginTogo.Thecountrycurrently has more than 4300 confirmed cases.OnSunday,January17,2021,about30 newconfirmedcaseswererecorded bringingthetotalnumberofconfirmed casesto4302.These30newlyinfected persons,whoseagesrangefrom0to80 years,wereamongthe801people tested the previous day.OnJanuary16,thecountryfortunatelyrecordedtwelverecoveriesbringing the total number of patients cured of COVID-19 to 3,775.Thenumberofdeathsremainsunchangedat73.Thenumberofactivecases is454.Atotalof193,879laboratorytestshavebeenperformedthroughout the country.IciLomé, January 18, 202116.01.2021 It's been one year...Averyspecialdaywas16January2020in Klologo,thevillagethatisthefocusofour projects:onthisday,thetwowellsbuiltby theKekeliTogoAssociationwere inaugurated. Asmalldelegationoftheassociation travelledtoTogowiththechairmantobepresentatthecelebration.There wasmuchpraiseandthanksinthespeechesforthetirelessworkofour association.Afterall,wehadsetuptwodeepborewellsandalatrineinless than ten months.Thetwowells,withanetworkofpipesandninewaterpoints,supplyfiveof thesixdistricts,includingtheschoolandthekindergarten.Twomorewells havetobebuilt,primarilyoneatthehealthcentreandtheotherinapartof the village that has not been directly supplied with fresh water so far.Weareincontactwithadonorforthewellat thedispensary-wehopewecansoongive theheadofthedispensarythegoodnews thatthewell,whichisurgentlyneededfor hygiene reasons, will be built!13.01.2021 Foreigners seduced by local opportunitiesOnJanuary11,2021,theofficialwebsite oftheTogoleseRepublicinformsthat 2,891companieswerecreatedby foreignersin2020.Thisisalittlemore thanthepreviousyear,despitethe complicatedeconomicandsanitary conditions.Regarding nationalities, there are Chinese, Guineans, Beninese, Nigerians. AccordingtodataprovidedbytheCenterforBusinessFormalities(CFE),most ofthesecompaniesarelocatedintheMaritimeregion.Thisisnotsurprising. This is where much of the economic activity is concentrated.www.republicoftogo.com/13.01.2021 Did you know......thatthereiscottoninTogo?OlamInternaitonal,abig agriculturalgroup,recentlyacquired51percentofthe national cotton company. Inadditiontocotton,Togoalsogrowscoffee,cocoaandoil fruitsforexport.Sweetpotatoes,cassava,maize,milletand sorghum,rice,beans,peanuts,sugarcaneandanumberof othercropsandfruitplantsaregrownfordomestic consumption.AccordingtoFAO(UNFood&AgricultureOrganization) statistics,sweetpotatoes,cocoabeans,maizeandcassavaarethemain agriculturalproducts.TogoisamemberofCOPAL-CocoaProducers'Alliance and the Africa Rice Center. (source: liportal)11.01.2021Tribalism is gaining ground in Togo"Mayourattachmenttonationalcohesionremainthe guidingthreadthatwillenableustoresolutelypursue ourmarchtowardssharedprosperityin2021,"said FaureGnassingbéinhisNewYearmessagetothe peopleofTogo.Indeed,forseveralyearsnow,the assertionof"nationalcohesion"hasbeenverypresent intheofficialspeechesofpoliticians.Andwithgoodreason,aseveryoneis awarethatadivisiveelementisgainingmoreandmoreground:identity-basedwithdrawal.Thisreflexisattherootofthecompartmentalizationof populationsandofconflicts.Butveryfewpeopledaretoapproachthe subject clearly.Let's say it clearly. Tribalism is one of the many evils undermining Togo. Theruptureisincreasinglypalpablewithincommunities,markedbypoverty, intolerance,fearofdifference,andthedesiretoconquerandconserve power.Thelackofdemocracyatthegrassrootslevelisdevelopingidentity-baseddivisions,mainlyduetothefeelingsofinjusticeandfrustrationthat maintain these divisions. The nation in danger...Today,tribalismisanirrefutablereality.InTogo,asinthemajorityofcertain Africancountries,thesixtyyearsofindependence,brokendownintothirty yearsofsingle-partyreignandthirtyyearsofrandomdemocratization,have notcausedthephenomenontoregressoneiota.Likeamutantvirus,ithas even regained a certain youth by infiltrating social networks.ThecommunityspiritadvocatedbyFaureGnassingbéatthepriceof initiativesforreconciliationhasneverbeensoindanger.Grassroots communitieshavebeenshaken,thepublicadministrationinfected, institutions decried and the army accused.Itisthereforebecomingurgenttobuildacommonidealofpeacebetween thedifferentgroups.Theexpressionofanassumedlivingtogether,which wouldresultinthestrengtheningofacollectivespiritandthepromotionof excellenceattheexpenseofacertain"fraternitybasedonourorigins," according to one observer. Source: Fraternité No.386 of January 6, 202107.01.2021 A medical representative for KlologoOnDecember2,2020,hertrainingbegan:RosalineAfi Amedome,an18-year-oldfromKlologo,isgoingtoatop-classstateinstitutetotrainasamedicalassistant.Kekeli Togoe.V.iscoveringthecostsofthethree-yeardiploma course."Weseethisasaninvestmentinourgirls'project,"says MichelFrenzel-Assih,chairmanoftheassociation.Withtheplannedgirls' project-scheduledtostartthisspring-KekeliTogowantstocounteractthe highnumberofearlypregnanciesintheglobalSouth;manyteenagegirls leaveschoolprematurelybecausetheyarepregnant.Thepathtoa professionallife-andthusoutofthepovertytrap-isthusblockedforthem. read more 01.01.2021 Happy New YearWefromKekeliTogoe.V.wishyouayearofhealing,health andjoy,alsointhenameoftheinhabitantsofKlologo,the village we serve with our projects. Letushopethatvaluesexperiencedasimportantinthe pandemic,suchassolidarityandcohesion,canberescued intothe"newnormal".Togetherwecanaccomplishso much! Wewillcontinuetoworkhardtorealizeevenmoreprojects. Wearehappyifyouaccompanyusinthisprocess.Andwearesincerely gratefulforeverydonationthatbringsusclosertoourgoals.Ourwebsite providesinformationaboutourworkandallprojects:www.association-kekeli-togo.com. 01.01.2021Tomorrowtheworldwillnotbeadifferent oneClaudiaMäderwritesaboutNewYearinCoronatimesintheNZZon 12/31/2020: "[...]Thewavesthateveryoneseesclearlyinfrontofthematthemomentdo notnecessarilydefinethedirectioninwhichthingswillmoveinthemedium or longer term.Justbecauseeverythingseemstoberollingoverinabriefmomentdoesnot meanthatallstructureswillbepermanentlytransformedandthatlater "nothingwillbethesameasbefore".Andcertainlyepidemicsdon'thavethe powertoupendeverythingunderneath-thatcanbesaidfromahistorical perspectiveinsofarasnoneofthesediseases"epochalized"intherecentpast and gave their name to an era."KekeliMicrofinance:abalancesheetworthseeing 01.01.2021148villagershavereceivedmicro-financialaidfrom ourassociationsofar,asCobbyAdjanor,who managesthemicro-financialaidfundforKekeli, reports. WiththeequivalentofEUR60asinterest-free initialfinancing,thepeopleinKlologocanbuildup theirownlivelihoods.Theyareadvisedinadvance andnowtrained-becausetheyarenowsmall entrepreneurs.On20December,forexample,the firsttrainingcoursesinmanagementandorganisationwereheldfor30 participants.FurthercourseswillfollowbetweentheendofDecemberand mid-January. Withthisproject,KekeliTogoissupportingthepathoutofpovertybyhelping peopletohelpthemselves.Thefundstartedwithacapitalof3,000,000FCFA, which is equivalent to 4,500 EUR.Thebeneficiariespayaone-time,lowmembershipfee;theinterest-freestart-upaidisrepayableininstalmentsafterthreetosix months.Inthisway,thefundpotremainsfilledinthe long run, and more people benefit from the support. Itisinlinewiththeprinciplethatcharitablefundsare bestinvestedwhenlocalpeoplecanusethemas theyseefitwithregardtoexpandingorestablishing theirowneconomicexistence.Thisissustainableand guarantees lasting empowerment.