The world does not remain motionless and the needs and interests of the children change. Our projects more than ever are centralized on the children with or without disabilities. ASTOVOT knows that children can and must take an increasingly active part in the processes of development at community level, "the child is the father of the man" said English poet Wordsworth. ASTOVOT wants to encourage the children, "to show us their dreams, to forget forever how things are today". It is accordingly that we want to develop in the children their potential of comprehension and resolution of problems by the implementation of socio-educational activities. Through it, children should be able to allow an awakening and a responsibilisation of the community on the identified priority problems. It is thus logical that children are listened to, that their positions are taken seriously and that they are drawn to cause their own changes. Also children have an immense capacity to learn but especially to teach with their peers just like with their elders.
General objective:
To support children development through instructive and ludic activities.
Specific objectives:
- To organize playing activities with the children. - To allow children to spend useful holidays. - To allow children to take an increasingly active share in the process of development on the level of their community. - To mobilize and frame the children in various workshops according to their age - folk tales, music, newspaper, environment, theatre, gym and sports. - To support psychologically and materially, mentally handicapped children.
This kind of workcamp is open to volunteers who are able to work with children and will be capable to accept their particularities. They will have to supervise the children and lead them by giving them general knowledge and notions on health through games and playful situations that will educate them. The children in that way will be able to discover another way of learning.
General activities:
The activities generally consist in leading the children in the different groups, eg. drawing, painting and modelling group; singing and dancing group; singing and dancing group; tales and sketches group, etc. The volunteers will work five hours in the morning. They are free in the afternoon when they can exchange their knowledge with the local population. Volunteers are invited to carry with them some games and anything that can contribute to lead the children. They can even present typical cultural aspects of their countries (songs, dances, games). The volunteers can also participate in community activities as sensitization about how to promote local development about hygiene and environment protection in their free time.
Language:
a basic level of French is obligatory.
Hosting fee:
131,000 FCFA, about 200 euros to be paid on arrival.
This type of workcamp consists in constructing social and collective equipment namely a library buildings. The local population will help the volunteers to achieve the goal, which is to alleviate the lack of social, educational and sanitary infrastructural areas. In this sort of work camp, not only the volunteers will renovate the library but they will also join together their various cultures which must be set to the social goal. The volunteers must be ready to go deeply in the culture of the village in order to bring out knowledge in artistic ways such as mural painting, production of notices, theatre and sketches.
The activities:
- The volunteers will pick up sand and gravel, make bricks, build foundations and walls. Volunteers will work 5 hours in the morning. They are free in the afternoons and then they can make cultural activities with the local population by that time; - Volunteers will essentially do building work, woodwork and painting; - Preparing and leading a group of painting and discussion with young people of the village on current topics such as children exploitation; environment protection; girls education; writing and producing a theatre play about AIDS that may educate the population. This kind of workcamp often ends with showing of the works of the group for the village, may it be painting, theatre production, dance and percussion, batik, ceramics….
Project context for cultural animation:
The project envisages the creation of various activities in favour of young people namely the assembly of a theatrical group commonly called "Kantatata" in Togo. This group will produce parts inspired on the scenes of daily life in our rural and urban environments. Revalorization of the traditionally practised plays which are today in the process of disappearing; introduction of new plays which will be sometimes imported from other civilizations. Creation of a group of ballet and choreography; manufacture of artistic objects (baskets, water-bottles, bow nets, toy cars…); organization of competitions with prizes. These various activities will support rather frequent meetings of the local young people of all the social layers which will also undoubtedly benefit the international volunteers who will carry out this project especially the discovery of the reality of Togolese culture.
Organization of work:
1st phase - It consists in launching a campaign in the media to gather young people of all social layers. In what regards the plays, a research team will be set up to collect sketches. The team will be charged to study them and to select them in order to make a collection for the local youth. 2nd phase - It is the phase of the concrete realization of the project whose broad outlines are in the analysis of the project. 3rd phase - It will be the phase of presentation in the form of a show for which the local administrative authorities will be invited.
Location:
The town of Kpalimé inhabits around 80 000 people. Here, you can find a post-office, telephone, fax, internet, a hospital, a market, banks, video clubs, hotels, bars and restaurants that offer traditional as well as European food and a swimming pool. It is a friendly town situated in 250m altitude. We will visit the arts centre and the weaving-ateliers of Kpalimé. Taking the route to Kpando up the mountains, you are passing cascades, woods of teak and lush vegetation. After some 11km, one reaches Kloto in 600m altitude. One can make a stop in the comfortable campement where a restaurant, bar and sculptures can be found. Passing some goats, you reach Missahohé, a picturesque site dominated by the Mount Kloto (960m), from where you have magnificent views over Kpalimé and Mount Agou. One can ask to visit the Chateau Hausberg, promenade through the beautiful forest of Yoh and see its cascades, numerous flowers, pineapples and wild mangos. You will find products of Africa such as banana, orange, avocado.
Language:
a basic level of French is obligatory.
Hosting fee:
131,000 FCFA, about 200 euros to be paid on arrival.
After the successful realisation of workcamps on the topic of STDs/HIV/AIDS in the last four years, ASTOVOT continues to sensitize people in the villages with discussions, games and theatre plays on this theme. At the end of the workcamp, the volunteers and the young people of the village will put a theatre play on stage together. Also, the volunteers will prepare young people of the village to further educate kids in the schools on the topic of STDs/HIV/AIDS after the camp has finished. The volunteers can provide themselves with condoms, fémidom and with posters for the campaign.
The activity:
After getting a training from a specialised physician, the volunteers will get involved on local approaches about social mobilisation against STD/VIH/AIDS in rural community in Togo. They will identify local associations working in this field or young people. They'll give them training to them and for that young in local community will become peers educator. The work will consist on going house to house to discuss with people and learning a theatre which be presented at the end of the camp to the general public.
Location:
KLO-MAYONDI is a locality located at 20km of Kpalimé. It is in the canton of Fiokpo on road KPEDJE of Ghana. This village owes its fame with its natural framework and the climatic freshness of the medium. The population is approximately 5000 inhabitants who is primarily made up of peasants. This village contains immense cultural richnesses. The ancestral tradition is preserved with its various folk groups. You will have to visit the well arranged cascade of Woamé with 3km of Klo with which you can bathe.
Language:
a basic level of French is obligatory.
Hosting fee:
131,000 FCFA, about 200 euros to be paid on arrival.
After the successful realisation of workcamps on the topic of STDs/HIV/AIDS in the last four years, ASTOVOT continues to sensitize people in the villages with discussions, games and theatre plays on this theme. At the end of the work camp, the volunteers and the young people of the village will put a theatre play on stage together. Also, the volunteers will prepare young people of the village to further educate kids in the schools on the topic of STDs/HIV/AIDS after the camp has finished. The volunteers can provide themselves with condoms, fémidom and with posters for the campaign.
The activity:
After getting a training from a specialise physician, the volunteer will get involved on local approaches about social mobilisation against STD/VIH/AIDS in rural community in Togo. They will identify local association working in this field or young people. They'll give them training to them and for that young in local community will become peers educator. The work will consist on going house to house to discuss with people and learning a theatre which be presented at the end of the camp to the general public.
Location:
Hanyigba is a surrounding village of Kpalimé located at 3km. It counts approximately 6000 inhabitants including 68% of woman against 32% men. The saving in this village is primarily based on agriculture, the small animal breeding and of trade of subsistence. This trade practised by the women concentrates around the fruit export and other foodstuffs. The village of Hanyigba is the heart of the ancestral tradition with its various folk groups.
Languages : a basic level of French is obligatory
Hosting fee:
131,000 FCFA, about 200 euros to be paid on arrival.
« I think our work has really opened the eyes of the youth there. I think that, because of our presence, some local youths got the chance to learn about other cultures which they wouldn't have otherwise. »