The Association Togolaise des Volontaires au Travail (ASTOVOT), with over 60 years' experience, welcomes a large number of international volunteers every year for voluntary projects lasting from 3 weeks to 12 months in Togo. These projects, which also involve around 200 national volunteers, promote intercultural exchanges. A member of the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCSVI-UNESCO) and the Network of Africa Voluntary Organisations (NAVO), ASTOVOT works with organisations in Europe, Asia, America and Africa. Its projects focus on community development, particularly in the fields of education, health, the environment and the renovation of social and community infrastructures.
İş Tanımı
This summer, ASTOVOT is launching a volunteer workcamp focusing on agro-ecology and tree nurseries on its small farm in Kpalimé. The project involves young people and adults in activities linked to sustainable agriculture, natural resource management and plant production. For ASTOVOT, the initiative makes it possible to combine the principles of ecology with agriculture, with the aim of promoting farming practices that are environmentally friendly, resource-efficient and adapted to local realities.
Aims of the project :
Raising awareness of agroecology: Young participants can discover the basics of agroecology, learn how farming systems can be made more sustainable, and understand the importance of preserving biodiversity, soil and water resources.
Setting up a nursery: They will be involved in setting up or managing a nursery, a space where young plants (trees, vegetables, etc.) are grown before being transplanted to fields or gardens. The nursery can also play a key role in reforestation.
Learning sustainable farming techniques: using compost and organic fertilisers,
Works:
Planting and caring for young plants: Preparing and maintaining seedlings (trees, fruit trees, vegetables, etc.) in the nursery.
Composting and organic waste management: Create compost from green waste and other organic matter to enrich the soil.
Raising awareness of sustainable agriculture: Organise awareness-raising sessions on the benefits of agroecology and sustainable cultivation techniques.
Setting up sustainable irrigation systems: Teaching environmentally-friendly irrigation techniques.
Konaklama ve Yemek
Accommodation is simple and adapted to each project site. Volunteers are accommodated in rooms of three or four, with the mix depending on how the groups are organised. Depending on the location, dry toilets and waterless showers can be used. The association provides plastic or foam mats, and volunteers can bring their own sleeping bags if necessary. Drinking water is available on site, but access to electricity and the Internet may be limited due to load shedding and difficulties accessing the network.
FOOD:
During the workcamp, the volunteers will prepare their own meals. An internal organisation will divide the domestic tasks, including cooking, between the groups on an alternating basis. The food used will be a mixture of local, imported and sometimes organic products. The diet of each volunteer will be taken into account when preparing meals. In addition, volunteers will have access to a variety of tropical fruits, such as bananas, oranges, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, papayas, etc.
Konum ve Serbest Zaman
Leisure activities:
In addition to the main activities of the workcamp, several other activities are offered, such as discovery walks, hikes, festive outings and cultural encounters. These activities give volunteers the opportunity to interact with local people and discover Togolese culture. At weekends, group excursions are organised by the volunteers and their leaders to explore the region's tourist sites. It is important to note that the cost of excursions and outings is not included in the participation fee.
Notlar
The main languages on the project are English and French. However, we recommend that non-French speakers have a basic knowledge of French before they arrive, as French is the official language of Togo. In addition, the vast majority of local volunteers and community members have a limited level of English.
Purpose of extra costs:
Astovot, like all associations in Togo, receives no government subsidies. Its projects are funded by the volunteers' participation fees, which amount to €220 for 2 to 3 weeks. This sum covers accommodation, food, support for the group, administrative costs and the purchase of equipment for the project. The funds are divided as follows: 3/4 for project activities and 1/4 for ASTOVOT's administrative management.
