ROTARY WEST AFRICA PROJECT 2013

      After four flights and 36 hours of travel time, I arrived in Lome, the capital of Togo, west Africa. When I got off the plane at 9:45 p.m., I was greeted by the District Governor Elect, who escorted me into a VIP lounge, took my passport and quickly had immigration process my entry. Another Rotarian from Arkansas and I were then escorted to our hotel by four local Rotarians. My room is on the 10 floor and overlooks the city. Air conditioning, WIFI, king size bed, hair dryer, and all the comforts of a US 3 star hotel, but a little worn.

     The next morning, after an excellent breakfast at 6:30 a.m., we boarded a bus and first went to a voodoo center where traditional medicine is sold and administered. A local voodoo doctor gave us a talk on how the various parts of dead animals and plants are used and we purchased good luck charms, wellness stones, and totems with spells. I passed on the “African Viagra,” that is a stick from which a tea is made. Next we went for a bus tour of city and beach sites and the border into Ghana. 

     After lunch, we went to the U.S. embassy and met with the Ambassador, Bob Wagner, and his staff, for a two hour briefing on the politics, economy, and culture of Togo.   The Peace Corps director and two Peace Corps volunteers also gave a program on the Peace Corps in Togo, which works closely with the embassy. Togo has a population of about 6.2 million and 50% are under age 18. It has a presidential system of government in which power is centralized. The president initiates legislation, sends it to a unicameral legislative body for approval, then he signs it. Democracy has increased during the last 10 years and the last two recent elections went well.

      Lome, the capital, has a population of about 1.2 million and the only deep water port on the west coast of Africa. The U.S., under the supervision of the embassy, provides several programs and projects in Togo, including, training peace keepers, piracy prevention, family planning, HIV prevention, humanitarian projects, school development, prison reform, corruption prevention, and teacher development. The ambassador said that one of the goals for the U.S. programs is to promote a stable country that is a friend to the U.S. The Peace Corps is a separate agency that collaborates with the embassy. There are 84 Peace Corps volunteers in Togo, living in small villages and working with the Africans to develop agriculture development, education, HIV prevention, and managing national environmental reserves. 

 

    On our second day we rode our bus about an hour out of Lome to a village school. We were greeted by about 100 chanting, smiling, laughing children. Upon getting out of the bus we were mobbed and surrounded by the children who wanted to touch us, shake hands, and have their photos taken. We brought with us about a half ton of school supplies that our group of 42 Rotarians from the U.S. and Canada purchased and packed in their bags. The local Rotarians were in the process of building a class room of cinder blocks.

 

     Our tasks was to move about eight cubic yards of clay dirt from a pile, up a wood ramp, and dump and spread it for the base of the floor. The provided eights wheel barrows, shovels, and rakes. The temperature was about 85 degrees and humidity about 85%. We worked and sweated for about 2 hours, until we were out of dirt to move. Some of the Rotarians were not in top physical condition, but almost all pushed wheel barrows, raked, and shoveled. Those not physically able to do the manual labor sorted the school supplies.

 

 

                 

                

 About noon there was a formal presentation of the supplies to the school and speeches of appreciation for our work.  We had planned to have lunch there and work another couple of hours, but our lunches were left back in Lome and the contractor did not have any more work for us to do that afternoon.  So we hugged the children goodbye, and boarded our bus for the ride home.  The bus got stuck and we all got out and walked about half a mile until the bus was able to find another route and catch up with us.  

                    That night we were hosted by a Togo Rotary District at a reception.  Following the reception, I wandered down to the bar where I met four beautiful young Africans who were singing and playing the piano.  I practiced my newly learned singing skills and joined them in singing several songs.  Although I do not have the voice and skill they have, it was a joy to sing with them.