Togo
Active in Togo since 1986, Terre des hommes (Tdh) runs projects dealing with child protection and provides access to medical care. In 2011, more than 30’600 people benefited from the activities implemented.
The context
After its independence from French rule in 1960, the Togolese Republic underwent 38 years of dictatorship. Since 2005, there is a democratically elected government in office. Togo’s economy relies mainly on agriculture, the most important products being cotton, coffee and cocoa. There is a general lack of infrastructure; the health care system is inaccessible for most of the population.
Togolese children from disadvantaged social classes are vulnerable to trafficking and to all forms of exploitation. Despite the Togolese authorities’ willingness to cooperate in improving child protection in the country, there still remains a lot to be done. The implementation of legal mechanisms for child protection falls short of their intended outcome, and national social services continue to be insufficient, even though the country has launched a national child help line since 2009, with the support of some partners, including Terre des hommes.
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1.210842
6.14646
Lomé
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1.290665
6.521775
Maritime
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1.26606
6.339526
Vogan
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1.040497
6.343279
Centrale
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1.190271
9.553355
Kara
Centered at 0.824782 8.619543 6
Children's situation
- 41% of the population is less than 15 years old
- 98 children out of 1,000 die before the age of 5 (CH: 5‰)
- Only 62% of births are attended by skilled health personnel
- 29% of children work
- 24% of children marry before the age of18
- 260,000 children are orphans
- 21% of children are moderately or severely underweight
Delegate: Olivier Tor
Expatriate staff: 1
National staff: 44
Budjet: 798 531 CHF
In collaboration with: Ministry for Social Affairs, Department of Child Protection, UNICEF, ILO, RELUTET, Aide & Action, US Embassy, Tdh Spain, Junta de Andalucia, Diputación de Sevilla, CHUV
Combating the exploitation and trafficking of children
Since 2001, Tdh has been managing an ongoing project called “Vixoasi” (“precious child” in the local language) aiming at protecting children from different types of abuse including trafficking, and reintegrating victims. After years of direct intervention, Tdh’s shelter for abused children called the “centre Oasis" in Lomé is being transferred to the government and a new project of host families to take care of children in need is in implementation as an alternative to the transit centre .. In order to reinforce the protective environment around children, with a focus on children on the move, traditional protective mechanisms are strengthened in the places of origin and destination.
Special medical treatment
Tdh ensures the care of children suffering from serious illnesses which cannot be treated locally. They can be operated in Benin, thanks to visiting international specialists, or may be transferred to Europe. Tdh strives furthermore for an improvement in local medical competence through international training.
The major event this year was the transfer of the OASIS centre to the Togolese government. After operating it for 20 years, Tdh had positioned this centre as one of the cornerstones of the national system for the protection of children. This enabled Togo to become the only country in western Africa to have its own Centre of Reference, Orientation and Care (CROPESDI), from which it can respond capably to various cases of abuse. As a supplement to this support and always in close cooperation with the Ministry of Social Action, Tdh laid the foundation for a network of certified foster families capable of hosting between 200 and 300 children annually. Tdh now plans on developing its mobility project by reinforcing the community systems of protection already in place and giving them a sense of what protective accompaniment really means.
