Togo

Basic Information

• Target areas of assistance: Plateaux, Centrale and Savanes regions Partners: Programme d'Aide Humanitaire aux Cas Sociaux (PAHCS) for implementation in the Plateaux, Association pour le Développement Intégral de la Femme et la Jeune Fille (ADIFF) for implementation in the Centrale, and Structure Institutionelle de Recherche Action et d'Appui aux Initiatives de Base (SIRAIB) for implementation in the Savanes regions respectively.
• School year calendar: September - July

Program Overview

Selection Process

Scholars are selected through a transparent process which increases accountability and inclusiveness. School selection was done through the establishment of a prefectorial committee, where all local education stakeholders are represented. Scholars' selection started with NGOs sending selection forms to the AGSP schools for the school directors to fill out. The directors contacted the parents to verify the information on the forms and to talk to them about the scholarship. The forms were then returned to the NGO that convened a general assembly where scholars are finally selected after all the forms were reviewed based on the established selection criteria. After the selection of scholars, NGOs and local education stakeholders worked together to identify scholars needs.

Scholarship item procurement was done through a transparent bidding process. The scholarships are comprised of school supplies, books, food items, and transportation.

Mentors

There are currently 36 mentors in Togo. The breakdown is as follows: 8 in the Plateaux region, 20 in the Central region, and 8 in the Savanes region. Mentors have been actively involved in monitoring the scholars' academic and social achievements. Mentoring activities focus mainly on continued sensitization campaigns on child trafficking combat, early marriages and other practices that negatively impact girls' education. Some of the activities that have taken place include:

• Holding one-on-one meetings with girls to exchange on education matters and diseases;
• NGO monitoring of clubs against HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases;
• Radio broadcasts on gender equity;
• Continued educative talks on the following themes: Rights, duties and responsible parenthood; how to prepare and handle school exams, etc.;
• Talks on girls' education delivered by Peace Corps' Associate Director and AGSP focal person, Mrs. Rose Kpomblekou during her visits to some project sites.

Program Update

In Year 1 the AGSP in Togo provided 1360 scholarships through RENOPEF to girls in three regions of Plateaux, Centrale and the Savanes. The program has been implemented with assistance from a Local Consultant, Mr. Albarka Aboukerim.

In Year 2, World Education partnered with three NGOs in Togo: PAHCS, ADIFF, and SIRAIB. The partners have already reported enormous success in distribution of scholarships as well as in initiating mentoring activities.

In Year 3 the three NGO partners PAHCS, ADIFF, and SIRAIB have been equally successful in distributing an increased number of scholarships.