What was the Problem?

In the Djarkpanga local area, there are many needs for the children and young adults to improve their basic education and educational outcomes. This ranges from school buildings to ensuring every child has the ability to attend school and helping children just do better in school. This has a lifelong benefit to the child and their subsequent life choices. See the Advancement of Education in Djarkpanga page for further background information. The specific issues described here were a lack of resources, together with encouraging families whose children don’t currently attend school to start attending.

How did DDDT Help?

In September 2021, the diaspora, following directly from a conversation with the local educational leaders in Djarkpanga, explained these difficulties being experienced in education to local business owners in Derby where they live. Dave and Sue of Kip McGrath Education Centre Derby South realised that they could make a difference to these communities in Togo. Dave & Sue agreed to sponsor the books required to educate 50 students for a 12-month period. They provided the funds, which the local education leaders decided on the most appropriate use of. The story of the receipt of these gifts in Djarkpanga schools is described below by the local community.

24th September 2021

Friday was the day we have received the wonderful gift.
The ceremony started at 9 o’clock. We opened the ceremony with the arrival of the District assembly Man, the Major of the district, the parents and their children, religious members.

First of all the speakers, Man gave the order to the district assembly to open the ceremony, He thanked everybody and thanked the donators for their beautiful gesture. The school books were given to more than fifty children, among them orphans and other children whose parents struggled previously to send them to school.

The whole Djarkpanga community were very happy for the gifts and they would like to inform the donators that the place where they gather for the ceremony is not a school but a public place.
They asked God to bless the donators. The community said that, the donators are welcome any time in their beautiful area.

The meeting ended around 11:46 in the morning with acclamation, God bless the donators and bless also the community.

Further to the sponsorship of the school books, another conversation in March 2022 resulted in Dave & Sue providing further sponsorship, this time of book bags, which were desperately needed by the children to help to improve their school education. These book bags keep students’ books together and also protect them from severe weather issues experienced often in Djarkpanga. As you will see below the children received their gifts with great pride. Again, the story is told by the local community.

On Friday 18 March 2022 in the prefecture of the plain of Mô commune Mô 1 took place the handing-over of bags to the best pupils, i.e. the first ones of each class. In total, we counted 53 students who each received one (1) bag for having earned the first place in class.
The target schools are: high school, CEG, EPP Plateau A and B, EPP Adjondo A and B, EPP Centrale and Koranic school.

The gifts were given for the most part by the teachers of these establishments in the presence of the delegation from Lomé and Sokodé. The delegation is composed of four (4) members: one (1) from Lomé, two (2) from Sokodé and the one who is in the field. In each school, we were well received and the gifts were appreciated. The teachers and students all wished to see us again for the follow-up during the holidays. The students and teachers prayed for the donors that God would keep them healthy and give them a long life.

The population wishes to see the donors in person and asks you for classrooms because the pupils are suffering from a lack of space. They are forced to have classes under trees and under the apatams.

Long live the donors.

What have the outcomes been?

The additional resources provided to the local community have enabled 50 students who previously weren’t attending school to attend and receive an education. The positive impact of this will be felt for many years to come as these children learn in school and reach adulthood being able to make a better contribution to their local community and economy. The well-being of these students has also increased beyond measure. With the book bags, many students have been encouraged to improve their educational outcomes whilst also demonstrating to the whole community the benefits of a better educational outcome.