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Togo: first international solidarity trip of Humani’Care Strasbourg !
In collaboration with the local association ASTOVOT, five of our members: Pauline, Laurine, Léopold, Manoela, and Siméon departed on July 29, 2022 for a two-week project in a small village in Togo, near Kpalimé: Agomé-Tomégbé. This is our first international solidarity trip.
With the help of six Togolese volunteers from ASTOVOT for this project: Ameto, Agnès, Elisa, Felix, Tino, and Selom, we were supposed to carry out four main missions as mentioned below.
First mission: The prevention of high blood pressure amongst the inhabitants of the village of Agomé Tomégbé
The first mission of this trip was to provide tips for the prevention of high blood pressure amongst the residents of the village of Agomé Tomégbé. In order to do this, we visited the residents and explained to them the risks and causes of this disease, which is high blood pressure. We also measured their blood pressure to provide them with lifestyle advice and limit the risk of developing hypertension.
During our visit, we were accompanied by a Togolese nurse named Agnès, who translated our information into the local Ewe language. Through these awareness-raising sessions, we encountered many cases of hypertension, with some results reaching 18-10. This is due to a diet that is mainly composed of starchy foods and lacking in fruits and vegetables. We left signs in the village so that residents could have access to this information at all times.
Second mission: Renovating a dispensary
Upon arrival, we noticed the accumulation of many defective materials, peeling paint, and holes in the floor and walls of the dispensary. There was a lot of work to be done! First, we began by sorting the paperwork and equipment in the dispensary. The next step was to repaint the interior walls and fill the holes with cement.
We then did a thorough cleaning of the various rooms, including the consultation room, delivery room, and recovery room.
We brought medication, bandages, as well as blood pressure and glucose meters from France to donate to the dispensary. As a result, healthcare professionals on site have all the necessary equipment to provide good patient care.
Third mission: building a gutter
Our third mission was to construct a gutter of over 50 meters upstream of the dispensary. The dispensary in the village was being affected by soil erosion caused by heavy rainfall, which was weakening its foundations. It was essential to solve this problem to prevent the dispensary from collapsing.
To construct the gutter, we first cleared the area of shrubs and plants. Then, we dug the gutter after tracing its path and cemented it. We did all of this under the supervision of specialists on site, who provided guidance while we provided the manual labor. Finally, we used the soil to fill in the holes around the dispensary.
Fourth mission: training of the inhabitants of Agomé Tomégbé on how to apply first aid
With the help of Togolese volunteers on site, we started demonstrating the appropriate behavior when having an unconscious victim. We mainly focused on teaching the recovery position and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
After the demonstrations, the villagers were given the opportunity to practice the life-saving techniques themselves. Knowing these gestures can make a real difference for victims, given that there is only one nurse in the village and emergency services are far away.
Living with Togolese locals for two weeks allowed us to share our cultures and learn about each other’s customs, stories, and cuisines! In short, we returned from this project enriched with new friendships and many beautiful memories.
We are very grateful to Ameto, Agnes, Elisa, Felix, Tino, Selom, and Dieudonné, without whom this project would not have been the same. We equally express pour profound gratitude to all the people who made this first international solidarity trip possible!