Join the Togo Mini-Venture program and explore the beauty of Togo and its culture, nature, and people while volunteering to help orphans. In our Togo Mini-Venture, volunteers help orphaned children for the first 10 days of this Volunteer Togo project. As a volunteer, you will teach health education, English, and sanitation to poor children. Engage the children in various creative activities, such as drawing pictures, playing games, and singing.

After several days working with poor children, explore Togo's rich culture and natural beauty for 4 full days. View lovely hillsides, vibrant villages, and a unique fetish market in Lomé. Walk through the Kéran and Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, and view some of the most beautiful Waterfalls in Togo. Our Mini-Venture combines a Togo volunteer project with travel opportunities to enrich your volunteer experience with Global Crossroad.

PROGRAM OUTLINES

Day 0: Airport pick up, hotel transfer. Participants stay the first night in Lomé.

Day 1: Proceed to project site in Kpalimé early in the morning; orientation after reaching the office. Orientation covers children’s issues, field conditions, host family conditions, safety issues, climate expectations, working projects, and related topics.

Days 2-10: Proceed to the children’s project (orphanage). Orientation with local staff; discussion of job responsibilities and other issues. Work with orphans for 9 days.

Volunteers will generally assist with teaching English, cleaning, playing games with the children, and helping with homework and extracurricular activities.

In your free time, our country coordinator will organize a half-day village hike between 2 and 10 miles. Meet the village chief and explore village life, native farming systems, local cultures and ways of life in Africa, and issues of a developing African nation.

Days 11-14: Four day explore Togo program

Day 12: Explore the beauty of the plateau region

Visit Badou, in the heart of the cacao area. Explore the spectacular waterfalls, rolling hills, and calm forests. Before moving on to Kpalimé visit Atakpamé, the preferred residence of the German administrators. Situated in the heart of a mountainous region, Atakpamé is also a center of Togo’s cotton-growing belt. Between Atakpamé and Kpalimé stop to see the fabulous waterfalls, Cascade d’Ayomé and Kpimé.

Day 13: Hike up Pic d’Agou (986m).

On a clear day, see Lake Volta from the top of the hill. If hiking is not your favourite pastime, then visit the Centre Artisanal, noted for its artisans’ cooperative. See a vast array of woodcarvings,(djembe drums, masks and statuettes) including chiefs’ chairs and tables carved out of solid blocks of wood, as well as pottery, macramé and datiks.

*In the afternoon, volunteers will leave for the village of Kloto and Kuma Konda.

Day 14: Explore the wooded Kpalimé area

Explore the thick vegetation, hilly terrain and noticeably cooler climate of the Kpalimé area. Observe the brilliant butterflies dancing gently above the lush foliage.

Start from the village of Klouto and hike to the butterflies’ natural habitat. Detour to nearby Chateau Viale, an astonishing medieval-style stone fortress built by a Frenchman in 1944 as a retreat for his wife. Continue up Mt Klouto (741m) and look across the border into Ghana.

Day 15: Return to Lomé in the morning, day tour of Lomé, and end of project

View Togo’s cultural history at the National Museum that houses historical artefacts, pottery costumes, musical instruments, and woodcarvings.

*The proposed itinerary is a sample and is subject to change to meet the changes in the local field conditions.