Project « My health, my school, a collective challenge in Togo »: Second phase launched

Since 2019, the Chain of Hope (CDE) has initiated a school health project entitled « My health, my school: a collective stake » (MSME) co-financed by the French Development Agency (AFD). The first phase took place from January 2019 to March 2022 in 8 schools in Lomé. In order to sustain the achievements of the project and strengthen the actions of the education system, the CDE, AFD, its partners and the beneficiary school community launched phase 2 of the "My health, my school, a collective challenge in Togo" (MSME) project on 22 September 2022 in Lomé. The project activities were launched by Dr. Piyabalo Nabédé, Director of Cabinet of the Ministry of Primary, Secondary, Technical and Craft Education.

In Togo, the majority of learners still live in an unsanitary, unsafe and unprotective school environment where ill health is a source of absenteeism, dropout, morbidity and sometimes mortality. In order to respond to these challenges, Togo is an exception in the Chain of Hope country missions through the development since 2012 of the « Education Programme » which became the « School Health Programme » a few years ago. This programme, which started with the implementation of the project « My health My school a collective issue » in 2019, is now in its second phase for a new 3-year cycle.

The objectives of the project Phase 2    

The project "My health, my school, a collective stake in Togo" phase 2 (MSME II), aims to strengthen the capacities and skills of the school community, to promote a healthy, motivating and protective environment. It also aims to improve students' access to prevention, detection and treatment of pathologies that cause learning difficulties in schools.

For Espoir Datchidi, Head of Mission of La Chaine de l'Espoir Togo-Benin, the objectives of the phase 2 project are to develop the capacities of the school community in order to reduce, in the long term, the factors that jeopardise the health of pupils and their learning at school, on the one hand, and to reinforce the factors that contribute to the improvement of the capacities and motivation of the pupil during his or her school career, on the other.

Espoir Datchidi EXPLAINED: « The physical or moral health of the child has a direct impact on school attendance and performance. An education that provides children, in addition to learning basic academic knowledge, with skills that enable them to take responsibility for their own health in an autonomous and responsible manner, is essential for their physical, psychological and social well-being. Thus, during this project, good practices on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), Non-Violence, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) and School Based Illnesses (SBI) will be identified and developed. The school community will be sensitised on key issues, action plans will be developed by the beneficiaries, and students will be strengthened in their oral and written skills».

This project echoes France's cooperation actions in Togo in the area of education, partly carried out by AFD which invests significantly in this sector every year. AFD, through its representative Flavien Anno, supports this project, which according to him, has an important impact on the learning conditions of pupils.

Promoting the project's actions

The three-year project will cover 16 public primary and secondary schools in Greater Lomé from April 2022 to March 2025. These are EPP Adjallé, EPP Adjomayi, EPP Agoè Nyivé, EPP Cébévito, EPP Dangbéssito, EPP Doumasséssé 1, EPP Gbonvié I, EPP Gbonvié II, CEG Attikpa, CEG Camp GGE, CEG des Etoiles, CEG Tokoin Nord, Lycée Sanguéra, Lycée Tokoin I, Lycée Tokoin II, Lycée Tokoin Solidarité. This 1 million 400 000 thousand euro project is 50% co-financed by AFD.

William O.