Deki empowers communities to be resilient to poverty and the effects of climate change
Working in the Maritime region of Togo, West Africa, we work closely with our local partner to empower vulnerable families to develop sustainable livelihoods and become financially resilient.
We have developed a holistic approach through five scalable programmes specifically addressing the needs of rural communities, tackling some of the key causes of poverty, and ensuring long-lasting, sustainable change.
We focus on supporting rural livelihoods with financial support and training, making affordable healthcare accessible, and bringing thousands of people safe water and clean cookstoves.
We believe that communities should be at the centre of their own development, so they can create a sense of ownership and develop the long-term sustainability of the projects.
Why Togo?
One of the smallest countries in Africa, Togo is located on the west coast, nestled between Benin, Ghana and Burkina Faso, in the Gulf of Guinea, with a population of 8.5 million people.
Togo is one of the poorest countries in the world and one that doesn’t feature highly on most funding agendas.
Poverty and inequality remain extremely high, particularly in rural areas, with over half of the population living below the poverty line.
Deki works with our sister partner, IADES-Togo, in the rural areas of Kévé, Abobo, and Agbelouve in the maritime region.
What we do
We empower women through leadership opportunities and financial inclusion
Giving women increased access to financial services, increased agency to make decisions and increased opportunities to save, empowers them to shape their own futures.
We support small-scale farmers to work together and grow their livelihoods
Leading to increased access to financial services, increased knowledge of sustainable agricultural techniques, increased access to markets and increased income and productivity.
We rehabilitate water boreholes to bring safe water to rural communities
During the next two years we are committed to rehabilitating 520 water boreholes, each one providing enough safe water for approximately 60 households. We will be bringing safe water to 150,000 people living in hard-to-reach communities.
We build village healthcare hubs in remote rural communities.
Hubs are equipped with essential medicines and tools to manage waterborne diseases and surface wounds, and even provide emergency birthing facilities. Village government healthcare workers are provided with the support and the resources needed to assist with basic healthcare needs within their communities.
We deliver clean, fuel-efficient cookstoves to rural communities; improving health, reducing carbon emissions and deforestation
Adokpo Wazam provides fuel-efficient cookstoves to rural families, which reduces the pressure on forests and natural resources, reduces household air pollution caused by cooking indoors on a traditional three-stone fire, and it empowers women by releasing them from the gendered burden of daily wood collection.
“It was difficult in the past to take care of my children, difficult every day, difficult for food, everything was difficult. But with the loan and the increase in my yield, I have money and can easily pay for food for us and now I can help others too.”
Afi, a member of the Dzigbodi Agricultural Cooperative
We believe that given the opportunity, anyone can thrive.
By supporting one of our programmes, you are investing in lasting positive change and empowering communities to become agents of change for the next generation.
Stories from Togo
The Mother Club of Loome
"Thank you for giving us the gift of water" - Chief Koto Taga, Loome It was a long drive to meet the Mother Club...
Developing leaders through Women’s Empowerment Collectives in Togo, West Africa
"DEKI loans are the starting point for us women. We are thankful from the deepest part of our hearts" - Adjo,...
Farmer Field school
Together with our partner in Togo, we have created a Farmer Field School to run alongside the Cooperative programme. It promotes the adoption of sustainable land management practices.