Togo

As a young Republic, Togo is one of the smallest states in Africa and is today home to nearly 5.5 million inhabitants.

Our Actions

To remedy the low literacy rate among the very young population of Togo, LWB and the General Council of Yvelines, within the framework of decentralized cooperation,  implemented in 2010 a project to support the construction of a network of five public libraries in the Prefecture of Lakes. . 

In 2010, the Prefecture of Lakes included five libraries at Aného, Agouégan, Aklakou, Afagnan, and in the traditional chiefdom of Dagué. However, these libraries had very limited  resource collections – a few hundred works – poorly suited  to the public; their staff was poorly trained or not trained at all. They did not have access to library material suited for combining and preserving works. The catalogues were managed by hand and all the libraries lacked electricity. 

The program led by the Departmental Library of Yvelines, with the help of Libraries Without Borders, has permitted the development of these five libraries in terms of book collections, notably African ones, personnel training, and income-generating services that allow for the financial independence of these libraries. 

To that end, LWB selected and sent 2,000 works in October of 2010 to Togo. This donation was made possible by book purchases from local bookstores and publishers. The books went hand in hand with equipment acquired for library management, development, and support of African book collections along with the implementation of money-making  services in the libraries in order to provide for an annual working budget.

Our Work in Togo

Public Network Reading in Togo
Objective

Education and Culture for All

Start date

Status

Closed

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project reflects LWB’s desire to assist book donation efforts. To be effective, book donation must be part of an approach that brings together local actors. It thereby becomes a means to encourage the growth of book networks in the countries of the Global South.

Between November 23rd and 30th, 2010, LWB’s project coordinator, Anna Soravito, conducted an expert mission to look into resource development and self-financing at the Aného libraries.

OBJECTIVES

  • To extend and facilitate the population’s access to reading, culture and education.
  • To encourage professionalization of the book network in the Lake District.
  • To create financially and humanly durable libraries.
  • To establish contacts between structures in order to facilitate the sharing of best practices and allow collections to circulate.

ACTIVITIES

  • The compilation and dispatch of 2,000 books.
  • The acquisition of library management material.
  • The creation of an inter-library exchange network joining together the 5 libraries of the Lake District.
  • Promotion and expansion of African collections.
  • Establishment of paying services within the libraries to generate revenue for annual operating budgets.

RECIPIENTS

  • The 25,000 inhabitants of Aného, administrative capital of the Lake District.
  • The 7,000 inhabitants of Agouégan and those of 3 other towns and villages.

WITH SUPPORT FROM