Togo Trip Diary - July 2024

Wednesday, July 10th - Day 1:

Today was a whirlwind of emotions and unexpected surprises. The day kicked off with an email to the Prison Initiative in Togo, setting the stage for what was to come. My first stop was Inana’s workshop, and oh, what a joy! I was thrilled to discover that they’ve managed to use locally grown raw cotton for their Kente production. Jubilation filled the air—what a remarkable feat by Anani and the crew! It felt like a burst of color and creativity right before my eyes.

As we journeyed towards the prison, we made a brief detour to Ganave to drop off Fuli. However, our plans took a twist when we found out that Sophie had taken her mother to the hospital. We weren’t sure if it was a stroke or a slipped disc, but they weren't ready for help yet, leaving me with a sense of unease.

Upon reaching the prison, Jay Jay had been waiting for two long hours to get inside. The delay was due to a priestly ceremony and a soldier arriving late. It wasn’t until 10 AM that he was finally allowed in. This is definitely something I’ll need to address with the prison management when the time is right.

Inside the prison walls, 336 souls were confined. Out of those, eight were deeply engrossed in weaving, while another thirty were lounging around the workshop, with cigarette butts littering the ground like fallen leaves. It was a tough call, but I had to ask the idle ones to leave—an uncomfortable yet necessary step to keep the space functional.

I had a chance to meet the inmate in charge of all the craftwork. Despite his situation, he came across as a kind and dedicated person. He suggested we move the bag-making activities inside, which would make better use of the available space. Meanwhile, the security guard—another inmate—was somewhat intimidating, as he kept a tight grip on the others, quite literally.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all, I retreated to the hotel for a breather. The intensity of the morning left me grateful for a chat with Britt, who was in agreement about the roof construction. We decided I’d meet with the potential contractors tomorrow and make a final decision afterward. We also agreed to purchase some looms, so I’ll take action on that first thing in the morning.

I’ve lined up a meeting with Gilles' roofing and mosaic guy at 10 AM tomorrow. Then, I’ll visit Jesus, the only local artisan currently in the mix. He’s the one who worked with Jannick on the wall and handled the concrete work—though he did break his arm in the process.

The afternoon was a true delight. I spent it at Inana Textiles, winding threads onto spools and treating the girls to sodas. The atmosphere was warm and full of laughter—an oasis of calm in an otherwise hectic day. Anani mentioned Natalie, the deaf girl, as a potential teacher for the prison. I told him we’d need to discuss it together—I’m mostly concerned about how she would fare in that environment.

As the evening settled in, I coordinated with Bernhard about Gilles' bank contact. Now, I’m just crossing my fingers that the funds go through smoothly. With that, I’m ready to call it a night, hoping for an equally eventful but perhaps slightly less overwhelming day tomorrow.