Togo Trip Diary - July 2024

Thursday, July 12th - Day 3:

The day kicked off in the workshop with some precise measurements for the loom. Afterward, we headed to the prison, where I got the chance to take photos of JayJay’s contract and the logbook. Immediately, I noticed a few issues regarding JayJay’s hours at the prison—he’s been leaving early quite often. Anani explained that JayJay’s contract officially started on July 1st, so we only need to review his hours from that date forward. He also mentioned that JayJay had to step out on Wednesday to pick up thread and measuring tape, which took him away from the prison for a couple of hours. I plan to address this and ensure that all shopping and other tasks are completed outside of teaching hours moving forward. The 40,000 CFA from Camilla is set to be paid out on July 31st.

The prison has new soldiers now, so I had to undergo a body search before being allowed in. A female guard gave me a thorough pat-down, much to everyone’s amusement—especially when she spent a little extra time on my chest. Haha! Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to take any pictures today, and it was agreed that I need to give a day’s notice if I want to photograph anything in the future. The guards were all very polite, but much stricter than before. The female soldier asked for tampons—Britt, I think you were kind to her last time! I promised we’d bring some next time.

Inside the workshop, JayJay, Amin (who’s back in prison), and five weavers were hard at work. JayJay mentioned having some issues with Amin, who has been spreading misinformation among the others. Anani is trying to manage the situation by withholding payment from Amin as a form of punishment. I asked if we could remove Amin from the project, but JayJay pointed out that Amin is the best weaver, so his skills are needed. It’s clear that JayJay struggles to keep Amin in check, so I suggested that Anani be present at least two full days a week since he commands more respect.

Several other men were working on small projects in the workshop. Anani explained that they were all employed by the "bag organization," but since that organization stopped operating in the prison at the end of the year, there hasn’t been much work for them. They’re all on the list to start the Kente training once we’ve expanded with more looms. I’m focused on resolving this while I’m here and agree with Camilla’s point earlier today.

Since we hadn’t heard back from the carpenter we visited yesterday, we found a large workshop near the prison. The team there was incredibly friendly and worked with beautiful teak wood on these stunning old industrial machines. They initially quoted 30,000 CFA for a loom, but we managed to negotiate it down to 23,000 CFA. The carpenter had seen my pictures with measurements, but he wanted to see the loom in person. So, we walked back to the prison to bring him in, but the soldier wasn’t available, so they’ll call when he’s back, and the carpenter will go over himself. The first loom will be ready by Monday, and we’ll approve the quality before they make the remaining seven. We also need to purchase all the necessary tools and materials.

My overall impression is that Anani is struggling financially. He’s working on two massive orders that are well-paid but probably won’t be completed until the end of the month. I’m concerned about whether he has enough money for thread and other materials, but I don’t think we should step in to help, as there are so many other expenses, and he needs to get his business running smoothly.

After returning to the workshop, I headed back to Oasis to catch up on a lot of work from my computer. I sent an update to all of you :-)

I contacted my bank about withdrawing a larger sum of money down here and sent photos and measurements to the carpenter. He’s now informed me that he’s been to the prison and started on the first loom. It should be completed by Saturday, so we’ll go out on Monday to approve it and place the order for the rest.

I also reached out to Dodzi (the roofer) to schedule a meeting on Monday at the prison—set for 9 AM.

Sent an email to Merkur about the disbursement of funds—got an out-of-office reply. They’re on vacation until July 31st.

Ended the day with not one, but two dinners! The first was with Angeles and her sister, where I got to try a variety of white delicacies.

Feeling full and content, I’m signing off for the night! 🌙