The Togolese Press Agency reported that the project, implemented by the consortium of NGOs Association des femmes chrétiennes pour le développement Intégral/Organisation des volontaires acteurs de développement-Action plus (ASFECDI/OVAD-AP), was launched on February 15 and concluded on October 8. The project was funded by the European Union and the Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development Terre Solidaire.
The project aimed to contribute to the strengthening of citizen participation in the management of community affairs. According to the final report, the project has improved the participation capacities of citizens in local development, facilitated the implementation of consultation and monitoring frameworks for the communes, and contributed to the establishment of communal development committee coordinations.
The report highlights several significant changes observed in the beneficiary communities, including an increase in mobilization strategies, improved communication between communal development frameworks and local elected officials, and the sharing of experiences between development committees and communes. The project also strengthened citizens' knowledge of communal development and established development committees in the two communes.
The project's impact is expected to be long-lasting, with beneficiaries planning to adopt required municipal acts, integrate development committees into permanent mechanisms in the communes, develop a post-project action plan, and sustain the achievements. Institutional authorities, including traditional leaders, plan to continue supporting the development committee members in monitoring-evaluation, inclusive governance, and mobilization in other communes.
The Prefect of Vo, Leguèdè Kokou Jérôme, called on beneficiaries to collaborate and contribute to the development of the communes. Elly Yawo Holali, National Coordinator of the PRO-LAR project, congratulated the ASFECDI/OVAD-AP consortium on its activism and commitment to the project's success, expressing hope that the project's achievements will be sustained for the benefit of the communities.
The Coordinator of ASFECDI, Kpotogbé Kossiwa Akpédzé, welcomed the project's conclusion, inviting beneficiaries to put into practice the skills and knowledge acquired. The project's conclusion marks an important milestone in the efforts to promote participatory development and strengthen local capacities in Togo.
Key points
- The 18-month project improved citizen participation in local development and established development committees in two communes.
- The project was funded by the European Union and the Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development Terre Solidaire.
- Beneficiaries plan to sustain the project's achievements and integrate development committees into permanent mechanisms in the communes.
