Togo: Compassion International Togo shares filters to the needy children at Kélégougan

© Afreepress (Lomé, the 20 th sept. 2012) —

Poor children and caregivers of Kélégougan, a Northeast suburb of Lomé, welcomed warmly and with great pleasure the delegation of the International Organization named Compassion International Togo.

Led by the Program Implementation Manager, Maxwell Wogomebu, the mission of the delegation was to freely distribute Sawyer water filters to two hundred forty seven children sponsored by the Deeper Life Biblical Church, of Kélégougan, located at 5km out of Lomé.

This great free distribution event was held in the presence of the Leaders of the aforesaid church, the parents and caregivers and the children. The event was held under a relevant topic “water is life but a clean water is health”, and aimed at “offering clean and safe water access to all children and households to reduce the incidence of waterborne and diarrheal diseases in the communities”, said the responsible.

The distribution of the water filters, précised Maxwell Wogomebu during the ceremony, has two main objectives: access to clean and safe water to all the children registered in the programs of Compassion International Togo and a significant decrease of diseases bound to the consumption of water dirty and polluted water.

This project concerns 27 churches which are in partnership with Compassion International Togo, in Lomé and its suburbs in Togo, 16 000 persons in the households and 6105 children, he added. “Our statistics show that diarrheal ailments are increasing from year to year and after investigations we noticed that water available to children in our communities and especially in the suburbs of Lome and in the rural areas , is not good for their health. This is the basis of our action towards them”, said Mr. Wogomebu.

Patini Abalo, the representative of the beneficiating families shared with the givers the feelings of the population of Kélégougan. He laid emphasis accent on the difficulties faced by his pairs in the community when looking for drinking water. He also testified about the value of the gift made by Compassion International Togo.

“The gift made by the Organization will surely save us from risks that we face all days along by drinking unclean and dirty waters. From now on we will drink safe and clean water . and we receive these filters with a real pleasure”, said Patini.

Besides, the parents promise to take care of the filters, “which can be used for at least five years” as indicated Barthélémy Atti, the representative of the Sawyer Trade company in Togo, if used “appropriately”.

Compassion International is a Christian organization created by Reverend Everett Swanson in 1952, which aims at advocating for poor children, defending their rights and realeasing them from their wrestle “spiritual, physical, social and economic poverty”.

Compassion International has launched its activities on behalf of Togolese children since 2008 by opening six Child Development Centers in Lomé. To date, the organization is sponsoring 70 Child Development Centers opened in Lomé, Djagblé, Vogan and Tabligbo.

The development model used by the Organization is based on four programs, which are the Child Survival program (CSP), the Child Sponsorship Program (CDSP), the Leadership Development Program (LDP) and the Complementary Interventions (CIV), such as water and sanitation, sensitization and gender mobilization, food security, income generating activities on behalf of registered children and their parents. The current distribution of the water filters is part of the Complementary Interventions Program.

In Togo, this first phase of the free distribution of Sawyer water filters only covers Lomé and its . suburbs. Nevertheless, the next phases, expected for 2013, will be expanded to Djagblé, Vogan and Tabligbo where CITG is in partnership with local churches. This intervention will also expand to other areas all through the country.

Compassion International Togo partners exclusively with local evangelical churches. The Organization exists as an advocate for children to release them from their spiritual, physical, socio-emotional and cognitive poverty by supporting churches for better management that sustains and ensure the quality of the results expected from the holistic development of children.

Compassion International sponsors over 1 million children in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and Latina America with one single objective: helping them to become fulfilled and responsible Christian adults.