Togo

Togo (officially the Togolese Republic) is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately 57,000 square kilometres (22,000 sq mi) with a population of approximately 6.7 million.

Togo is a tropical, sub-Saharan nation, highly dependent on agriculture, with a climate that provides good growing seasons.

Togo's small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for 65% of the labor force. Cotton, coffee and cocoa together generate about 40% of export earnings. Togo is self-sufficient in basic food goods when harvests are normal, with occasional regional supply difficulties. In the industrial sector, phosphate mining is no longer the most important activity, as cement and clinker export to neighbouring countries have taken over. It has suffered from the collapse of world phosphate prices, increased foreign competition and financial problems.

Togo’s political stability has been severely tested over the past five years since the death of President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, on 5 February 2005. There followed a Military Coup and following elections, on 3 May 2005, Faure Gnassingbé, son of the late President, was sworn in as the new president, garnering 60% of the vote according to official results. There are ongoing difficulties and elections are due in 2010.

The OLA Sisters in Togo

How do the OLA Sisters in Togo witness to the Gospel in this troubled country?

There are 17 OLA Sisters working in four different parts of Togo. They try to remain signs of hope in a very poor political and economic context.

In Lome, the community are involved in catechesis and in offering quality education of children (both primary and secondary). They are also involved in caring for the sick with a nurse working in the community and also in the Pere Planque College Infirmary.

In Agou Gare, The Sisters are involved in various activities including linking with the Dutch NGO, the Lilian Foundation which supports projects for people with disabilities

In Sokodé: The Sisters witness to their Gospel values through catechesis, running a library, coordinating activities for the disabled, supported by the Lilian Foundation and running a kindergarten.

In Kolowaré, the Sisters are involved in preventative and curative health care (clinics, maternity, laboratory), caring for people suffering from Leprosy as well as catechesis.