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HOW WOMEN IN TOGO ARE CHANGING THE WORLD
We dedicate our summer campaign to female leaders from Togo.
Togo has the highest proportion of women in leadership positions in Africa. For us, this is the perfect opportunity to dedicate the new ARMEDANGELS Summer Dresses campaign entirely to the country's female leaders.
In collaboration with Togolese-German photographer Delali Ayivi, we showcase and celebrate a group of inspiring women who are all working in their own way to protect Togo's environment and culture.
Adjowa Koufam
Adjowa Koufam is an official in Togo's Ministry of Environment and Secretary General of the African Women's Network for Community Forestry. She has actively campaigned against deforestation and climate change in Togo.
My contribution is to facilitate women's access to public relations and urban administration through the protection of natural resources.
With my initiative, we also educate women in rural areas about how they can create community forests.
This way, we're killing two birds with one stone, because these forests enable women to achieve financial independence while simultaneously protecting the environment in Togo. Togo has the highest number of women in leadership positions in Africa.
Yes, it does. Recently, the government has begun entrusting women with the administration of our country. For example, the head of the National Assembly is a woman, as is our prime minister. Female leadership is on the rise in Togo.
In a better world, public goods are managed fairly, allowing nature to flourish in its full glory and allowing us to live surrounded by forests. My vision is to encourage everyone to work to protect nature.
Afi Sitsofe Deborah Dali
Déborah is a final-year medical student. In her free time, she volunteers with the environmental club, which cleans the streets weekly and visits schools to educate children about plastic.
At school, everyone made fun of me and called me "Miss Clean" because I was always picking up trash. When I started university, I realized that our environment was in a really bad state, so I founded the Environmental Club with some friends, with which we regularly organize cleanup events throughout the city. We also inform residents not to simply throw their trash into the drains, as this prevents the water from draining properly, and how to properly dispose of synthetic hair, which is often used by girls here, so it doesn't harm animals.
For me, a better world is one where people love their neighbors and respect each other. I want everyone to understand that the environment is indeed in danger and to take responsibility for it. Change starts with yourself. If you are authentic, live by your own principles, and greet others with a smile, that can be truly inspiring.
The biggest obstacle is humanity. Humans are the ones who have caused environmental destruction. Therefore, if we succeed in changing the mentality of our society and improving our behavior toward nature, then we will have succeeded in changing the world.
Malaika Nabillah & Delali Ayivi
Delali is a photographer living in London and Lomé. Malaika is a medical student and textile designer. Together they have developed a project celebrating Togo's creative community.
A better world is one in which everyone acts more responsibly and ecologically. Today, we are too capitalist and individualistic, making us less open to the world around us. But to take care of ourselves, we must also take care of the environment. Therefore, in everything we do, we should always strive to demonstrate goodwill, more determination, and empathy in our cooperation with others.
The fact that women in Togo now hold important political positions naturally inspires young girls to do even more. Women are rarely seen in such positions in Africa. The fact that women have greater visibility here helps us be independent. In my own family, my mother was responsible for everything and thus a strong role model for me. Now I want to motivate and empower other women to achieve their goals and dreams and stop placing limits on their abilities.
What motivates me most is the friendship and collaboration I've built with Delali. A friendship based on trust, equality, and equality. And that, in turn, can inspire other people in Togo and the diaspora to work together. It wasn't always easy at first because people assumed I was Delali's assistant—after all, she lives abroad. But we've since overcome that mentality and are proving that women can work hard together to achieve their goals.
Aimée Abra Tenu Lawani
Aimée is an entrepreneur committed to environmental protection and Togolese handicrafts. Her NGO, STEJ Togo, has founded companies such as Zam-Ké and Kari Kari Africa. She supports a women's shea butter collective and an agroecology program.
As a child, I always wanted to be a journalist, and at the age of 13, I won a competition that allowed me to host a radio show about children's rights. This made me realize for the first time that there are many children who aren't growing up as privileged as I was. I soon founded my NGO, with which I've been able to initiate many projects related to recycling, drinking water, and sanitation. I have a fantastic team around me, made up of young people who understand how important it is to work for a better world.
A world characterized by peace, justice, equality, and friendly relationships between people in our communities. And with the necessary commitment, we can drive projects forward to realize this vision and make it a reality. We can set a good example in our daily actions by respecting others, valuing local resources and traditional values, and paying fair wages.
I'm motivated by the fact that I can make a real difference with all my projects. I studied in Lyon. I could have just as easily stayed in France and taken a normal job. But I have a child and a stepchild, and I want to leave them a clean world where they can breathe, travel, and discover the wonders of this planet: its people, cultures, and customs. I want to offer them these riches. That's why, with every step I take today, I also think about tomorrow.