The school system in Togo is not sufficiently adapted to the needs of children with disabilities. HI is therefore running a project to ensure inclusive access to primary and secondary education and to develop vocational training for children and young people with disabilities. Alongside schools and public authorities, HI is also raising awareness of inclusive education and adapted teaching methods, as well as training teachers, supporting schools and setting up teaching resource centres, notably as part of the training programme for Togolese teachers and primary school teachers. HI’s teams also help young people with disabilities to find employment and develop inclusive vocational training services.
HI is also working to ensure that disability and the necessary adaptations are taken into account in government directives, to make services more accessible.
The programme is also running a mental health project to provide psychosocial support to people with mental health issues or experiencing psychological distress. In a country where access to psychosocial care is complicated by a shortage of health professionals and a lack of knowledge of the subject, HI is lobbying for the integration of mental health into the training curriculum for the sector’s professionals. In addition, the programme is mapping existing services and training partners and community members to support more users. It is also supporting mental health awareness campaigns in schools and working on the deployment of mobile health teams.
In the north of the country, HI is committed to strengthening the resilience and community cohesion of populations affected by conflict and violence. The programme develops spaces for dialogue and raises community awareness of peaceful conflict resolution. Our teams work with local players to promote peace, the economic integration of unemployed young people and the development of social cohesion mechanisms supported by the communities themselves.
Moreover, HI is developing logistics expertise to promote humanitarian access to very remote or isolated areas, train local actors in logistics and support other NGOs in the delivery of humanitarian goods. HI is thus working with the country's other humanitarian actors to make their responses more inclusive and ensure greater consideration of the specific needs of the most vulnerable populations.
Lastly, HI is engaged in the promotion and strengthening of disability rights, with a particular focus on gender discrimination. To this end, the programme supports civil society organisations fighting violence against women by strengthening their skills and working to share good practices.
