The power of women and water: Special World Water Day report on the ways women in rural Togo are making their community safer through the power of easily accessible clean and safe water.

Togolese Red Cross helps communities stay healthy by building safe sanitation facilities and hygiene awareness

From patients in clinics without latrines to market vendors without public toilets, the lack of adequate sanitary facilities in some parts of Togo has had far reaching effects.But today, through partnerships and a commitment to community well-being, that reality is changing as the Togolese Red Cross leads a transformation in local water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services."Before, we suffered a lot," said one community member, Toukou Afiyo. "Women have suffered a lot too. When people used the toilets, the smell spread to the hospital. Some patients or their family members preferred to go into the bushes. With the new toilets, people will be happy to use them.”Centered in the west-African nation’s prefectures of Bas Mono, Kpélé, Akebou and Mô, the project is now serving thousands of people who once faced daily hardship due to poor sanitary conditions.The improvements are made possible thanks to financing from the Islamic Development Bank to the Government of Togo. The installation of drinking water infrastructure is managed by the Ministry of Water, while the Togolese Red Cross implements the hygiene and sanitation component.Also supported by the IFRC, the project aims to raise awareness about the importance of drinking clean water and adopting good hygiene and sanitation practices. It also provides the physical infrastructure that communities need to make healthy choices.In total, the project will build 57 latrines in health facilities and 100 public toilets in markets, bus stations and public squares in the four districts.Building latrines and awareness through conversationBut the project is not just about building latrines and water stations. It's also about conversation. Community engagement, mobilization and hygiene awareness are critical components as Togolese Red Cross volunteers work to help people adopt sustainable behaviors that protect their health.In Kpélé, the Goudévé health centre is already seeing the benefits. New latrines under construction are expected to significantly improve hygiene and privacy, especially for women and girls."These latrines will greatly help, first the health workers, and then the patients who come for consultations, especially our mothers and sisters who come to give birth," said Fulbert Anikanou, WASH coordinator for the Togolese Red Cross. "Hygiene and sanitation related diseases will be reduced."Komi Koutse, director of the Goudévé health center, agrees."It's a feeling of joy and satisfaction," he said. "The problem of latrines has always been one of our main concerns. Especially since we are on the banks of a river... Our people were sometimes forced to go into the bush to relieve themselves.”"This project, I assure you, is a sigh of relief," he continued. "We are very reassured that this will reduce the risks associated with open defecation, contamination and pollution. We thank the partners, especially the Red Cross and the Islamic Development Bank, who have made this possible.”The Togolese Red Cross is also leading community efforts to highlight hygiene and sanitation conditions in affected communities. Its volunteers promote behaviour change through house-to-house visits, group discussions, hygiene promotion sessions and education on the risk of open defection and unsafe water consumption.

Benin and Togo: Burning less, planting more and combatting climate change one meal at a time — welcome to the ‘Mothers Club’

In the remote corners of Benin and Togo, a transformation is taking place.With support from the Benin and Togo Red Cross Societies, groups of mothers have joined forces to deliver life-changing interventions that mitigatethe impacts ofclimate change,combat deforestation, improve nutrition andimprove people’s health.Welcome to the Mothers’ Clubs of Benin and Togo, where women are joining forces with local volunteers, young students, teachers and others to reduce fuel consumption, plant trees and sew crops adapted to shorter growing seasons,One of the key projects involves the way food is prepared in many rural communities.Womenin the Mothers’ Clubs, for example,are being trained tomakeand use improved cookstoves, which reduce firewood consumption and harmful smoke. This innovation not only eases their daily struggles but also curbs deforestation and air pollution.“Before, we used stoves made of stones, which caused us a lot of trouble,” says Dgniri Ouseni, a community member from Kara, Togo. “Those stoves consumed so much firewood, and firewood was becoming scarce.”“With these new energy-efficient stoves, one piece of firewood is enough to cook a meal. Our struggles have been reduced.”Beyond improved cookstoves, training in disaster preparedness, short-cycle seed farming, and reforestation have empowered communities to tackle climate challenges head-on.Mothers' Clubs are not unique to Togo and Benin. Set up by women in local communities with support from the Red Cross, they respond to the particular challenges their communities are facing.In Nigeria, Mothers Clubs address acute malnutrition by teaching new mothers about the importance of breastfeeding and better ways to use local cereals. Mothers Club members also become Red Cross volunteers and usually have a Red Cross coordinator who supports their activities.In Benin, they also supported efforts to plant over 21,000 trees in schools, villages, and communal areas. These trees are true multi-taskers: They combat soil erosion and provide nutritional and economic benefits, are symbols of hope.“They welcomed the initiative warmly. On the day we began planting the trees, we couldn’t manage the rush, everyone wanted to participate, including the teachers,” recalls Fagnihou Kokouvi, Deputy Headmaster of CEG Abomey.The trees’ benefits extend beyond the present.“The impact on future generations is obvious,”notes Frabrice Soutin, the local Red Cross President in Abomey. “Two or three years from now, the children on this field will benefit from the shade of these trees to protect them from the sun.”Across both countries, volunteers and community leaders have received training on disaster preparedness, climate resilience, and natural resource management.In Togo, the Togolese Red Cross supported 920 members of Mothers' Clubs and Men’s Committees, fostering environmental awareness and sustainable practices.“The Mothers’ Clubs were trained on techniques for making improved stoves and on how to avoid cutting down trees unnecessarily,” says Addom Aklesso, project manager for the Togo Red Cross. “They’ve also learned to monitor local indicators that signal floods, so they can prepare their villages.”In addition to these climate-focused interventions, displaced households and vulnerable families in northern Benin received life-saving aid, including food kits, cooking tools, and mosquito nets.Training in short-cycle seeds like maize and tomatoes – which produce fruit relatively quickly – has enhanced food security despite increasingly unpredictable weather patterns that have shortened the usual growing season.With funding from the Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs (BHA) of USAID and support from the IFRC, these projects have reached thousands, from volunteers and mothers’ clubs to schoolchildren and displaced families.For Aklesso Quentin Adom, who leads the project for the Togo Red Cross in the north of Togo, the progress so far gives him hope.“If all these plants are maintained and they reach maturity, this will allow us to have good rainfall in the locality, in the region,” he says. “Beyond that, communities will be more resilient, poverty will be reduced because at the level of mothers' clubs and men's committees, we will identify the income-generating activities of members to enable them to participate in the needs of the household. This is the long-term impact that all these interventions will have in local communities.”

Behind the scenes: With climate-change worsening a range of simultaneous challenges, how can humanitarians keep up while also preparing for the next crisis?

It’s become a bit of a cliché in recent years to say that emergency response and recovery is becoming increasingly complex. But behind every cliché there is often a reflection of hard reality.In a world in which climate change, new technology, rapid societal changes and political instability have become the norm in many places, humanitarian organizations are increasingly being asked to multi-task on a grand scale. They must not only meet immediate needs of people impacted by several simultaneous emergencies — drought, conflict and displacement, as examples — they must also keep a lookout on what’s coming next and work with communities to prepare, raise resources and develop their capacity to respond.Consider some of the many overlapping crises impacting many countries in Africa. Floods, desert locust invasion, communal violence and conflicts, drought, food insecurity, epidemics and population movements are just some of the compounding issues facing communities across the continent.“As an example, Ethiopia has been in a very long period of prolonged drought,” says Rui Oliveira, IFRCRegional Operations Manager in Africa. “This has been happening since 2020, affecting about 20 million people. Plus, there has been a conflict for more than two years in the north of the country and a cholera outbreak that has persisted for a long time.”On top of that, Ethiopia has receivedthousands of people fleeing violence in Sudan since fighting broke out there in April 2023. More recently, in early August, the Ethiopian Red Cross has responded to a series of landslides that have claimed the lives of at least 250 people and spurred an emergency appeal from the IFRC.As one of the leading providers of humanitarian assistance in the country, the Ethiopian Red Cross is under constant pressure to respond to these simultaneous crises. At the same time, it must maintain preparedness capacity and develop contingency plans that span from headquarters to local branches.What's left for the next crisis?At a time when funding is often not available to adequately cover emergency response needs, there is not much left over — and not enough interest among donors — to support long-term development of local response capacity.“Unfortunately, despite the fact that the Ethiopian Red Cross’s response capacity is known to be strong, the National Society has not been able to raise the necessary funds to provide a continuous response to all these crises”, said Rui Oliveira.On the continent’s western region, Togo is also confronting a series of overlapping crises. These include a persistent conflict that is driving mass population movements,a large and continuous flow ofmigrants through its borders, and unpredictable floods that impact agriculture and food security.The escalation of the conflict in neighouring Burkina Faso, marked by attacks on civilians, suggests that the influx of people seeking safety in Togo will continue. Last November, the IFRC issued anEmergency Appeal for CHF 4 millionto respond to the needs of an estimated 58,000 people (between displaced and host communities).“Unfortunately, it would be difficult for us to give an estimate of how long this difficult situation will persist,” saysJoel Aziadapou, Head of the Togolese Red Cross Information Department.“The needs are still enormous and not all the displaced people have received assistance yet. From the Togolese Red Cross, we are making significant efforts to assist the displaced population in the long term, with the support of Movement partners”.The Togolese Red Cross has the human resources to respond to this crisis, with over 65,000 members and volunteers committed to the humanitarian cause throughout the country’s 311 local branches. However, the challenge lies in logistics and relief capacities:“We are working on updating our disaster response capacity in order to respond effectively. This will enable us to draw up an action plan based on ongoing assessments. The idea is to have an up-to-date situation so as to respond more effectively as we identify the gaps”.As seen by Gerard Koffi Egah, Secretary General of the Togolese Red Cross, expectations for the National Society’s response are very high."I would like to thank the Movement partners for all they have done to support us since the outbreak of the Sahel crisis so that we can address this emergency in an effective and sustainable manner and, above all, to provide comfort to the most vulnerable communities”.But the National Society still needs the continued support of its partners to mobilize resources and strengthen its response capacity in order to meet increasing demands over time, he says.A trail of humanitarian needsAccording to Tom Omollo, IFRC’sManager National Society Readiness and Development in the Africa Region,Togo’s status as a transit corridor for migration, means the Red Cross is also taking on another challenge that impacts the entire region.“Productive youth want to migrate to other places, such as Europe, to work and improve their lives for a better future,”says Omollo. “Unfortunately, that leaves a trail of humanitarian needs along the corridors.“Without any African policy on migration to fall back on, we have to interpret the policy instruments of each and every government and local authorities and advocate on behalf of the migratory community to ensure shelter, food items, clothing, and preserve their dignity”.In Oliveira's opinion, the level of crisis and complexity in the Africa region, including population movements, is not going to decrease and National Societies need to transform the way they prepare to response:“This transformation needs a huge investment in terms of preparedness to make sure National Societies are more resilient to operate in different crises simultaneously, as they are already doing, reinforcing their operational capacity”,he said.Around the world, Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers ensure that migrants are#NotAlone. Learn more about thisIFRC campaign, featuring stories and insightful information on how the IFRC network strives to make these journeys safer and more dignified.

Deadly heatwave in the Sahel and West Africa would have been impossible without human-caused climate change

The recent deadly heatwave in the Sahel and West Africa with temperatures above 45°C would not have been possible without human-caused climate change, according to rapid analysis by an international team of leading climate scientists from theWorld Weather Attributiongroup.In late March and early this April, extreme heat impacted countries in the Sahel and West Africa. The hottest temperature occurred on April 3, when Mali recorded 48.5°C. In Bamako, the Gabriel-Toure Hospital announced a surge in excess deaths, with 102 deaths over the first four days of April.Around half were over the age of 60 and the hospital reports that heat likely played a role in many of the deaths. A lack of data in the countries affected makes it impossible to know how many people were killed, however it’s likely there were hundreds or possibly thousands of other heat-related deaths.“Year-round heat is part of life in the Sahel and regions of West Africa," said Kiswendsida Guigma, Climate Scientist at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre in Burkina Faso. "However, the extreme temperatures were unprecedented in many places and the surge in excess deaths reported by the Gabriel-Toure Hospital in Mali highlighted just how dangerous the heat was.“For some, a heatwave being 1.4 or 1.5°C hotter because of climate change might not sound like a big increase. But this additional heat would have been the difference between life and death for many people.”Climate change, caused by burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas, and other human activities, is making heatwaves more frequent, longer and hotter around the world. To quantify the effect of human-caused warming on the extreme temperatures in the Sahel and West Africa, scientists analysed weather data and climate models to compare how these types of events have changed between today’s climate, with approximately 1.2°C of global warming, and the cooler pre-industrial climate using peer-reviewed methods.The analysis looked at the five-day average of maximum daily temperatures in two areas: one that includes southern regions of Mali and Burkina Faso, where the heat was most extreme, and a larger area including regions of Niger, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, where temperatures were widely above 40°C.To investigate hot night time temperatures, which can be dangerous when the human body cannot rest and recover, the researchers also analysed the five-day average of minimum temperatures for the Mali and Burkina Faso region.The scientists found that both the daytime and nighttime heatwaves, across both regions, would have been impossible if humans had not warmed the planet by burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas, and with other activities like deforestation. Climate change made the maximum temperatures 1.5°C hotter and the nighttime temperatures 2°C hotter for the Burkina Faso and Mali region, and the five-day daytime temperatures for the wider region 1.4°C hotter.A heatwave like the recent one is still relatively rare, even in today’s climate with 1.2°C of warming, the researchers found. Across the wider West Africa region, similarly high daytime temperatures can be expected about once every 30 years. However, daytime temperatures like those experienced in Mali and Burkina Faso, where heat-related fatalities were reported, are expected around once in every 200 years.More common, more dangerousBut events like these will become much more common, and even more dangerous, unless the world moves away from fossil fuels and countries rapidly reduce emissions to net zero. If global warming reaches 2°C, as is expected to occur in the 2040s or 2050s unless emissions are rapidly halted, similar events will occur 10 times more frequently.The researchers also quantified the possible influence of El Niño on the heat, but found that its effect was not significant when compared with the influence of human-caused climate change.The study highlights factors that worsened the impacts of the heat across the region. The heat occurred at the end of Ramadan when many Muslim people fast during the day. The Sahel region has a large Muslim population and while high temperatures are common in April, the researchers say the relentless day and nighttime heat would have been overwhelming for many people who were abstaining from food and water.They also note that conflict, poverty, limited access to safe drinking water, rapid urbanisation and strained health systems likely worsened the impacts.Heat action plans that set out emergency responses to dangerous heat are extremely effective at reducing heat-related deaths during heatwaves. However, neither Burkina Faso or Mali have one in place. Given the increasing risk of dangerous heat in the Sahel and West Africa, the researchers say developing heat action plans will help to save lives and lessen the burden of extreme heat on health systems.Finally, the researchers say the Gabriel-Toure Hospital’s rapid reporting of heat-related deaths was a valuable illustration of the dangers of extreme heat that would have likely acted as an effective warning for people in the region.The study was conducted by 19 researchers as part of the World Weather Attribution group, including scientists from universities, organisations and meteorological agencies in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Switzerland, Sweden, South Africa, The Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.For further information, media may contact:Andrew Thomas, IFRC Senior Media Officer, Media RelationsMob: +41 76 367 6587

3 billion mosquito nets shipped to prevent malaria

Geneva – 30 Nov 2023 / On the same day the World Health Organization releases its 2023 World Malaria Report, the  Alliance for Malaria Prevention (AMP) reveals that a significant milestone has been reached. Three billion insecticide treated nets (ITNs) have been shipped since 2004 to prevent malaria, most of them to countries in sub-Saharan Africa. These ITNs are estimated to be responsible for two-thirds of the reduction in malaria cases over the past decades. Thanks to the efforts of national malaria programmes and partners, about 68% of households across sub-Saharan Africa own at least one net. Most of these nets have been bought via funds from The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the United States President’s Malaria Initiative, UNICEF and the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF).  In 2022 alone, more than 190 million ITNs were distributed globally by National Malaria Programmes in malaria endemic countries. Of these 180 million were distributed in sub-Saharan Africa.  Petra Khoury, Director of the Health and Care Department at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which houses the Alliance for Malaria Prevention (AMP), said:  “Three billion is a staggering number – a number reached by phenomenal efforts by people in many countries. Those nets have, over two decades, saved countless lives. Malaria will continue to be a threat, particularly in a warming world. But insecticide treated nets are the most effective tool we have to tackle it.”    In 2004, Togo rolled out the very first nationwide mosquito net campaign targeting children under five years of age with an integrated package of life-saving interventions. Twenty years and six ITN mass distribution campaigns later, Dr Tinah Atcha-Oubou, coordinator of the Togo National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), says the mass distribution of bed nets has had a dramatically positive impact on malaria mortality and mobility. Dr Atcha-Oubou says the NMCP in Togo is aiming for malaria elimination.   ‘We have a vision for our country, a Togo without malaria. We want to free communities from the burden of malaria to improve the economic growth of Togo. Malaria prevention strategies have shown promising results, we also have access to efficient tools to reach this goal. We are hopeful that we can eliminate malaria in the same way that many other countries already have’.   Access to and use of mosquito nets are essential to keep Togo on track for malaria elimination. Investments from partners at national and international level must continue to ensure that the country can keep working towards this goal.  The Alliance for Malaria Prevention’s Net Mapping Project has been independently tracking net shipments from the very first national campaign in 2004 in Togo. Funded by the United Nations Foundation through the United to Beat Malaria campaign,andledby the IFRC, the Net Mapping Project data informs the World Health Organization’s World Malaria Report each year, feeding into modeled estimates of ITN coverage across the globe.  Global partners commented on the milestone:  ‘Nets are one of the best tools in our arsenal in the fight to end malaria. The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative is proud to support this historic milestone and applauds the work of AMP and our partners to strengthen the capacity of national malaria programs to distribute nets to the communities that need them most and to track and report data.’  Dr. David Walton, U.S. President’s Global Malaria Coordinator  “The Global Fund remains committed to improving the lives of communities suffering under the burden of malaria. Helping the countries we support ensure optimal vector control coverage is a cornerstone of our malaria strategy. The milestone of 3 billion ITNs should be celebrated and act as catalyst to further drive towards achieving and sustaining this life saving intervention.”  Scott Filler, Head of Malaria, Technical Advice and Partnerships Department, Global Fund  "This landmark achievement of shipping 3 billion insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) represents a crucial step forward in our fight against malaria. The widespread distribution of ITNs with intensive Behaviour Change Communication at community level has contributed significantly to reducing malaria transmission, protecting vulnerable populations, and saving lives.   Keziah Malm, National Coordination of National Malaria Elimination Program in Ghana  Further Information: In the last few years, an increasing proportion of ITNs shipped have contained active ingredients designed to mitigate the effects of insecticide resistance. In 2022, of the 281.5 million ITNs that manufacturers delivered to malaria endemic countries, 47% were treated with a synergist, pyrethroid-piperonyl butoxide (PBO), and 8% were dual active ingredient ITNs, which have combined insecticides with different modes of action.  While protecting people from malaria remains critical, the global community also recognises the environmental footprint of ITNs for vector control from the point of manufacture through exit from the supply chain given the heavy reliance on plastic for the nets themselves and their packaging. Responsible collection and disposal of plastic waste at the point of distribution and as nets become unserviceable for malaria prevention is, therefore, an integral part of many national malaria programmes’ vector control strategies.  Global and national stakeholders and partners are working together to find solutions to limit the amount of waste generated and to ensure more sustainable and environmentally focused supply chains for vector control with ITNs.    Despite the efforts of national malaria programs and their funding, the latest World Malaria Report notes that global malaria cases and deaths in 2022 were higher than in 2019, mostly due to the disruption of services during the COVID19 pandemic. Countries most affected include Pakistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda and Papua New Guinea. The World Health Organization estimates that there were 608’000 malaria deaths in 2022 – 32’000 more deaths than in the year before the pandemic.   The 2023 World Malaria Report also highlights that the funding gap between the amount invested in malaria control and elimination and the resources needed continues to widen. It grew from US$2.3 billion in 2018 to US$ 3.7 billion globally in 2022. Despite the shortage of funding, continued research and development to address insecticide resistance reinforced efforts of national malaria programs and their partners to deliver services to all populations at risk. Significant work to generate sufficient funding to support national malaria strategic plans remain critical in ensuring that the fight against malaria remains on track towards the WHO 2030 targets.    For further details please contact: [email protected]   Andrew Thomas   International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent +41763676587  Tommaso Della Longa   International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent +41797084367  There are spokespeople available to talk about this announcement, including Petra Khoury, the IFRC’s Director of Health and Care.    Partners:   The Alliance for Malaria Prevention receives funding support from USAID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the United Nations Foundation (UNF).  Since 2013, the Net Mapping Project has been funded by the United Nations Foundation and the IFRC. 

Champions of change: Togolese Red Cross Father's Club fights for women’s rights

In the heart of Togo’s capital, Lomé, a group of men are rewriting the narrative of their community. They’re members of the Togblékopé Father's Club, and they’re on a mission to become champions for women. Set up by the Togolese Red Cross in 2013, the Father’s Club seeks to tackle the harmful attitudes and behaviours holding women in the country back. It began when the Togolese Red Cross Society discovered that many pregnant women in Lomé weren’t accessing the healthcare services they needed—in some cases because they didn’t have the means, but in others because their male partners simply weren’t letting them. So volunteers set up the Father’s Club to bring men in the community together and help them understand why it’s important to respect, and stand up for, women’s rights and needs. Ten years on, members are now dubbed ‘Papa Champions’ and proudly advocate for women’s reproductive health, tackle gender-based violence, and act as role models for other men in their community. Sama Abdou Rahime Arabiou, Togolese Red Cross volunteer and President of the Togblékopé Father’s Club, is the driving force behind the initiative and has a heart full of compassion. He believes women are integral to the well-being of every community and deserve to live as freely and happily as men. The first priority for the Father’s Club was reproductive health. Traditionally, women in Togo have had limited access to information about family planning and reproductive health services. So Papa Champions headed out into their community to share trusted health information with men and women. “We do door-to-door sensitization. We talk to men about the benefits of breastfeeding and other health-related activities,” explains Sama. Women in Togblékopé report seeing a big difference in their partners and in community attitudes towards women, thanks to the Papa Champions. “Before, there were some women who couldn’t do anything. They did nothing and were always at home. But through our meetings, their husbands let them start businesses. They now accompany their wives to the hospital for the prenatal consultation for childbirth,” says Azoumi Boukari, a mother from Togblékopé and member of a local Mother’s Club set up by the Togolese Red Cross. Papa Champions are also very active in tackling the pervasive issue of gender-based violence, often running workshops for men on understanding consent and respecting women’s boundaries. They also patrol their neighbourhoods to ensure women can walk safely without fear of harassment, intervening whenever they see a woman in distress and setting a positive example for younger generations. “Since this club was started in our community, I have seen a lot of changes in my husband…They [Papa Champions] have brought joy to our homes,” adds Azoumi. The Togblékopé Father's Club has proven that men can, and should, be powerful allies in the fight for women's rights and gender equality. Not only have they improved the lives of women in their community, they’ve set a precedent for a more equitable society in Togo—in which being a ‘champion’ for women is no longer noteworthy, it’s the norm.

Togolese Red Cross