Prisons in Togo are known for their deplorable prison conditions. The average occupancy rate is 165%. The project targets 4 prisons in this country, namely: Lomé, Aného, Tsévie and Kara. For example, the occupancy rate in the Lomé prison gets as high as 310% and that of Tsévie- near 400%! This prison overpopulation is largely due to the absence of a true reintegration policy and therefore to a high rate of relapses (over 60%).

For many years, the National Fraternity of Prisons in Togo- our local partner -has been engaged in a reintegration policy for detainees in the form of establishing workshops in the country’s prisons. However, this effort is limited to a minority of prisoners. 253 detainees have been trained since 2010. The present project aims at extending this initiative and training 500 prisoners in 3 years (300 detainees in the first year).

Plan of action

• Constructing 6 hangars to hold workshops for basketry, shoemaking (2), weaving, sewing and hairdressing.
• Furnishing the workshops with the necessary equipment
• Financing the training of detainees
• Setting up a centralized cooperative to manage the income generating activities (publicity and sale of workshop products)
• Carrying out an on-site mission to organize meeting with partners, visits to the workshops, support and identifying needs
• Advocating for the workshops in the community and involved institutions (year 2 and 3 of the project)

• Afford the opportunity to 500 prisoners (300 in the first year) to obtain professional training in prison (200% increase in trained detainees)
• Improve the economic situation of the prisoners and their families through revenue generated through workshop products
• Facilitate socio-professional reintegration and reduce the rate of prisoner relapses
• Sensitize and push for actions on the part of engaged organisms in Togo and Switzerland

Material, equipment, hangars : CHF 38’400
Training, material, administration : CHF 44’000
Evaluation (audit) : CHF 2’700
Project management (on-site mission…) : CHF 20’900

Logistics (property, automation…) provided by the National Association of Prisons in Togo

Budget : CHF 106’000

Proceeds :

FEDEVACO : CHF 53’000

Equity capital and other financial sources : CHF 41’000

Total needed : CHF 12’000

Your individual donation will allow us to :

• Offer professional training to one detainee for CHF 30
• Construct one hangar to hold a workshop for CHF 2 460

CHRYZALID PRJECT CONTACT :
Laurence Girod
laurence.girod@chryzalid.org
+41 21 903 02 75