But First, a Solid Foundation
March 30, 2023
Africa | Benin | Dassa Village | Sustainable Development | Water | Wellness
In collaboration with strategic community members, Pascal, the Transformational Community Development (TCD) worker in Arigbokoto Village, spent most of his time drawing a guide for the village TCD program and conducting strategy meetings.
It is heartwarming to know that the community constructed an average sized thatch-roof hut for Committee meetings and to serve as town hall for future community meetings. Pascal noted that he is not in a hurry to get busy with activities, but more concerned about setting up a solid structure for the smooth running of the TCD program. He vividly recalled lessons from his own TCD training, where the facilitator strongly emphasized the importance of entering a community well and appropriately.
A ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine project was executed in the village last year. Even though that project was successfully completed, and has proven to be beneficial to the community, Pascal saw the need to set up a solid structure for TCD for the next three to four years. He trained the members of the Water and Wellness Committees, respectively. He tasked the Water Committee with the responsibility of maintaining the water pump and tanks, as well as regular clean-up of the water point. The Wellness Committee’s terms of reference included a selection of teams to clean the latrines and weed the surroundings on a rotational basis.
The Income Generation Committee broke into three sub-committees, each tasked to research and make feasibility studies for soy, peanut, and cassava processing respectively. Arigbokoto Village is indeed set on a TCD ‘flight mode’ to transformational and sustainable development!
Don Zoukoutoudjy, Tanwehessou District
Members of the Don Zoukoutoudja community held a series of meetings, facilitated by Abiathar, the TCD worker. They discussed moving forward with the formation of the Water, Education, and Income Generation Committees.
The Wellness Committee, formed last year, has been doing a good job at ensuring the ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine is kept clean and properly maintained. In the coming months, the Wellness Committee will address other issues that adversely impact the health of the community. Since a TCD program runs on committees, Don Zoukoutoudja’s TCD program is off to a good start with an effective Wellness Committee and the formation of three more committees in the new month.
Thank you!
Written by: Shade
GHNI TCD Worker
Latest Stories from AFRICA
Egypt Trauma Counseling Short-term trip
April 12-21 – A team of mental health specialists and a medical doctor provided trauma training and counseling groups for Sudanese war refugees in Cairo and Aswan, Egypt
Water Need Supersedes Walk
Potable water is Niamana’s greatest need at this time.
It’s Never Too Late to Learn
Maharael and Maryam may be radically different ages, but they are each learning to learn with joy and gratitude.