Togo 2003


	Celestin and Mawuli Mawusi from Togo look after 77 children aged between 8 and 15 years old. The children were found on the streets, often saved from drugs and prostitution. Mawuli was pregnant and climbed an 8 ft wall into the adjacent vacant lot as there were no toilet facilities; the children dig holes in the street. Water is from a well and there is no electricity. The girls slept in tiny room on a concrete floor and the Boys live in the shack shown on the left. There is no welfare system and no money for education or healthcare, Celestin goes to the fishing port to “beg” resources to feed the children, they often run out of food.


	We went as project managers to facilitate the construction process, we employed local people used local materials and technology to enhance a local project. We went with the hope of completing 1 dormitory but God had other plans !, at the end of our time in Togo we had built 6 dorms, 2 toilet / shower blocks, renovated the existing managers house, put a pump on the open well, constructed a kitchen area, purchased 36 sets of bunk beds plus benches and tables, etc. It was amazing to see Gods faithfulness to these children and the way He was answering their prayers by prompting people from all over the world to help and be part of His plan.

Koffi the “chippy” Koffi was one of the children who was always where the action was on site. He has just finished his schooling and was thinking hard about what to do next. He said he liked construction and asked if he could help with the building of his new home. We had a think and came up with the idea of placing him as an apprentice to one of the local carpenters. The carpenter, Michael, agreed and we managed to get a set of tools for Koffi from the Anastasis. Things went well and Koffi worked very hard throughout the project.

When we returned to Togo in 2004 we looked for Koffi to see if he would like to work on our school project in Lome. We visited the orphanage to see him but were told he was working as a carpenter in Benin which was great to hear.