A Word From Olowo-n'djo Tchala - Part 1

This year marks the 10th year since the creation of the Alaffia cooperative, and for the past 10 years, I have visited our cooperatives and families in Togo. Each visit provides me with energy and vivid reasons why I must continue to tackle the many obstacles that arise for the sake of empowering my communities against all odds. This was especially true with last month's visit, and it is difficult for me to convey the emotional impact of the past five weeks in words.There is no tangible way to express the sense of responsibility of being welcomed by over 3,000 women and children who lined up to present their gratitude for the opportunities Alaffia has brought them. And, while I grew up in Togo, I am still shaken by the level of human condition that exists in villages that we work in. What troubles my heart is not that these women work up to 12 hours a day in the hot sun to feed their families, but that they live in unthinkable poverty because of life circumstances beyond their control. For a grand welcome, Alaffia cooperative members and project participants lined up to greet me and our guests. During this trip, I spent a great deal of time visiting with the women that Alaffia supported during their pregnancy and birthing through our Maternal Health Project. Three of these women touched my heart profoundly. The first was a mother who gifted me with her newborn during the welcome home ceremony. During her welcome speech, this mother stated that it is because of Alaffia funding her prenatal care and birthing that she is alive today. Her gesture brought tears to my eyes for the first time in eight years. It is a sobering fact that if Alaffia had not funded prenatal care for 700 women last year, at least 44 mothers would  have died. Holding the Alaffia baby that was gifted to me by her mother as a gesture of her gratitude. The second is a mother from the Bassar region, where we supported 300 women last year,most of whom underwent excision (genital mutilation) as children. Hodalo Katakouna and her husband are farmers with four children. They have a tiny two-room house made of mud bricks; Hodalo shares one room with her husband and children, her elderly mother lives in the second room. Hodalo's firstborn was paralyzed during birth. Hodalo lives 30 km from the nearest health clinic, and with only a bicycle she was not able to reach the clinic in time for a safe birth. Similarly, her second child is mentally disabled due to lack of oxygen during birth. Last year, Hodalo participated in the Alaffia maternal health program, and now has a healthy baby girl.What touched my heart is not just her healthy Alaffia baby, her smile, and her manyexpressions of gratitude despite her life conditions. It was also her story of how because she had to save all available money to pay for her previous pregnancies, she had only one set of clothing which she wore to the farm and market and washed at night. With Alaffia supporting this pregnancy, she was able to pay for a second outfit for the first time in five years. With Hodalo Katakoua and her Alaffia girl at their home near Bassar, Togo.   On the same day I visited Hodalo, we headed further east to Manga. All 80 women that Alaffia supported in Manga have undergone excision, including Aichatou Fati, who lives in the small village of Tikolado six miles from Manga. There is no road to Tikolado, and even with motorcycles it is difficult getting there. There is no well, and water from the river is two miles away. Aichatou lives in an eight-foot square mud hut with her husband and new baby. During my visit, she told me that she underwent excision at age five, and would have died during childbirth if Alaffia had not supported her. The extreme poverty of this family is not unique to Tikolado or the Manga area. What is painful to my soul is the clear evidence of malnutrition among all the children here – reddish, straight hair instead of healthy dark curls, extended bellies, visible ribs. I left Manga with the knowledge that these stunted children have already missed their opportunity to be fully productive members of society, and that poverty will continue in this area for many generations to come. This knowledge brings me a heavy feeling of helplessness.  -Look for our post next Friday for the rest of the story- Aichatou Fati and her happy Alaffia baby boy, Tikolado, Togo.

International Women's Day - 2013

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’d like to introduce you to someone very important to us.
 

Meet Ibada. 

At 26, Ibada is the youngest sibling of Alaffia founder Olowo-n’djo Tchala.  If you’re familiar with Alaffia, you are likely already familiar with her life work.  Ibada is Alaffia’s Community Project Director in Togo, and oversees everything that is related to our Community Empowerment Projects.

“Though she is “the baby” of the family, Ibada conducts life as if she were 50.  She is far beyond her years, and has accomplished more than I could have ever hoped, or even imagined” says Olowo-n’djo.

Before working with Alaffia, Ibada trained and worked as a midwife in many different parts of Togo.  In West Africa, 1 in 13 women die in childbirth from complications that could be avoided with basic maternal care. Midwives and adequate medical facilities are few and far between in rural Togo. Ibada devoted herself to helping women across the borders of different villages all throughout Togo. Through her experience she developed a deep understanding of Togolese women’s unique needs.  She also gained experience helping women who have been subject to female circumcision, and developed what Olowo-n’djo calls “a loud voice” about the matter.  She became passionate about reaching out to women who have been circumcised and are thus at higher risk for life threatening complications in childbirth. This was the beginning of Ibada’s work with our Community Projects.

Today, Ibada directly manages a team of 9, including the coordinators for our Bicycles for Education Program, School Supplies Program, Reforestation Program, and of course our Maternal Health Program.  She is closely involved with all of our Community Empowerment endeavors and oversees the entire operation.  Ibada collects follow up data on all of our bike recipients, mothers and babies to best measure the impact these projects are having in their lives and throughout our Togolese communities.  We must create balance that is diverse and free of bias.  Ibada ensures we’re reaching the greatest needs in every village and community. 


Ibada opening medical supplies at a Maternal Health Clinic

For the past couple of years, Ibada has begun to gear part of our Maternal Health Program to specifically reaching women who have undergone circumcision.  This is an extremely sensitive, tedious process as it is a highly controversial issue.  Ibada gains trust with village leaders and chiefs so she may be allowed to speak to the women about female circumcision; educating them about the risks they face in child birth and giving them access to the maternal health care they need.

Hundreds of lives have been spared through this process, and this tier of our Maternal Health Program is growing. 



Ibada and a Maternal Health Clinic employee
 

Today, we celebrate the work and accomplishment of this powerful young woman.  Her life proves that focusing time and energy toward making a positive change can leave an immeasurable impact, for generations to come. 

Ibada with her brother Olowo-n'djo, and women who are part of our Maternal Health Program

 

 As always, we thank you for your support that makes the impact of her work greater with each passing year.

 

Learn more about how your support of Alaffia is empowering our Togolese Communities: http://www.alaffia.com/