Campaign Status
Ongoing Offline: The campaign is currently ongoing offline and, thus still in the process of collecting funds.
Summary
The campaign aims to support the economic empowerment and digital inclusion of 100 young women and men who are market gardeners.
Challenge
According to the Togo Digital Transformation Center, there is a noticeable revitalization of the ecosystem with the growing emergence of innovative incubators. Each year, over 12,000 businesses are established in Togo. The challenge of digitizing these businesses to enhance their competitiveness becomes increasingly crucial, particularly in the context of the digital sector's development in the sub-region.
With more than 70% of businesses in Togo being led by women, this underscores the potential influence of women in the private sector and their significant role in the digital economy. It is evident that women market gardeners in Dévikinmé are currently unaware of the potential benefits this tool could offer, such as saving time and making their product prices more competitive.
Solution
CADI-Togo, in collaboration with UNDP, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Lacs 3 commune, communication agencies, civil society, and the University of Kara, Assilassimé microfinance, the Ministry of Social Action, the Protection of Women and Literacy, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for the Economic Empowerment and Digital Inclusion of Women and Girls Market Gardeners project, taking place in the Lacs 3 commune and specifically in Dévikinmé.
The project aims to promote feminism and digital inclusion through training sessions on the FoDA approach, digitalization, and the introduction of savings groups, along with providing kits and learning via tablets. Physicochemical and bacteriological analyses will be conducted to detect the presence or absence of bacteria and chemical residues, determining the organic nature of market gardening products. Awareness campaigns, coupled with broadcasts and spots related to gender-based violence, health, and nutrition, aim to bring about behavioral change.
The project is founded on the principle that digital technology enables the enhancement of efficiency and productivity for any company. It is evident that businesses led by women are lagging behind in adopting this new technology. The market gardening sector holds immense potential, contributing not only to food and nutritional security but also to economic growth and job creation. The women market gardeners of Dévikinmé in the Lacs 3 commune in Togo currently use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, posing health risks.
They are unaware of the significance of employing digital tools in market gardening innovation, lack mastery in managing this promising sector, and consequently face losses.
The approach taken is participatory, inclusive, and multisectoral, encompassing education, gender, culture, communication, and information. Throughout this campaign, we aim to collect a total of $45,185. The beneficiaries of these funds are 100 young women and men from Dévikinmé, aged between 25 and 55. They will receive reinforcement in digitalization, Business Development Training (FoDA), the AVE&C methodology, and awareness of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), child protection, health, and nutrition for their socio-economic empowerment.
