For 25 years, the Federation des Syndicats de l’Education Nationale (FESEN), also known as the Togolese Federation of Syndicates of National Education, has been dedicated to advancing social justice for teachers and students in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. As the sole teachers’ syndicate in Togo to democratically unite unions from all education levels, FESEN employs various strategies such as training, advocacy, and negotiations to drive change.
Beyond enhancing teachers’ working conditions, they prioritize promoting education access for women and girls and offer training in income generation. Their initiatives include organizing ICT training for teachers, supporting member income streams, implementing savings projects at schools, and providing social and financial education to teachers and educational inspectors.
Students embrace AflaTeen+
In 2019, Togo officially introduced the AflaTeen+ programme as part of the ‘Life Skills and Financial Education Through a Gender Lens’ project, targeting 6000 young people across Togo, Mali, and Niger, with at least 50% girls. This initiative marked a significant milestone for young learners in Togo, expanding the program from preschool and primary to secondary school students. Encouraging results from the pilot phase prompted Aflatoun International to set new goals: strengthening the social and financial education capacities of 2000 young people aged 14 to 18 over three years.
Integrating Aflatoun concepts addressed pressing needs aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Djani Kossiwa, education inspector and project focal point within the ministry noted, “Aflatoun responded to a critical need within the Togolese education system: financial education. It provides learners with essential skills to identify activities for school or life projects, fostering understanding of their environment and action-taking through tangible initiatives.” According to her, this education addresses key developmental issues, including girls’ empowerment, environmental protection, and health.
Students have embraced the Aflatoun programmes, discovering hidden talents and aspirations. Yvette Bodjona, a final-year student at Lycée Ste Fatima in Tsévié, expressed gratitude to the Aflatoun Club, recognizing her newfound business acumen. Similarly, Merveille, a student in the sewing workshop at Lycée d’Enseignement Technique in Lomé, was drawn to the program’s focus on savings and financial management, seeing it as a path to financial independence and relief for her family.
