She waits for no one.
Chantal walks to one of the many buildings she will construct in her hopes to create a large batik workshop that will offer jobs in local trades and stimulate the economy through the marketing and sale of aklala's products. Her company, aklala batik, is only just over a year old but she has the wind in her sails and never ceases to move forward. With my help and her motivation we have witnessed the opportunities of growth. She has already contributed to her own development financially from the revenue collected from the sale of her products.
This is the first building on the future site where aklala batik will install its operations and open it's doors to a host of possibilities for the future of Togo and the inhabitants of Kpalime. I worked with Chantal on the budget detailing her plans to expand and allow her newly successful enterprise to assist others locally by creating a space to house and employ orphans and young women and men interested in learning the trades of sculpture, batik and tailoring. This opportunity will provide them the skills to work within Togo's trade economy.
I wrote the proposal this past January. Since I was too close to the finish of my service here as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I took a pause to reflect on other ways to assist her before she took on such a grand scale development. I also had a desire to return to the needs of my assigned post and implement a few community wide projects. I wanted her to reflect upon her goals and the mission of the project before launching the proposal in search of funding. Here is a summary of her goals within the development of aklala.
Project Goals
- Construction of a workshop, training center, storefront, and housing to aid in the education and employment of orphans and underprivileged individuals from Kpalime and surrounding villages.
- Promotion of batik artistry and tourism through organized, short-term classes.
- Creation of jobs in Kpalime.
- Expansion of Aklala Batik's capacity through trained staff and sustainable business structure.
Populations Directly Benefiting
- Orphans and underprivileged children and adults who have no means of support living in and around the Kpalime region.
- Local entrepreneurs who seek partners in order to access more of the market.
- Local youth who are interested in learning a skilled trade at a low cost, through weekly formations or year-long programs.
- Tourists can benefit from taking classes in the traditional crafts of the region and learning the skilled trades of the country allowing more cross-cultural experiences and collaboration.
- Community development through the promotion of skilled trades, allowing for increased revenue from tourism.
Current Community Contribution on the part of Aklala Batik and others- Plot of land purchased for the construction of the center
- Professional artists and skilled trainers available to teach others valuable trades at little or no cost.
- Labor to aid in the construction of the center.
- Responsibility for paying all utilities associated with the operation and upkeep of the center and lodging facilities through revenue of product sales, training sessions, and tourist lodging fees.
- Batik equipment, sewing machines and supplies, as well as furnishings currently used by Aklala Batik to aid in the completion of the workroom.
Since my work began with her in March of 2008, we have created an enterprise, a successful brand of marketable handbags and accessories, and opened up possibilities to touching a world market from attending international trade shows in the promotion of aklala batik du Togo. She had all the skills and creative drive, all it took was a bit of counseling from me and some guidance from the 4 years I spent in my past career as a product designer in Chicago. Through it all I have discovered that the satisfaction I feel in my service has come from her rapid growth and development, mostly through watching her confidence rise. This was what I wanted to do during my service, help international artists promote themselves through guided development and marketing practices. I could not have felt more fulfilled. Helping her and others in this manner has increased my confidence in my own success as an entrepreneur. Though the largest benefit comes from getting that "feel good feeling," knowing that you just made the life of someone a bit better by showing them the way to grow.
Maybe someday I'll be in Chantals place and sell my own products created by my own two hands, but for now there are many more talented people out there that just need the little bit of guidance and promotion to help themselves do the same. I will continue to promote these talented individuals by assisting in their marketing and development by finding fair trade outlets and distribution possibilities to allow for people worldwide to experience the creations of cultures far and wide.
Like the Chinese Proverb states:
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
In my work with Chantal this proverb has been proved as I have seen her take responsibility for her own affairs and grow little by little, using her own capital. Since I have seen her bring herself this far, I know a little bit of financial assistance can take her further to helping others pull themselves up and remove their dependence on others. In my time here working in development I have never believed in the system of handing out money, knowing that it only creates dependence. I've seen it here in a country where a lack of organizational development by way of the government has forced many Togolese to demand support from other countries, stating that the local means have been long exhausted.
Here's a brief glimpse at the latest goods from the creative spirits of 
all of the many styles and colors of aklala
