Cecilie Starheim and Innocente Akoumayi are both 25 years old. They plan to build a home in Togo where six girls at a time can live safely while finishing high school. Togos economy, marked by colonization and subsequent political unrest, is in growth, but education is still out of reach for many women.
– Cecilie Starheim and Innocente Akoumayi, what are your backgrounds and how did you meet?
Cecilie: I come from a little city called Sortland, Norway. In high-school I took health and Social studies and after that I took my bachelor’s degree in vernepleie (social education) from 2011-2014. Then I started on some post graduate studies in Human Resources Management and public health. I’ll finish these this spring. I had my second internship for my bachelor in my home city. Since then I have been working there as an vernepleier (social educator) for the municipality alongside my studies. I just have to say, I have the best colleagues ever. And I appreciate being given the opportunity to combine work and studies.
Innocente: I grew up in a town called Pagala-Gare in Togo. I did my secondary school both in Togo and Benin and I am currently in Ghana pursuing my tertiary education in Human Resources Management. I and Cecilie met in New Horizon Special school. She had her internship in the class where I have been an assistant since 2012. She is the coolest and humblest person I have ever met. She is honest and wonderful in everything. I do love people that are like the way she is and we both have a lot of things in common which are mesmerizing.
Cecilie: For my third year internship I applied for the opportunity to go to Ghana and work in a special school. Luckily for me, the university approved. In the fall of 2013 I had my first trip to Africa, and it changed my life. Innocente was an assistant in the class I worked in. As the weeks went by, we got to know each other. Sometimes I was surprised how similar we could be, even though our backgrounds was so different. After ten interesting and eventful weeks I had to go home to Norway, but we knew we would meet again. Easter 2015 I went back for three weeks. I paid for this myself. In 2015 I travelled abroad every month, to 12 different countries. I believe awareness is good for the soul, and felt the need to see more of the world. This time Innocente and I went to Togo together, and our friendship grew stronger. I got to know even more about her story, and we realized that we had a common desire to help young people. If we could put our heads and hearts together, we would surely be able to do something. We gave each other our word, shook on it, and we both understood that this would be a commitment for life.
Innocente: The project that we are planning is based on the experience I had while growing up with my foster mommy Brownie Lee, she was the head of Peace Corps Togo and Benin, and I want to give the same opportunity to others.
– And what exactly is this project?
Cecilie: We would like to offer young girls who want to finish high school, but don’t have the opportunity to do so, a safe home, food, clothes and school fees.
Innocente: We want to create a sister home, similar to the one I was lucky to be taken in to. Since I have personal experience with Peace Corps, I think they will be able to locate or might know the girls that are in need. We are thinking about approximately 6 girls, and each time one of them are able to manage on her own, we will let her go and look for another one who needs help. The goal is to give these girls the love and confidence to be strong and independent women in the future. Maybe one of them will do the same as Brownie Lee and us. And the side-effects may last for generations.
– Very good. And how will you finance this home?
Cecilie: We are already committed to the project, so this is going to happen with or without help from others. But all support from others will help us reach the goal faster. We also want to build some rental rooms further down the line, so the income can help us pay the bills.
Innocente: That’s why we are appealing to people to come to our aid to help these young ones. We would like to start up in Togo, somewhere in the capital Lome. Exactly where depends on where we can get land, the stability of the area, and the price. The location is an important decision , so we have to do a lot of research. We believe two separate plots of land will be the best. The prices are only increasing, so in order to build for our future intention of also building rooms for rent, it would be wise to buy all the land at once.
– How much do you think it will cost to buy the land and build the houses you need?
Innocente: I have been looking online and talking to locals. The prices will be around 200.000 NOK. This is included paperwork and fees that ensures that everything happens legally. We must be absolutely sure that we get what we pay for. In some way it’s good that Cecilie is going back to Norway, because her face will only contribute to us getting ”white prices”. When it comes to the buildings, we honestly don’t know what the building costs are going to be. We would need to ask around and use our different contacts. Hopefully we can get the materials for a good price through people we know. If we are lucky maybe someone would like to help us in the building process. That would really lower our costs.
– Could you say something more specific about how other people can help?
Innocente: We would really appreciate both financial support and some good advice. When we have bought the land we would gladly welcome your labor as well! Maybe being part of creating this project is a good idea for your next vacation? Togo has a beautiful beachside, just saying. We are already lucky to receive help from my American friend Jennifer Griffiths Ezell to prepare a business plan. In addition to having grown up in different parts of the world, she has a master’s degree in international business. Her 12 years of experience working for three nonprofit organizations in Washington DC, including one with focus on education, and 17 years in California with leadership and community development and intercultural ministry, is really valuable for us.
Cecilie: We launched our project January 8th 2016. Our wishes was now to be turned into action. I know we have a saying about that it’s the thought that counts, but I can reassure you that for young children who are unable to go to school and have empty stomachs, our thoughts simply are not enough. So our project might be an unpolished stone right now, but for someone it’s going to be as valuable as the nicest diamond. The idea is that eventually the project must carry itself financially. All income from the rental apartments will go to the girls’ school expenses, food and other necessities. We want to offer rentals to both people who need a place to stay for less than two years, foreign students and tourists in general. Eventually we would like to also offer language and cultural stays for young people. I have personally experienced how much an encounter with another culture can mean and do with one, and want to give others the same opportunity.
– And what role does a Norwegian vernepleier have in all this?
Cecilie: We would be partners. We are young, but together we are fifty years old. I have studied Health and Social Work since I was 16. I have been working throughout my studies to gain real life experience too. I have tried to lead a business in high-school, and that is an experience I learned a lot from. We won an entrepreneurial contest og shared the first place of ”most winning youth business in the county”. Innocente has first hand experience with this kind of project, since she already has lived it. And now finishing her bachelor in Human Resources Management, she has a good head for business too. I hope that we together can find the best solutions to make sure we create a good home for young girls in need. And yes, I would also contribute a lot economically. And hopefully others will help us too.
Innocente: Vernepleier Cecilie is my partner. Since she is a social worker, she could help me know how to deal with the girls if there is any problems or difficulties. She is going to be with me in decision making. The fact is when we both are together we will bring on table the best thing that ever happen to those girls. I am also going to help financially, and friends as well are going to help us.
Cecilie: As a vernepleier my main goal is to contribute to other peoples well being, on their own terms. No matter who you are and where you come from. Maybe some of these girls wants to become hairdressers, waitresses or the next president of Togo. Either way, we want to be there for them with our support. My plan is to apply for Africa studies in Norway, starting this fall. I think that would give me even more knowledge and weight to be a parner in this project. Even though my public health studies are global, I would like to have some extra knowledge about African challenges. For now I have to do my part from Norway, and travel back and forth when needed, paying from my own pocket. I have to finish my studies and work hard. And since I just started learning French in August, I have to keep practicing the language.
Here you can send us an email to sign up for email updates on the project
If you want to contribute towards the project, you can use this account number and information:
Bank: DNB
BIC: DNBANOKKXXX
IBAN: NO9712084474701
This is an account in the Norwegian bank DnB, in the name of Brownie’s Lodge. We promise you that all the money will go directly to the project. We will keep you updated on our blog!
Here you can find Cecilie and Innocente’s blog
Here you can send Cecilie and Innocente an email
Cecilie and a relative of Innocente
Innocente
At the market Assigamè, meaning «big market», in Lomé, the capital of Togo
A piece of land like Cecilile and Innocente is looking for – but unfortunately this wasn’t for sale