Aklala Batik! New Website and NYC Debut!

Soon to be solar loan client and dear friend in Togo, Chantal Donvide, founder of Aklala Batik. has a new website!

http://www.aklala.com/

Put together by the fabulous and talented Megan Rhodes, former Peace Corps volunteer in Togo who helped Chantal develop this business into the success it is becoming today. You can follow the blog that Megan keeps for Aklala as well: http://www.aklala.blogspot.com/

We love you Chantal and can't wait to bring solar energy to your business to increase your already stunning capacity :)

These are the stories and faces of SunPower Afrique in Togo.

SunPower Afrique Stands With Haiti

Nos prières et penseés sont avec l'Haiti.

We urge you to support Partners in Health (PIH), who have been working on the ground in Haiti for over 20 years. They urgently need your support to help those affected by the earthquake.



Partners in Health have also partnered in recent years with the Solar Electric Light Fund, who is currently diverting 13 kW of solar panels to a PIH facility to provide electricity for critical lighting and emergency medical treatment.



May our hearts and prayers remain with Haiti.

Happy New Year from Your President, Faure Gnassingbe

New Years Day in Togo is steeped in tradition. And beautiful realism mixed with optimism. It is a bit of a slow day, sleepily compensating for the last night's festivities and staying up late - whether you are a maman coming home from church at 4AM or an ornery 6-year old boy who spent his New Years Eve throwing loud, homemade poppers (called "bandits" :) )at rocks and sand. The enveloping celebratory atmosphere transcends denominations and neighborhoods, genders and ages. And everyone has the same annual wish for the year upon us...sante avant tous. Health above all.

Si nous avons la sante, la reste va venir. If we have our health, everything else will come.

After health, les voeux are money, work (which rely inherently on each other...) happiness and, as I chimed in to much laughter, beaucoup d'energie solaire en 2010!

The Togolese tradition on New Years Eve is to go to church at Midnight, to ring in the New Year. Even those that didn't go to church on Christmas eve were there at 00:00 31, Dec., 2009.

After the 4-5 hour service-chorus-dance-celebration, people return home to prepare an early morning fufu. Makes perfect sense to me to ring in the New Year with a bon fufu :)

Throughout the day, we visited friends to wish them health and a prosperous 2010. Around 2PM we found ourselves at Daniels, just in time for the President's New Years Address...

First, a 3-minute scratchy rendition of the Togolese national anthem played, while Daniel sang random words and beamed at thoughts of Kabye ministers. The general tone and style of the song are military, as it was written during Togo's independence before the regime of Eyadema.

Petit Digression: I looked up the words of the anthem later on, and learned that the Togolese National Anthem describes the difficulties of the past but more importantly, the will to reconstruct and create unity and prosperity. It is almost like a promise by the Togolese people, government and spirit of dedication to their country. The intense identity and nationalism of Togolese resonate from the anthem's lyrics.

Here is a sample: People of Togo arise! Let us build the nation. To serve thee in unity is the most burning desire of our hearts. Let us shout aloud our motto that nothing can tarnish. We the only builders of thy happiness and of thy future. Everywhere let us break chains and treachery, and we swear to thee for ever faith, love, service, untiring zeal. To make thee yet, beloved Togo, a golden example for humanity.

A graphic of the waving Togolese flag floats across the screen.

Monsieur Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE,Président de la République appears fairly expressionlessly on the screen(imagine the backdrop as SNL Weekend Update circa 1998), his title extending across the bottom.

Faure spoke for about 10 minutes, airily wishing a prosperous 2010 with gigantic leaps in economic productivity and Togo's brilliant emergence as a transparent democracy. There was a surprisingly progressive element of substance in the middle of his speech however, when Faure announced that on January 13 (the National Holiday celebrating not only the assasination and overthrowing of the first Togolese Prime Minister Sylvanus Olypmio, but the first true Coup d'Etat on the continent of Africa, in 1963) Togolese authorities will travel to Benin to dig up and bring back to Togo to remains of Sylvanus Olympio, in a gesture of national unity and semblance of a break with the Eyadema years. Faure announced that from now on, the 13 Janvier will no longer be a national celebration of victory but a national day of prayer.

Daniel loudly applauded the president's decision. I continued to count how many times Faure uttered the words "Mes Compatriats." In the words of my friend and Kiva Fellow Nick (who is currently working with FECECAV), the man needs a teleprompter.

Faure closed out his speech by wishing a "successful" and "transparent" election in February. For himself.

There is no question that Faure will win a second term. Besides the widespread belief (and sincere concern and opinion of mine) that a free and fair election will not be permitted, there is no real opposition candidate. Opposition parties are not well organized or effective in Togo, and, fascinatingly, the front-running "opposition" candidate's name is Gilchrist Olympio. Yes, son of Sylvanus. Togo desperately needs some new blood...

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=86&art_id=nw20100112163243686C356854

Informal campaigning for the February 28,2010 Presidential Election has already begun, with visits and gifts to villages of rice, corn and pagne. And fCFA. There is a national list on which you can sign up to receive a green sac of rice, on which is written "Faure 2010." If you want to be seen as supportive of Faure, or think yo should be seen as supportive of Faure and the regime, you'd better have a green sac of rice...official, organized campaigning, when posters and rallies will overtake the capital, begins in early January.

Bonne Nouvelle Annee - Happy New Year.

Sante, Bonheur et l'Energie Aolaire - Health, Happiness and Solar Energy.

To my family and friends, throughout the world. You know who you are, and to those I do not know yet - I look forward to it :) To the people of Togo and the Togolese diaspora, with whom I will be forever connected and thankful.

SunPower Afrique Eases out of 2009 and Rings in 2010 in Togo

Final Blog Posts Coming Soon:

1 January 2010 - Happy New Year from Your President Faure Gnassingbe

5 January 2010 - Two Weeks in Togo...Keep Pushing On

And lastly, thank you to Alexandra Fuller, in Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, for helping to put this into words for me...

"African by accident, not by birth. So while soul, heart and the bent of my mind are African, my skin blaringly begs to differ and is resolutely white..."

30 December - Vindication

I have a nasty sore throat after spending 4 consecutive days in Lome…between the dust, busted motos trailing tails of blue smoke and massive piles of burning garbage, it does not add up to the most positive environment for one’s respiratory system…but in the end it apperars to have been worth it.

Since je ne me decourage pas, I went back again to the Ministry of Decentralization for my recepisse. I zent directly to the higher up whom I had met the day before, to continue to push him to get the document signed before my departure. I have learned quickly that showing my face every day and cooing in Ewe is the easiest, zell qctually the only, zqy to get what I need and want from this government. Tommorrow, he said again, although I knew well that both today and tommorrow were half days because of the holiday. Maybe Monday ? Luckily this time he only wasted about 15 mintues of my time…

Claude was with me, to try once again to collect the 2 120 Watt Sharp modules still sitting in the customs office at the airport. This time I brought my copy of the decree, signed bythe Direcetur Generale of Customs, to present to the customs officers surely still dozing at the airport .
We first met a contact of Claude’s in another customs office close to the airport, to as khis opinion of the document and if he thought it would get us anywhere. He read the document and said that yes, he thought that i twas still in effect, even though the date on the document was 1998…this, he said, is what would create problems, as this also meant it was signed bythe former regime’s Customs Director (which former regime… ? Everyone knows that nothing has changed, although the ministries have added the words « of reform » at the end of their already outrageous and extraneous titles…)

After consulting with his boss, he said that he would be happy to call the office in teh airport and ask them to release the panels for a smaller fee than the 200,000CFA demanded by the qrrogant minions that had insulted me the day before.

In the classic Togolese fashion that I have become disturbingly accustomed to, we discovered that since there were no flights that day (again, yes, really), the head of the airport customs office had not come in to work.

Determined not to be foiled again, I decided that we must find the new version of the decree . We moto-ed back across town to the Direction General of Togolese Customs. After more Ewe canoodling with the security guards and secreatire, we found ourselves (rather quickly, considering the others in the waiting room had been there for 3 hours…sometimes I must just shamelessly take advantage of my zhite skin and green eyes…however terrible that it…I was fed up…) in the office of the Director of International Customs Affairs.

He looked at the decree that I handed him for a long 2 minutes then raised his eyes and said yes, this is still in effect. I suppressed my excitement with difficulty and asked if it was possible to obtain the new copy for my future work in Togo (I lmentioned nothing pof the panels zaiting at the airport and the ridiculous bribe i had encountered). He sucked air through his front teeth and said, sorry, there is no nezw version. I asked innocently if they would accept this one, as it is signed by the old Diurector from the previous government. He shrugged. I pushed on. Would it be possible to obtain a letter or signature from the new director with the current date ? Just do that I dont have any problems...humor me monsieur, s’il vous plait…

Bon, he said, write the letter. And I will get it signed for you. Here, he continued, and handed me a pencil and piece of paper, write this down. He proceeded to dictate the letter and told me to brin git back to him as soon as possible, with my logo at the top and a 500CFA stamp.
The stamp. A different 500CFA stamp for every document submitted to any ministry. Like the rubber stamps, without this 500CFA timbre, ce n’est pas officiel. They won’t look at it. Ils mangeant à chaque opportunité qu’ils peuvent…

We brought it back to him a few hours later, after typing and printing it at another of Claude’s friend’s tiny office , all the way across the city. Therefore our one shot at accomplishing our task.
I felt incredibly effective and satisfied, telling the Director that I would return on Monday to pick it up. Yea right, but fingers crossed anyway…

With the precious knowledge that the decree was still in effect we made one more trip to the airport. Buying a coca for the guard to let Claude in the office with me, we tried again to plead our case to the attendants. They continued to refuse, telling me thank you for bringing the decree this time but we cannot accept it, as i looked longingly at my solar panels leaned againt the wall where I left them. If they werent so heavy and i wzerent scared of what a Togolese jail cell might be like, I wouldve taken them and run like hell.

Your boss must know that this decree is still in effect, I said szeetly, he is the expert on the law of customs here at the airport no ? They snickered and reminded me that he was not there. Can you call him ? I continued to push. « I have no credit on my cellphone, sorry Madame » Here ! I thrust mine in his face . Give me his number. Shocked and livid, they shouted the number at me, go ahead yovo, try your luck.

Beeeeep . Beeeep. He picked up…I introduced myself and he recognized my identity when I said that I was the owner of the solar panels sitting in his office. What can I do for you Madame ? I read directlyfrom the decree, and told him that we had visiting the Direction of Customs today, to confirlm that it is still in effect. Of course it is, he responded, is there no one there to help you ? I said yes, there are 2 agents here, but they will not let me take them (not reminding him that not 2 days earlier that it was he on the phone who had told them to charge me 200,000CFA…)

Let me talk to one of them, he said. No problem. I sshoved my phone at one of the smirking agents, who proceeded to explain at length that that the document I had was dated 1998. Then he listened, expressionless, and finally said OK chef, no problem no problem. He offered no indication…My heart pounded.

When he hung up he stood and said calmly, See ? that was all you needed to do eh ? Bring that piece of paper ! Yes, I smiled and nodded, picking up the panels one by one and handing them to Claude. So so sorry for any trouble and thank you so much for all of your help and graciousness. Bon Fete et miadogo-loooo. They were half smiling as we carried the panels out the door. The only fee we had paid was the 100CFA for the guards soda.

I have never been so proud in my life.

On the way home, Claude played Celine Dion, Westlife and King Mensah on his cellphone and I leaned my face out the cracked bus window, reveling in our sweet victory.

29 December - Obstacles a Chaque Étape

I awoke this morning to hysterical laughter, the sound of rocks hitting concrete and low growling…uh oh…I wrapped myself in my pagne and flung open the door to find Mathilde, Celine and Maria throwing rocks at Anice, one of the house dogs, who was trapped under a bush. I hissed and scolded them, and they hovered somewhere between fear and apathy before dropping the rocks in their grimy hands. While they inherently knew this was bad, Mathilde is too young to know better and Celine just has a stubborn, mean streak.

Maryann shyly apologized to me. She is one of Maman’s students, who is working as their servant during winter break., When Maman is not here I let her lean on me, touch my fingernails and read the tags on my clothes while I read…she has a beautiful smile and a bald patch on the front of her head where she carries silver bowls of water that weigh more than her thin body.

By 10AM we were in Lomé, which is 10 times hotter and dustier than Kpalimé, because there are almost no trees, and far too many people and motos. We had arrived not only to search for my solar panels at the airport and take care of some business the US Embassy, but also to pay a visit my dear friends at the Ministry of Decentralization in search of my Recepissé, which has STILL not been signed. Without this silly piece of paper, for which I have already spent over $400 (including the small favors I have had to pass quietly in envelopes in order to move my folder from one room to the next…) and waited over a year, I cannot import the panels for my project, lest they be stolen and heavily taxed at the port.

It was a frustrating day…

Starting with the US Embassy, an arrogant fortress with high fences, landscaping and by far the most well-functioning air conditioning units in all of Togo, the day just went downhill and for the first (ok, maybe the second) time, I was officially discouraged and furious at this country’s government’s utter incompetence and corruption. As well as US immigration policy.

Of course Visas to the US are difficult to acquire, and with good reason, but the ridiculous hoops one must navigate through to simply gather information and speak to a human being at the US Embassy in Lomé were out of control.

Upon arrival at the embassy – which for a Togolese person living in Kpalimé takes almost 3 hours and costs a week’s wages – we learned that in order to call the “Visa Information Line” we must go to one of 3 locations in Lomé and buy a calling card which costs 8500CFA, more than 3 times what we paid to get to Lomé in the first place. For most Togolese, the game is already over. They cannot afford the calling card, which by the way, gives you 9 minutes with a “Visa Information Officer” who can “answer your questions and schedule an interview.”

Luckily we had friends in Lomé that took us on their motos all day to our various destinations, so after making our 9 minute phone call (which, of course was an affair all in itself, because to call a land line you must use another land line to avoid using up all of your minutes, and the first 2 phone booths we tried were not working) we zig-zagged our way to some fufu near the Ministerie de Decentralisation. I had called my contact in the morning, who told me that it was not ready, but that I could pass by before 4PM.

After an hour of negotiating, that went from polite to furious, following protocol to pleading, and finally to accepting defeat, I had visited nearly everyone except the minister himself and convinced them to help me find my file and put it in front of his face. Another step forward, after several steps back. I have however maintained very cordial relationships with the employees at this ministry, which works in my favor. My rapidly developing Ewe skills also help :) Apparently since my previous departure the Minister has not signed a single Recepissé…so what is he doing up there?!, I told them I will be leaving soon and I WILL have that authorization in my hand –as firmly as my yovo eyes and voice could muster. Since I am oh so intimidating…

Already agitated and frustrated, we went to the airport to collect my panels and go home, as we were so sweaty and dusty all we needed in the world was a shower. We arrived at 4:30PM to learn that the attendant had gone home at 3PM but her replacement was due to arrive any minute since his shift started at 4. We waited, with 3 others, until he sauntered in at 6PM…yes, really. We followed him into his air conditioned office, next to the customs office, on whose door I had already knocked to find a woman sleeping across 3 chairs with a French soap opera shrieking across the room. After a few minutes I told him jokingly (sort of) that he was late…to which he responded calmly, “Oh? You were waiting for me?” It was all I could do after this day not to reach across the counter and smack him.

But it was nothing compared to what happened next.

Finding my panels in the baggage storage closet, their packaging ripped apart but the panels themselves still intact, I started to carry them out of the terminal. I was immediately hissed at with a “Vient-là! Tu dois presenter ca a la douanes!” (Come here! You must bring that through customs!) The tone was rude and angry…I took a deep breath and turned around. I was in no mood…

After conversing with a customs officer who appeared out of nowhere and the same woman I had found asleep not an hour earlier, I was forced to bring my panels into the customs office…if I had been importing them for sale, rather than them being my personal baggage, I would have of course been happy to declare the materials. But it was just not so. I was however convinced, when a police officer, hearing the customs’ officers rising tones, asked me politely to step into the office. So I did…

I tried to be polite, I really did, but after 20 minutes of haggling (seems to be the story of this day) when I was told I would have to pay 200,000CFA (almost $500) to take the panels out of the airport I surpassed my limit. I asked to see their supervisor. I was then insulted in Ewe and asked who I thought I was to speak to them like this, with daggers in their eyes, you stupid yovo. They said that their boss was not in and that he was the only one who knew the “prices” to import baggage.

I surpassed my limit. I demanded to see the paperwork that explained, under the law, how the customs fees are determined from the value of the product. They snarled that the paperwork is only in their boss’s head. I left without my solar panels. But it's definitely not over.

I cried in the taxi on the way home until Inno squeezed his arm out from between the 4 of us smashed into the backseat and put it around me.

So I said Ok, c’est fini.

C’est promis?

Oui.

Je te demande encore de courage ok? Encore un peu de courage.

Ok.