Dissirama Katagnon, a visually impaired person, named Best Volunteer of the Year !

We know the best Volunteer of the year 2023 in Togo. This is the lawyer and visually handicapped, Dissirama Katagnon. The man, who was mobilized as a volunteer and made available to the NGO “Construire Ensemble”, was dedicated today during the ceremony celebrating International Volunteer Day in Lomé. From the list of candidates who applied for the Best Volunteer of the Year competition, he topped his category, thanks to his talent and his contribution to improving the living conditions of his community.

During the ceremony chaired today by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Komla Dodzi Kokoroko, who represented his colleague from Grassroots Development, Mr. Katagnon came first, accompanied by five other finalists, in this category of Best Volunteer of the year. He won an envelope of 1,000,000 CFA francs.

Another category was that of Best Female Volunteer. In this other category, Kanlanfaï Tebin Gnigbante was the lucky winner. And finally, the category of Best Volunteer on European Union projects was awarded to Assotina Lombo.

For these lucky winners, this honorary and symbolic distinction demonstrates that “our work is valued”. This is what Lady Gnigbante suggested.

Minister Kokoroko, through a demonstration on the theme of this year of celebration, namely “And if everyone did it”, made it clear that this is a theme which is in line with the values defended by the Togolese Head of State and his government, which can be summed up in these terms : “Solidarity, Fraternity and Development”. For the government member, all volunteers must remember that “serving others is a privilege and not a weakness”. Based on the various tasks accomplished by the volunteers in their field mission, he said he was reassured that they are “capable of transforming old lead into gold”. For this, he sent them his warm congratulations and thanks “for the services rendered to our communities”.

Considering the merits of such a celebration of the know-how of volunteers, the Director General of ANVT (National Agency for Volunteering in Togo), Dr Omar Agbangba, recalled that it is a question for them through such a ceremony to celebrate “the extraordinary talent and commitment of volunteers”. He is sure of one thing, it is that “volunteering will continue to contribute to improving the living conditions of populations in Togo and around the world”.

At this ceremony, we noted the presence of the Coordinator of the United Nations system in Togo, who came to deliver the message from the Secretary General of the UN on the occasion of this celebration, and also of a diplomat from the EU, partner confidence of the ANVT in the deployment of its activities.

Note that before today’s ceremony, a caravan of volunteers crisscrossed the 5 economic regions of the country to raise awareness “on the crucial role of volunteers”. Since its establishment in Togo in 2011, it should be noted that volunteering has made it possible to mobilize nearly 65,000 young people in all forms of volunteering developed and coordinated by the ANVT (National Volunteer Agency in Togo). They worked in various fields, namely Health, Environment, Education, Sanitation, Administration, Justice and Gender Equity…

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