Environment

Togo: the Youth Voluntary for Environment General Assembly 2014

16 delegates from Africa where Youth Voluntary for Environment (YVE) operates, gathered at Dapaong (Togo) last week to exchange knowledge and experience, and provide reports of activities in their respective countries 2013 ( 24 February to 2 March 2014).-By Yves Didier Irakoze

Legend: Partial view of participants in the General Assembly.©Iwacu

Legend: Partial view of participants in the General Assembly.©Iwacu

“This conference is an opportunity of exchanging and sharing experience. It’s an occasion to make a faithful restitution to YVE members who stayed in your respective countries,” declared Tchagodomou Tchamala, the Chairman of YVE Board Council. He adds that it’s also a big opportunity to address a report of what has been achieved within the project framework of CLENA (Clean Energy for Africa) YVE has been engaged to make an energetic advocacy towards the most vulnerable population for an eco-responsible production and consumption for all. This will serve as a platform and experience exchange on encountered problems. During this General Assembly, debates and discussions were on the agenda. As a matter of fact, Keba K. Barrow, Program Officer of The Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (TANGO) has exhorted all participants to adopt principles of responsibility so that our African continent should be developed. At the end of the day, came a time of workshop over the evaluation of CLENA project. Four commissions representing each country have been created to address some thematic topics. It was about discussing their annual activities in relation to CLENA. The four commissions have talked about communication, advocacy, marketing and membership mobilization. In fact, three fundamental axes have guided work activities like pushing national governments and decision-makers to intensify efforts for effective use of biomass and access of energy by poor people; reinforcing YVE organization members in order to provide them tools to promote climate policies and fight against energetic poverty and influencing regional and international institutions towards efficient sharing and information in energetic domain between organization members of YVE. It is worth reminding that the Session gathers YVE members from Togo, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mali, Ghana, Cameroun, Gambia, Benin, Senegal, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ivory Coast, Niger and Nigeria.

Adopt good governance principles by associations

During the conference, Keba K. in his presentation has said that in every institution, the Board of Directors has the role to agree with the members and help them understand the objectives and missions of their organization. “To reach the purpose, you must elect the Board that master the content of the statutes and ensure that all documents define the objectives considered by the mission have been respected,” highlights Keba. He has also urged the Board to respond to the populations’ needs and comply with the Constitution laws and not be in conflict with these.
“The Board Council must ensure that program’ documents are developed in times, know and take into account the governmental guidelines and respect them during their program. They must report to those who elected them and be able to justify significant progress,” concludes Keba.