Togo was not spared by the global food crisis. A survey done by our office revealed its impact has been aggravated with the war in Ukraine. As a matter of fact, 80% of the households of the participants were harshly affected. The most affected areas were in Vo (South Togo) and Savannah (North region) where agriculture, which is the main source of income became very difficult due to land impoverishment. The food in the markets became expensive due to the increase of the price of fuel and transportation. Consequently, caregivers were barely able to provide two meals per day for their children. The disaster relief fund has helped in supporting the church partners to provide 11,212 households in Vo and Savannah with food kits. Also, we used disaster recovery funds to provide help for about 1,000 caregiver, through improved seeds and fertilisers and education on sustainable production and storage techniques for their agriculture businesses.

Compassion Togo focuses on identifying the common needs of our participants in their limited and extended area. We reflect a lot as the number of adolescents and youth is constantly growing (30,930 participants) with the challenge of insufficient resources to meet their increasing needs. To achieve our outcomes for the program participants and the church partners, we plan to address the most threatening needs identified by the partners, worsened by crisis the world is facing.

Therefore, and aligning with the organization's orientation on environmental stewardship and creation care, we have targeted the following intervention areas this year: food security and households economic self-promotion, water, sanitation and hygiene, solar energy, child protection, health promotion and youth empowerment for lifelong development.

Special attention is given to the development of the youths (12 and older) who represent 40% of our participants, through initiatives such as Nehemiah Agro Business Academy, Nehemiah lab incubator, among others, to better equip youth and empower them for their self-sufficiency. Moreover, we focus on domestic food production to reduce severe food shortage and facilitate access to inputs and techniques for small producers towards sustainable food production.

Throughout the last fifteen years, the Lord has been faithful to us, changing the life-story of thousands of children, youths, and households in Togo. Indeed, feedback collected from church partners all over the country testify about the great work God is doing through Compassion in people's lives. Young lives are transformed, through discipleship programs in our church partners and more young people are dedicating their lives to God.

The implementation of Compassion in the churches have even ripple effects on the community through the spreading of the gospel, the mindsets changing, community development and establishment of strategic alliances between our projects and some associations, all this for the glory of God. Last September, we celebrated the first cohort of 69 youths that graduated from the program. We are preparing to celebrate other 306 in February. How can we better experience the work of God, if we are able to release young people that are and still going to be a living testimony of God wherever they go?

The Lord through Compassion's sponsorship has been blessing his church. Words will never be enough to relate Compassion's impact in Togo. The accomplishments we have been able to make are just outstanding. Today we are serving 75,421 participants.

This means we contribute to these children and youth wellbeing, cognitive development, economical empowerment and most importantly growth in Christ. Complementary interventions are contributing to community's sanitization with the construction of latrines, access to clean water, hygiene practices, literacy programs for adults launched in many church partners.

The receipt of major projects gifts from sponsors are serving the churches and communities through the introduction of income generating activities to support caregivers, invest in sustainable agriculture system, classrooms building. The church partners have been positioned as change makers in their respective communities carrying joy and hope along to children and families through Compassion Ministry and showing them the Christ.