E Choppe Inc

For more than 20 years ECHOPPE has successfully assisted women in Togo, Africa, by providing them with micro-loans in order to help them start up a reliable source of income and gain financial independence. These women provide for their families through a variety on ventures including the production of goods with found resources along with small restaurant ventures.

Of the 20,000 women ECHOPPE has helped, over 50% of them have taken part in food-related industries. However, rather than buying their produce from the local farmers, they generally opt to go to the ports and purchase crops from other countries such as Thailand since they are cheaper and more accessible. As a result, village centers of the towns are being abandoned since the farmers are no longer there trying to sell their crops due to the success of international competition. What used to be the place people would gladly go to get food has now turned into the place where no one wants to go. If people are sent to the villages on an errand, they must bring food with them when they do.

One of the main factors contributing to heightened prices from the local farmers is the middle-man fee introduced when the farmers have to hire a truck and chauffeur to transport their crops into the village. The chauffeur may be inclined to add additional passengers/goods to his load in order to make more money for himself, which can effect the success of transporting all of the original farmer's product. After assessing the dilemma, ECHOPPE has determined that providing a regulated truck service to transport products from field to market would be the most effective way of insuring profit for the farmers. They could lower their prices and therefore be more appealing to local businesses. All of the women who are now a part of ECHOPPE would act as the perfect client base for these farmers, boosting Togo's economy and bringing life back to the villages as opposed to just the rural outskirts.

In order for this to happen, ECHOPPE is hoping to raise $20,000 - $40,000 to purchase a truck or two for use by the farmers in transporting their goods to market. By contributing an amount of over $100, your name will appear with other donors along the side of the truck! Please join us in our efforts to bring life back to the center of villages and rejuvenate the economy across Togo.