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In Kétao, in northeastern Togo, efforts are underway to improve public health and the environment through an expanded and sustainable waste management system. Following a successful pilot phase, in which around 250 households participated in a community-driven waste project, the next phase aims to: enable waste-to-value production and promote a circular economy, strengthen the capacity of the local NGO ADSA, engage the Binah 2 municipality and provide waste management education in schools. The goal is to establish an economically and socially sustainable system that is both driven by and embedded in the local community, while also increasing public and political support for waste management.
The project has just received funding for a new phase focused on strengthening local ownership.
In the autumn of 2025, a group of volunteers travelled to Kétao as part of the project.
Sidsel Grabow Olesen documented the mission on Engineers Without Borders Denmark’s Instagram account.
Karen Bahn Kristensen has written about her experiences as a volunteer on the project.
The article was published in Ingeniøren on 14 April 2026.
