Victor Klu is the founder of Amecaa Togo, an association promoting sustainable development and community-based tourism. Victor also manages the Hôtel Amédzépé and his sense of entrepreneurship led him to create the ecotourism farm Yaka Yalé. Since 2018, this farm has provided organic production, eco-friendly accommodation and nature discovery tours. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Our Land, Our Wealth: Contributing to Youth Employment in Rural Areas Through Ecological Market Gardening

The aim of Victor's project was to train young people from his district in organic farming to satisfy the demand for abundant and high-quality produce in the local and national market. Specifically, the project trained 20 young market gardeners from Tové Dzigbe in the techniques of ecological vegetable growing and off-season farming. The participants attended hands-on workshops where they learned about the benefits of and strategies for organic farming as well as business skills for agri-food enterprises. The trainings covered the following topics: ecological market gardening and off-season farming techniques; organic composting methods; initiation to entrepreneurship and agribusiness and formulation of business plans.

Through this project, the Yaka Yalé farm transmitted its agro-ecological farming experience to the young people of the surrounding villages. At the end of the project, participants were equipped to set up their own ecological market gardening business. This allowed them to have year-round employment in their locality, a stable and sustainable source of income and means to support the development of their community.

"Producing organic means ensuring a source of income." - Project Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience

Victor was a participant in the IVLP Project Entrepreneurship and Youth Employment, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center.

Victor's exchange experience led to the development of his IVLP Impact Award Project: "Throughout the different meetings, I learned about the sense of rigor, determination and organization of the companies. It was a great exchange of experiences for me."

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually 

Boulder, CO; Washington, DC; New York City, NY; Philadelphia, PA

Country: Togo

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