Portrait of a young man from Ewe ethnic group in rural Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of a young man from Ewe ethnic group in rural Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of a young man from Ewe ethnic group in rural Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Poor household in rural Togo

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo’s rural areas, access to clean water is a huge challenge. Women and children in particular suffer a lot when fetching water many kilometres away from home. People die of hygiene-related illnesses, including cholera, typhoid and other water-born diseases.

Portrait of an indigenous semi-naked old woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of an indigenous semi-naked old woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of an indigenous semi-naked old woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of an indigenous semi-naked old woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Boy from Ewe ethnic group in a small village of mud houses in Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Woman with her children in rural Togo

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo’s rural areas, access to clean water is a huge challenge. Women and children in particular suffer a lot when fetching water many kilometres away from home. People die of hygiene-related illnesses, including cholera, typhoid and other water-born diseases.

Woman with her children in rural Togo

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo’s rural areas, access to clean water is a huge challenge. Women and children in particular suffer a lot when fetching water many kilometres away from home. People die of hygiene-related illnesses, including cholera, typhoid and other water-born diseases.

Woman with her children in rural Togo

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo’s rural areas, access to clean water is a huge challenge. Women and children in particular suffer a lot when fetching water many kilometres away from home. People die of hygiene-related illnesses, including cholera, typhoid and other water-born diseases.

Boy from Ewe ethnic group in a small village of mud houses in Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Boy from Ewe ethnic group in a small village of mud houses in Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of an indigenous semi-naked old woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of an indigenous semi-naked old woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Woman with her children in rural Togo

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo’s rural areas, access to clean water is a huge challenge. Women and children in particular suffer a lot when fetching water many kilometres away from home. People die of hygiene-related illnesses, including cholera, typhoid and other water-born diseases.

Portrait of an indigenous semi-naked old woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Children from Ewe ethnic group playing in front of a mud house in Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Children from Ewe ethnic group playing in front of a mud house in Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of an indigenous woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of an indigenous woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of an indigenous woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Boy from Ewe ethnic group in a small village of mud houses in Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

A mud house in Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

A mud house in Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Portrait of an indigenous semi-naked old woman from Ewe ethnic group in a small village, Togo, West Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Togo is one of the least developed countries. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Education in Togo is compulsory for six years.

Boy in front of a pot on fire for extracting palm oil from palm seeds in primitive non-mechanized way, rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) originated in West Africa and grows extensively in this region, but largely as low-yield multi-crop stands in and around villages, where it has been traditionally grown as a subsistence crop in small-scale farming systems for thousands of years. Local people harvest palm fruit from small farms and wild groves, and process it for local consumption as they have for generations. The crop remains a vital part of local culture, livelihoods and cuisine, and its artisanal production is controlled primarily by rural women.

Two women extracting palm oil from palm seeds in primitive non-mechanized way, rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) originated in West Africa and grows extensively in this region, but largely as low-yield multi-crop stands in and around villages, where it has been traditionally grown as a subsistence crop in small-scale farming systems for thousands of years. Local people harvest palm fruit from small farms and wild groves, and process it for local consumption as they have for generations. The crop remains a vital part of local culture, livelihoods and cuisine, and its artisanal production is controlled primarily by rural women.

Two women extracting palm oil from palm seeds in primitive non-mechanized way, rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo; November 8, 2019; The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) originated in West Africa and grows extensively in this region, but largely as low-yield multi-crop stands in and around villages, where it has been traditionally grown as a subsistence crop in small-scale farming systems for thousands of years. Local people harvest palm fruit from small farms and wild groves, and process it for local consumption as they have for generations. The crop remains a vital part of local culture, livelihoods and cuisine, and its artisanal production is controlled primarily by rural women.

Typical village market in rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo, west Africa; November 8, 2019; A typical characteristic of African markets is that they represent exclusively feminine spaces. The market is not only a place to buy and sell, where commercial transactions are carried out. In the rural areas of Africa it is a place characterised by deep social relations and becomes a meeting point for the scattered members of one’s family, native village, and other areas.

Young woman selling stuff at a village market in rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo, west Africa; November 8, 2019; A typical characteristic of African markets is that they represent exclusively feminine spaces. The market is not only a place to buy and sell, where commercial transactions are carried out. In the rural areas of Africa it is a place characterised by deep social relations and becomes a meeting point for the scattered members of one’s family, native village, and other areas.

Woman filling up a bottle with petrol at a village market in rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo, west Africa; November 8, 2019; A typical characteristic of African markets is that they represent exclusively feminine spaces. The market is not only a place to buy and sell, where commercial transactions are carried out. In the rural areas of Africa it is a place characterised by deep social relations and becomes a meeting point for the scattered members of one’s family, native village, and other areas.

Young woman selling stuff at a village market in rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo, west Africa; November 8, 2019; A typical characteristic of African markets is that they represent exclusively feminine spaces. The market is not only a place to buy and sell, where commercial transactions are carried out. In the rural areas of Africa it is a place characterised by deep social relations and becomes a meeting point for the scattered members of one’s family, native village, and other areas.

Kids playing at a village market while their mothers sell pepper in rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo, west Africa; November 8, 2019; A typical characteristic of African markets is that they represent exclusively feminine spaces. The market is not only a place to buy and sell, where commercial transactions are carried out. In the rural areas of Africa it is a place characterised by deep social relations and becomes a meeting point for the scattered members of one’s family, native village, and other areas.

Sun-drying animal skin and fur at a village market in rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo, west Africa; November 8, 2019; A typical characteristic of African markets is that they represent exclusively feminine spaces. The market is not only a place to buy and sell, where commercial transactions are carried out. In the rural areas of Africa it is a place characterised by deep social relations and becomes a meeting point for the scattered members of one’s family, native village, and other areas.

Young woman selling vegetables at a village market in rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo, west Africa; November 8, 2019; A typical characteristic of African markets is that they represent exclusively feminine spaces. The market is not only a place to buy and sell, where commercial transactions are carried out. In the rural areas of Africa it is a place characterised by deep social relations and becomes a meeting point for the scattered members of one’s family, native village, and other areas.

Voodoo fetish items for sale at local voodoo market in a small village in Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo, west Africa; November 8, 2019; The market features monkey heads, skulls, dead birds, crocodiles, skins and other products of dead animals. Most items on tables are there for the shows. Most shops offers herbs and homemade "medicines." Voodoo has a long tradition in Togo. A fetish can be God, but also human, plant, animal or material. This depends on the ritual and the situation.

Woman selling stuff at a village market in rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo, west Africa; November 8, 2019; A typical characteristic of African markets is that they represent exclusively feminine spaces. The market is not only a place to buy and sell, where commercial transactions are carried out. In the rural areas of Africa it is a place characterised by deep social relations and becomes a meeting point for the scattered members of one’s family, native village, and other areas.

Woman selling stuff at a village market in rural Togo, west Africa

Rural Togo, west Africa; November 8, 2019; A typical characteristic of African markets is that they represent exclusively feminine spaces. The market is not only a place to buy and sell, where commercial transactions are carried out. In the rural areas of Africa it is a place characterised by deep social relations and becomes a meeting point for the scattered members of one’s family, native village, and other areas.