Fondacio in Africa
Fondacio In Africa
Fondacio is present in Africa with many community groups supporting many projects. Communities have gradually taken hold and continue to grow in nine African countries.
Origin of the mission
Fondacio was born in 1974 in France, under the name of Community of Poitiers . In the breath of the Second Vatican Council and by being part of the “new communities” resulting from the Charismatic Renewal, its raison d’être is the formation and evangelization of the young generations.
In May 1981, the bishop of Natitingou (Benin), Msgr. Redois, called for the presence of the community in his diocese, then came, in the following years, calls from the bishops of Togo and Burkina Faso.
Each time, it is a group of lay missionaries who are sent from France to these countries. On the spot, weekends of evangelization are organized.
They give rise to the start of community experiences linked to local priorities.
Pedagogical know-how is very quickly recognized by the dioceses. It will allow Natitingou to help launch the diocesan training center.
In the following years, young Africans came to France to study at the Fondacio Training Institute (IFF Europe).
Back in their country, they develop social and humanitarian projects, in the spirituality and DNA of Fondacio, in areas such as education, integration of street children, training of young adults, health and social entrepreneurship.
The SICHEM farm-school (near Lomé in Togo) is one of the most striking examples. On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, celebrated in July 2019, Antoine Dzamah (initiator of the project and former vice-president of Fondacio) spoke in these terms about the presence of Fondacio in Africa:
Fondacio in Africa
"Our vision of a standing Africa, of standing man and our faith in man are the foundations of our action. For us, it is a question of betting above all on men and women, trusting everyone, believe that it is possible to succeed in what you undertake despite the difficulties and obstacles, to be able to change mentalities, paradigms. Together and never alone. Seize the opportunities that present themselves on the way."
Antoine Dzamah former vice-president of Fondacio
Fondacio training institute
IFF Africa wants to be a "talent revealer" at the service of a more humane world.
In 2015, the African Development and Solidarity Program, known as the “Africa Program”, was created, with the ambition of offering guarantees of professionalism, transparency and good project management which it integrates and strengthens.
The program also has a support role for projects, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation of actions.
It is managed by a small support unit called the “Africa Program Team”, composed of a project manager, a financial management adviser and a communications adviser.
Today, Fondacio is present in 3 main countries in Africa, with many community groups supporting many projects:
- Benin ,
- Burkina Faso ,
- Togo .
Communities have also gradually established themselves and continue to develop in other African countries:
- Cameroon ,
- Ivory Coast ,
- Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ,
- Guinea Conakry ,
- Congo-Brazzaville ,
- Nigeria .
For more information on activities in these countries, please refer to the corresponding pages.
In addition, the Fondacio Training Institute (IFF Africa) offers training in the areas of leadership and project development in agricultural entrepreneurship, in partnership with the SICHEM farm school and the BRACRU-Togo Rural Action Brigade.
It aims to train initiators of change capable of engaging with the challenges of the Church and society in Africa. Today, it welcomes about twenty students from different African countries.
