Doing good makes people happy! (3) A smile that creates a bright future

“It’s time to do good!” Our 2025 motto inspired brothers and sisters around the world. True goodness is a continuous practice, not an isolated action. An association in Togo is setting an example.

Une geste, un sourire (meaning, “A gesture, a smile” UGUS) is not only the name of a charitable association in Togo, but also its mission. A group of young New Apostolic musicians established the initiative in 2017, following a concert to raise funds to help victims of a flood that had ravaged parts of the country. In the meantime, thanks to many volunteers, this initiative has developed into a charity that was able to implement several projects over the past year.

Under the annual motto “It’s time to do good”, the church district of Ostwestfalen-Lippe in Germany and the supervisors from Togo succeeded in collecting donations to support the ongoing projects of the association in West Africa.

Back to school

In northern and southern Togo, 700 pupils received a starter pack with essential supplies for the start of school. Thanks to donations, the public school CPL le Guide in Vogan received 20 tables and benches, which were built by a local carpenter.

The school itself was founded twelve years ago by Apostle Ablam Degbe. It now offers classes from kindergarten to secondary school. This year, school fees could even be paid for some of the children, including six orphans.

Creativity in all its facets

Children and young people from nine congregations demonstrated their musical skills at a concert in Gakpoto, Lomé in October. For more than five years, Une geste, un sourire has been equipping congregations with musical instruments and giving children music lessons to secure the musical leaders of tomorrow. After the concert, music stands, recorders, melodicas, a trombone, and a harpsichord were given away to some of the congregations. Seamstresses from the congregations had designed special concert outfits.

The tailoring trade in Dapaong in northern Togo received a donation in kind in the form of sewing machines. Local tailors now want to offer sewing courses to young people who do not have the means to pay for their own courses and teach them the craft.

Heading into a musical summer

The summer holidays were eagerly awaited by twenty young people. They had the opportunity to take part in a music course at the New Apostolic Church in Dapaong in the northern part of the country throughout August. The programme included music theory, solfège, learning hymns, and learning to play the piano, melodica, and recorder. Sambiani Biankouri explained, “I learned to read music, train my voice, move on stage, and live together with my fellow students.”

The young people are to share their knowledge with the members in their congregations and develop a music programme there. Each participant received a certificate after the course as a symbol of their commitment and their future role as instructors.

Photos: Petra Kunzmann