Qui sommes nous ? - Association Kente

Kente Association

L’Association Kente est une association franco-togolaise de solidarité internationale, créée en 2019. L’objectif principal de cette association était la création d’une maison des solidarités à Kpalimé, qui est sortie de terre en 2023.

Pourquoi KENTE?

KENTE est tout d’abord un jeu de mots. En Ewé, la langue parlée au sud du Togo, « Ken » représente la « racine ». La racine est la partie principale et indispensable de l’arbre. « Te » signifie « sous » ce qui ramène au sol, la terre des nutriments nécessaires pour sa survie.
De plus, « KENTE » est un pagne traditionnel commun à la culture de l’Afrique de l’ouest .
Au sein de l’association « KENTE », la diversité culturelle est la valeur principale. Un grand philosophe disait, « mon frère si tu es différent de moi, loin de me nuire, tu m’enrichis » (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry).
« KENTE» prône l’union pour un développement durable avec pour valeur fondamentale le vivre-ensemble.

Our Mission

Born out of a desire to build lasting bridges between France and Togo, the Kente Association works to promote development based on solidarity and humanity, while respecting local realities.

Our belief is simple: sustainable change is built with communities, not in their place. That is why every action we take is planned in consultation with local communities, our Togolese partners, and on-the-ground stakeholders, in order to address real needs and strengthen everyone’s self-reliance.

Our Vision

Kente aspires to a world where solidarity is not limited to one-time aid, but is part of a sustainable process of shared development among peoples.

We believe in a Togo where every child has access to education, where every family can receive medical care with dignity, where women have the means to achieve independence, and where local communities are active participants—not mere spectators—in their own development.

We also envision a two-way solidarity: one in which France and Togo enrich each other through exchanges, volunteer work, solidarity-based tourism, and the sharing of expertise—far from a mindset of charity, and instead grounded in genuine cooperation and dignity.

Our Areas of Expertise

The Kente Association is active in several complementary areas, designed to comprehensively address the needs of Togolese communities. From education to health, women’s empowerment, sports, the environment, and solidarity-based tourism, each of our initiatives is part of a single overarching vision: that of sustainable, people-centered development driven by the local communities themselves.

These areas are not isolated from one another; they feed into one another. For example, a sports program organized in France can fund an educational mission in Togo, just as helping women become self-reliant directly contributes to improving the living conditions of families and children. It is this cross-cutting, grassroots approach that is the strength of Kente’s commitment.