by Anna Roy
Editorial Director
It isn’t every day that a University of La Verne student travels to Africa, but for sophomore Elissa Salas, a journey to Togo and Benin was quite a reality.
Salas, a 19-year-old international studies student, was the University’s representative of a trip being funded by a grant given to six to the Brethren-affiliated colleges as well as the seminary and Brethren Colleges Abroad.
Over the course of five years, the Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company will donate $2 million to the schools.
The purpose of the trip was to give eight students the opportunity to learn more about the non-profit program, which incorporates economic and social development by providing small loans to citizens of both countries, as well challenging the students to help the program in some way.
“An alumni from Manchester College started a program in Togo and Benin called ECHOPPE,” Salas said. “She made a presentation at Manchester and then the president of Manchester decided, along with the other presidents of the colleges, to use a portion of the money to go to the first trip and see how ECHOPPE has affected each country.”
ECHOPPE, a French acronym, stands for Exchange for the Organization and Promotion of Petit Entrepreneurs. It was started in 1990 by Bev Ott and her husband Olivier.
Originally, senior philosophy student Chris Arbizu was chosen to go on the trip but could not make it, so Salas took his spot.
“We chose Elissa because she is a peace studies minor; and this program comes out of a grant that encourages schools to implement peace programs on their campuses. We didn’t have to select a peace studies minor, but felt it was one way to promote our efforts on this campus in order to draw more attention to our peace studies program, ” said Debbie Roberts, head of the peace studies department.
The students first traveled to Paris, where they visited fair trade stores which sell the merchandise that is made in Togo and Benin.
Salas and her peers also noticed some cultural differences in the countries. Marriage, Salas says, is very different.
“In Beninese culture, marriage usually takes place after and is a celebration of the life you’ve had together so it’s usually around when you’re thirty or older.”
That is why ECHOPPE gives most of its loans to single women. The organization also provides loans to male artisans who work with metals, cloth, wood or other materials.
“ECHOPPE pays good money, decent money for their labor and they try to establish a price setting within organizations and infrastructures. They also make sure that they have enough to eat,” Salas said.
In Togo and Benin there are ECHOPPE offices which are run by the citizens of the countries.
“Bev and Olivier started ECHOPPE in 1990, but they are really adamant about passing it on to the people of these countries. So that its no longer this outside Westernized type of ‘let us help you’ but ‘help yourself’,” said Salas.
“The social aspect is definitely part of it, but so is economics, its using business more responsibly. It uses the idea of business ethics because they do have to pay back the loans with interest.” Salas said.
But it’s a non-profit organization, so the money grows every year, every time, and the success rate of the loan program is 95 percent, which is incredible.”
While in Benin, the group stayed at a hotel built by a man who had benefited from ECHOPPE loans.
The hotel was constructed on the beach but was plain in appearance, made from mainly concrete, Salas said.
Prior to traveling to Africa, Salas thought that it would be a lot like traveling to Mexico, but she was surprised.
“Mexico is a lot more developed. In Benin it is rare to see a permanent structure,” she said.
Both countries received independence from France in 1960. For this and other reasons, basic infrastructure like running water and plumbing is minimal.
“I was frustrated for the first few days, because I remember getting off the plane, irritated that my bags were so big and irritated that I was going to get to sleep on a bed that somebody else wasn’t,” Salas said.
“But after a couple of days of talking with the women I was completely humbled by their hope and their spirit and their sense of self.” she said.
They never complained much about what they didn’t have. They wished to have better lives and an education for their children but it was never, ‘I want a bigger house or a car, or concrete on my floor.’ They were extremely generous.”
Salas said she remembers sitting outside one woman’s hut and teaching her how to do macramé.
“It was amazing to her. She just thought that it was incredible and afterwards she offered me peanut brittle and bananas. I wonder how much she sacrificed to offer me that.” Salas said.
After traveling to Africa, the students returned to Paris.
“Now the challenge is not only raising money but actually organizing a committee of a club because next year there will be another trip, probably to a Latin American country doing something similar,” Salas said.
After many debates and some stressful situations, the diverse group of students came up with some collective goals.
They decided to establish a network of people who are involved in social development issues.
They hope to find interested faculty and students who are willing to join this type of program.
They want to begin grant writing as well and sell Fair Trade items at the university bookstore.
“The biggest aspect, at least for me, is really raising awareness, is challenging people to ask the question, ‘Why does poverty exist and how are we as Americans contributing to poverty?'” Salas said.
“That we don’t just give a donation because we feel guilty or give money because we pity these small African children but also understand that though they live in poverty, in a poverty of wealth and healthcare and whatnot they are really rich in spirit.” Salas said.
“And I think that’s probably the most important thing that I learned from the trip, not to pity people because their standards of living aren’t as great as ours, but to also recognize that there’s something we can do about that.”
ECHOPPE’s main function is to give out small loans to people to fund their own small businesses, for instance juice or porridge selling.
Some of the conditions of the loan include: getting an identification card, attending a series of health related classes, making sure that their children stay in school, saving some of the money and paying back the loans.
Social workers check in with the women on a regular basis.
The hope is that by the time the women receive their fourth loan, they will join a mutual where they borrow money from each other and work together as a community.
The idea behind fair trade is that the commercial value of products not be determined only by the global market, but instead by a set price which ensures the sustainable livelihood of workers and the environment.
For more information on starting an organization on campus contact Salas at salase@ulv.edu or for more information on free trade visit www.globalexchange.org.
Anna Roy
