Haneul friend: OH SEUNGYEON from Incheon to Togo | Connectography Speech 052

Just added my Connectography Speech of Togo! 

Check out the video and let’s learn about Togo together.

Connectography Speech for World Environment Day 2025 | Oh Seungyeon (Togo) | 052

 I learned that Lake Togo is a lagoon located near the Gulf of Guinea, mainly inhabited by the Ewe people, and known as one of the centers of Vodoun belief. It seems that the lake is not only geographically unique but also holds deep cultural and historical significance. I'm curious—how is Lake Togo perceived by the people of Togo?

I know that Koutammakou in Togo has been designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. I heard it is especially known for its traditional clay tower houses called 'Takienta.' If possible, could you share some photos related to that place?

Hello! Spring has arrived in Korea, but the weather has been unpredictable lately. In the morning, the temperature is around 3°C, but by the afternoon it can go up to 17°C, making the daily temperature range quite large. After a few warm days, we suddenly got a cold snap again, and the fine dust levels have been so high that it’s hard to enjoy outdoor activities. Feeling this unstable weather every day and seeing spring flowers blooming later than usual, I sometimes wonder if the climate crisis is truly upon us. I remember that around this time in the past, we used to put away our padded jackets, but now when you walk outside, you see everything from people in heavy coats to people in short sleeves—it feels like all four seasons coexist.

Seeing all these changes, I got curious about what kind of climate changes or environmental issues Togo might be experiencing. I recently heard that Korea’s Korea Forest Service started a project to create shea tree forests in Togo. I found out that Togo is the 7th largest producer of shea butter in the world, harvesting around 13,000 tons of shea nuts annually. Because of that, shea tree forests play an important role in preventing soil erosion, increasing drought resistance, and improving soil quality. At the same time, they’re also a valuable economic resource for vulnerable communities. I heard that this project aims to plant shea trees across 2,000 hectares in four regions of Togo by 2027, along with providing residents with education and technical support to help improve livelihoods and respond to climate change. That’s the size of about 2,800 soccer fields—impressive, right?

I haven’t had the chance to do much research on environmental policies led by the Togolese government yet, but if there are any specific policies or initiatives being implemented locally, could you tell me more about them?

Hey! My name’s Seungyeon Oh, and I live in Anyang, South Korea. I'm currently a 2nd-year student at INCHEON HANEUL ACADEMY. I’m super into K-pop! I just found out about a country called Togo, and it seems like not many people in Korea know about it. Through this project, I want to introduce Togo to Korean people and also give people in Togo a good impression of Korea! Plus, I’d love to learn more about other countries too. Looking forward to this!