Your questions, answered.

The Founding 100 is designed for African Americans and other members of the African diaspora interested in Togo’s heritage, culture and living communities. Priority is proposed for Black Americans / African Americans; final eligibility and selection details will be confirmed by CYWEP.

No. DNA and genealogy sharing is voluntary and is not a condition of participation. Outreach may include people with Benin/Togo or related West African DNA estimates, but the program welcomes all eligible diaspora applicants.

No. Broad DNA regions do not establish nationality, ethnicity or a family line. The program does not promise a precise Togolese ethnic or family match. Optional story circles and genealogy sessions are designed for exploration, not guaranteed identification.

The proposed minimum age is 18 at the time of travel. Younger family members would require a separate supervised arrangement. This is an eligibility proposal, not a confirmed family-travel offer; contact the team before planning.

A proposed review considers personal motivation, contribution to the cohort, legacy and follow-up interests, diversity and travel readiness. Ancestry work is optional. Final criteria and any weighting will be published when applications open.

Applications will open once dates and the flagship hotel are confirmed. For now, use the direct email, telephone or WhatsApp links to contact the team. This website does not collect applications, deposits or ancestry data.

The October 2026 documents propose late January–early February 2027, with an alternative September 2027 window. These are not confirmed dates. The feasibility study also recommends a smaller pilot and a later full edition if readiness conditions are not met. Do not book flights until the team confirms the dates.

The core experience runs over six days, with departures beginning the following day. An optional 2–3 day northern extension is planned. Allow time for international travel; final arrival, departure and extension arrangements will be confirmed.

The concept and program planning use about USD 1,950 per participant for the land contribution. This is an assumption to confirm, not a published price or booking offer. The final contribution depends on funding and supplier agreements.

International airfare is separate from the land program. Confirm the final price, inclusions, room arrangements, transfers, meals and optional-extension costs with the team before committing.

Final participant terms and payment schedules are not confirmed. The planning documents discuss deposits, but they do not establish a final public cancellation policy. Ask for the written terms before paying; no payments are collected on this website.

Lomé is the planned base. The documents propose six hotel nights and a flagship hotel arrangement, but no hotel is currently confirmed. Room categories, accessibility, early check-in and any additional nights must be agreed before booking.

Additional sponsors, hotels, media outlets, institutional counterparts and personalities mentioned in the documents are prospects. They will be announced as confirmed only after written agreements. CYWEP leads the initiative, with AFROAC as program design, operations and delivery partner.

The planned core itinerary covers Lomé, Togoville and Lake Togo, Aného and Glidji, and Kpalimé and Kloto. Days 5 and 6 are based in Lomé. The optional northern extension covers Kara and Koutammakou, a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape.

Proposed briefings cover program terms, voluntary ancestry orientation, Togo’s history and culture, etiquette, health, insurance, packing, money, connectivity and filming choices. Online introductions help the cohort connect before arrival. Formats and schedules are still to be confirmed.

A dedicated welcome at Lomé’s airport (LFW), hotel transfers and welcome kits are planned. Final arrival coordination and transfer coverage will be shared after the arrangements are confirmed.

The proposed program includes road travel and moderate walking, with some activities around landscapes and waterfalls. Reasonable adjustments are planned on request, but accessibility must be checked site by site. Discuss your needs before booking.

Please discuss allergies and dietary requirements with the team in advance. Food tastings and shared meals are planned, but individual catering arrangements and final menus are not yet confirmed.

Orientation on languages and etiquette is planned. Interpreter arrangements, local SIM/data support and on-program communication details must be confirmed with the team before departure.

It is a proposed commemorative booklet for reflections and journey experiences—not a national passport, visa or other legal travel document.

The documents anticipate a valid passport, a Togo visa and a yellow fever vaccination certificate. These requirements, passport validity and blank-page rules must be verified against current official guidance for your nationality before travel.

Consult a qualified travel clinic about yellow fever, malaria prevention, routine vaccinations and your personal health needs. Current rules must be checked before booking. The team plans medical support and an emergency response framework, but details are not yet confirmed.

The program proposes individual travel medical insurance including evacuation. Treat this as a planning requirement pending final terms. Confirm coverage for your health needs, activities, cancellation and evacuation with your insurer; do not assume group arrangements replace your own cover.

The program checklist covers passport and visa, health documentation, insurance, travel arrangements, emergency contacts, comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, modest clothing for cultural visits, a refillable water bottle, medication and connectivity. Confirm the final checklist with the team.

A documentary, portrait interviews, daily short-form content and a photo archive are planned. Participants can choose full, limited or no filming and opt out of photos or filming. Releases and consent choices will be explained before travel and reconfirmed on arrival.

The proposed program makes DNA and genealogy sharing voluntary, limits access to named staff and requires explicit consent for public use. An agreed retention period still needs confirmation. Do not send sensitive ancestry records through this website; it does not collect them.

Only with the permission of the relevant cultural custodians and site authorities. Follow local guidance on dress, behavior and photography. Participation does not grant blanket permission to enter sacred spaces, attend ceremonies or film.

Plans prioritize Togolese suppliers, agreed payments for hosts and performers, direct purchases from artisans and a community legacy project. Spending figures in the documents are estimates, not results. Actual benefits are intended to be reported after the edition.

Activities must be supervised through a responsible local partner. No unsupervised contact, exchange of personal details or cash, or child photography without required parental and partner consent. Donations are directed through the legacy project.

A planned collection of participant stories about why they came and what they found. Participation and publication are consent-based. The archive is not yet a completed collection.

The program proposes alumni connections, an annual reunion, education and youth exchanges, future heritage journeys and business-roundtable follow-up. A specific community legacy project will be agreed with local partners; future editions and projects remain subject to confirmation.

Contact Hemnia Djimagni or AFROAC about hospitality, mobility, connectivity, banking, heritage, media, community or institutional collaboration. Opportunities and funding requests are proposals; partnerships require written agreement.

The Documents page contains the concept note, full program, feasibility study and government and institutional brochure in English and French. They are October 2026 drafts with planning assumptions. The internal strategy PDFs remain private.