Andrew Tietz’s time in the Peace Corps made a difference in a Togolese village. 

The 2018 Waunakee graduate described his two years in Togo, a small country between Ghana and Benin, at the Aug. 1 Waunakee Rotary meeting. 

Andrew began his talk by expressing his appreciation for the club’s $1,000 scholarship which he received in 2018. It helped defray the cost of his education so he could volunteer for the two years in the Peace Corps teaching agriculture at a middle school and helping out where needed. 

He talked a little about the country, saying it gained independence in 1960, and since then has had only 4 presidents. 

“It’s by no means a Democracy,” he said. 

Andrew spent a good deal of his time doing chores, washing his own laundry and dishes by hand, cooking his own meals, dusting, sweeping, and even removing lizard droppings from his food. 

When he wasn’t doing that, he taught at the local school, speaking in French. He said the classes were large, up to 93 students, but they were well-behaved, so there were few discipline problems. 

He taught soil sciences, animal husbandry and crop rotation, and helped create a school garden where they planted papaya trees so the students could witness how just by planting a papaya seed, they could have fresh fruit growing in their yard. 

With help from the Togolese government and the Peace Corps, Andrew also led a reforestation campaign and worked with farmers to plant legumes as they add nitrogen to the soil. 

He also introduced the orange sweet potato to the area. These are higher in beta carotene than yellow ones, and so are more nutritious for eye health. 

Andrew was involved with a grant project to replace a roof at a local clinic and add sinks. A damaged ceiling was also replaced, he said. New mattresses were also purchased, and the whole project came in within the $5,000 budget. 

Andrew shared his final reflections on his experience, saying he’s come to realize that “Democracy is really, really important.” 

The Togolese people have no trust in their government and they see no justice. 

“It showed me the integrity people had when they knew they could get away with things but didn’t,” Andrew said. 

He also now appreciates the diversity in food we have here. And, in Togo, he appreciated the social obligation to greet everyone. In Togo, people hang out outdoors, and when you see them, you’re expected to say hello. 

“It left me with a new perspective on development,” Andrew said, adding while Togo will never be like the U.S. with a washing machine and dishwasher in most homes, progress is occurring. For instance, over the past 15 years, electricity has been introduced in homes and villages now have service. 

‘When you’re there and see things that are wrong and not working, it can be easy to get frustrated. But when you look at the broader strokes, you can see things are getting better,” Andrew said. 

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Other News: 

-Sept. 18 will be the Rotary Golf Outing. Guests: Tim Decorah, guest of the club; Andrew Tietz, speaker, guest of the club; Bob and Sue Tietz, guests of the club. 

Visiting Rotarians: Terry Anderson, Downtown. 

Birthdays: Aug. 11, Corey Randl; Aug. 12, Scott Cochems; Aug. 13, Chris Zellner. 

Anniversaries: Aug. 8, Tony and Lorie Burns; Aug. 10, Bob and Nancy Arntz; Aug. 10, Erick and Hillary Plumb; Aug. 13, Danny and Yvonne Paul.

Greeters: Aug. 8, Sally Gile and Ken Ballweg; Aug. 15, Ken Pesik and Jeff Smith; Aug. 22, Tony Burns and Jon Townley.

To sign up to greet or to find out if you are greeting, visit: