Concept
Fondazione Milano per Expo believes that new and original ways of communicating can help attain the Millennium Development Objectives. The foundation created the Graphic Novel to talk about scenes, cultures and concepts in a direct, sophisticated and involving narrative.
The content is offered by Fondazione Milano per Expo and Matteo Fraschini Koffi, an Italian journalist born in Togo who went back there, and was later elaborated by Art Kitchen. The characters and story are illustrated by Pasquale Todisco aka Squaz.
Characters
Leading actor:
Emmanuel the journalist
Identikit:
- He travels, looking forward but not forgetting to look back.
- He laughs, he has a cigar that he doesn’t smoke in company.
- He often falls in love but will find his one true love.
- He believes in a people that stretches from Cairo to Cape Town.
Supporting actor:
Aisha the volunteer
Identikit:
- She is gentle and doesn’t weep, she laughs but is moved.
- Her eyes make her seem the sun with a special moon.
- She never stops and if there is a high point she’ll find a higher one.
- She carries a pebble from every place she’s been to.
Co-leading actor:
Sitael the business angel
Identikit:
- He likes making music and listening to it.
- His features are rugged, he’s seen life.
- He doesn’t judge, he is for reflecting and not doubting.
- He plays down the concept of blame and plays up that of responsibility.
- He gives stock market tips.
- He believes in philanthropy and ethics.
History
Fondazione Milano per Expo 2015 is looking for a journalist to act as correspondent and report on the territory where it is operating, in the southern hemisphere. The first stop will be Togo. Emmanuel replies to the ad and soon receives a letter...
Emmanuel is on the back seat of a taxi that is taking him from the airport in Lomè, the capital of Togo, to Dapaong in the savannah region, where the Jeunes Filles pour l'Agro project is taking place. He is not at ease, it’s the first time he’s been back to his country of origin. What’s more, he’s never been in such a hot place at Christmas...
Emmanuel was amazed in seeing the commitment with which the girls of the project Jeunes Filles pour l'Agro receive the tomatoes harvested by the men, transport them, peel them and then prepare them for packaging. Their efforts were rewarded by the first can of Tomatogo. The emotion was so great; the girls were clapping and Emmanuel took a picture of a fragile dream come true. And the nostalgia began to be felt...
It is daybreak, and the first rays of sun enter Emmanuel’s room. The angel hovering over his bed immediately wakes Emmanuel imploring him to start work on an article, with the feeling that something good is about to happen. Every morning after he gets ready, Emmanuel watches the women as they arrive at work from the various neighbouring villages. During lunchtime, Emmanuel speaks to one of the volunteers, who whispers in his ear that she wants to show him a surprise. The two visit the new greenhouses, which hold cultivated tomato plants, and the new warehouses, which store the new FruiTogo products...
