An atmosphere of joy and gratitude reigned this Friday, January 17, 025, at the Public Primary School Kouassi-Perita, about ten kilometers from Bouafle.
The Portuguese Embassy in Côte d'Ivoire, in partnership with the Children Of Africa Foundation, donated 15 million CFA francs worth of living and non-living equipment for their new canteen, built by the Cocoa and Coffee Board. These donations include rice, oil, tomatoes, pasta, salt, washing powder, brooms with handles, basins and many other gifts. The local population came to show their gratitude for all this generosity. This initiative aims to improve schooling conditions for pupils and ensure they have access to balanced and healthy meal, essential to their well-being and success at school.
The ceremony witnessed the presence of Her Excellency Mrs Maria Da Conceiçao de Sousa Pilar, Ambassador of Portugal to Côte d'Ivoire, Mrs Cissé Aïssatou, Head of Education department at the Children Of Africa Foundation, as well as local authorities, parents, teachers and pupils from Kouassi-Perita, all of whom came to express their gratitude for this gesture of solidarity.
Her Excellency Maria Da Conceiçao de Sousa Pilar, Ambassador of Portugal to Côte d'Ivoire, noted that the canteen was the fruit of a winning partnership between her Embassy and the Children Of Africa Foundation. For the latter, this joint action is of the utmost importance, as the commitment of Mrs Dominique Ouattara's Foundation is well established both nationally and internationally. She concluded by encouraging the children and people of Kouassi-Perita to take full advantage of the canteen's benefits.
The opening of this school canteen marks a significant step forward in the fight against malnutrition and promotes student attendance at school. She perfectly embodies the vision of the Children Of Africa Foundation which has worked, since its creation, to improve the living conditions of children in Africa. Mrs Cissé Aïssata, Head of Education at the Children Of Africa Foundation recalled the importance of this canteen in the education of children and their retention in school. Indeed, for the latter, the canteen is a source of motivation for parents, stability and socialization of children. For Mrs Cissé, the canteen helps keep children in school and protects them from exploitation on plantations or in domestic work. In addition, according to Mrs Cissé, the canteen also gives children the same chances of social success. Mrs Cissé concluded that by “investing in this canteen, it is an investment in the future of the children of Kouassi-Perita” that the Portuguese Embassy in Ivory Coast and the Children Of Africa Foundation have just completed. In addition, Mrs Cissé revealed that the school recorded the construction of new classrooms, latrines and housing for teachers thanks to the partnership between the Cocoa and Coffee Board and the Children Of Africa Foundation, as part of the fight against Child Labor.
Mr. Traoré Brahima, Secretary General of the Prefecture of the Bouafle , took this opportunity to thank the generous donors.
Mr. N'Guessan Kouakou Hyacinthe, chief of Kouassi-Perita, Mr. Konan Kouakou Serges, representative of the local association for development and Miss Nouho Tina Bertine, student in at EPP Kouassi-Perita express their gratitude to both the Portuguese Embassy and the Children Of Africa Foundation.
The people also showered their distinguished guests with gifts, thus reflecting their gratitude. This ceremony ended with a tour of the canteen facilities, followed by a friendly sharing around a meal, a symbol of this new surge of solidarity.
It is important to note that the Kouassi-Perita public primary school was built in 1957 by colonial authorities. It has 637 students.
