The official launch ceremony of the distribution campaign took place on Thursday, September 28, 2023, at EPP Moossou 3 in Grand-Bassam. The event witnessed the presence of Mr Eugène Aka Aoulé, President of the Regional Council of Sud-Comoé; Mrs Maïmouna Koné, wife of the Vice-President of the Republic; Mrs Florence Achi, wife of the Prime Minister; Mrs Mariatou Koné, Minister of National Education and Literacy and many other personalities.

For the start of the 2023-2024 school year, Ms Dominique Ouattara’s Children Of Africa Foundation will distribute 15,000 school kits free of charge to the country’s schoolchildren. The kits include school bags, books and school supplies. For the city of Grand-Bassam and its surroundings, which hosted the launch ceremony, the Foundation offered 5,000 school kits to schoolchildren. In addition to these school kits, Ms Dominique Ouattara also donated equipment and foodstuffs for the Grand-Bassam school canteens, early-learning and outdoor games for toddlers, cleaning products and materials for schools, and office furniture for teachers. These in-kind donations, estimated at 120 million F CFA, will be offered to the schools and people of the Grand-Bassam locality. In addition, the President of the Children Of Africa Foundation offered cash donations worth 10 million F CFA to the schools and people present. In total, the wife of the Head of State’s donations  to the children and people of Grand-Bassam worth 130 million F CFA.

The Children Of Africa Foundation’s school kit distribution campaigns has now become a tradition and a good opportunity to help parents when school starts. During her speech, Ms Dominique Ouattara, President of the Children Of Africa Foundationexplains that the school kit distribution is to provide assistance to needy families, so that their children can go to school in the best possible conditions. “Every year, at the start of the new school year, the Children Of Africa Foundation makes it a point of honor to help families throughout Côte d’Ivoire to ensure that their children start school successfuly. Over the years, the distribution of school kits has become a tradition (…). The aim of this act of solidarity is to help families, so that our children can go to school in the best possible conditions”, said Ms Dominique Ouattara. She also encouraged and congratulated teachers for their self-sacrifice in their training mission. She also reiterated to parents her firm commitment to supporting them in their efforts to ensure the happiness of their little ones. “The future of your children has always been of great importance to me. I sincerely share your desire to see our children succeed in their lives. I want them to be able to grow and develop in the best possible conditions. This is why the Children Of Africa Foundation will continue to support the children of Côte d’Ivoire, as we have always done”. She concluded by wishing the children a happy new school year.

Ms Mariatou Koné, Minister of National Education and Literacy, welcomed the launch of this school kit distribution campaign by the Children Of Africa Foundation. For the Minister of Education, this donation by Ms Dominique Ouattara’s Foundation supports the government in creating the best conditions for all children in Côte d’Ivoire to benefit from the same opportunities for equitable access to quality education. Ms Mariatou Koné also pointed out that from 2011 to 2023, the government has provided 50 million school kits worth 150 million F CFA to the country’s schoolchildren. This year, the Government has provided 34,125 school kits worth 77 million F CFA to schoolchildren in Grand-Bassam.

Mr. Jean-Louis Moulot, Mayor of the commune of Grand-Bassam, thanked the President of Children Of Africa for her tireless support of his constituents.

Mr. Ehouman Théodore, President of the Coges of EPP Moossou 3, and Miss Traoré Yasmina, a 10-year-old pupil and children’s spokesperson, both thanked Ms Dominique Ouattara for her help in improving children’s access to education.

The Grand-Bassam Town Hall also presented gifts to the wife of the President of the Republic during the ceremony.