Petit Bouaké is located in the Duékoué region in the east of Côte d’Ivoire. Its public elementary school has 186 students.  The school does not provide on-site catering for the students who often have to go home for lunch. In partnership with Ecookim and Capedig, we chose to finance the construction of a school canteen adjacent to the school already in place. 

The construction of the canteen was made possible thanks to a donation from the Fonds Bien Nourrir l’Homme. The latter financed the entire cost of construction and the equipment necessary for the operation of this canteen. The building includes a kitchen, a storeroom and a refectory. The canteen is equipped with stoves, cooking utensils, as well as tables and benches.  

The main beneficiaries of the project are the students of the elementary school of Petit Bouaké. The canteen is also open to other children from surrounding rural communities. 

Our common objectives through this project are multiple: 

• To reduce absenteeism from school in the afternoon by limiting the number of daily trips for students who live far away and for the youngest.  
• To allow the school to offer a quality food supply   
• Promote education in rural areas and employment for women 

The women of the community of Petit Bouaké grow and provide food crops. Some of them are then responsible for preparing meals for the children. These women are paid through the cost of a meal, which is charged at 25 CFA francs, or about 0.40-euro cents. 

The work took place between September and December 2021. It is now finished, and the canteen was put into service in March 2021 for the 186 students!