Children mob around Didier Drogba
Three hundred and fifty children can now have access to quality education in the rural cocoa growing community of Pokou-Kouamekro, Cote d’Ivoire, to help decrease the risk of engaging them in child labour on farms.
The Didier Drogba Foundation, with the support of Nestlé and the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), has put up an ultramodern school facility there with a common objective of helping children lead healthier lives.
Like any public school, the Didier Drogba School will be handed over to the government to run.
The idea is to address the acute shortage of educational facilities in the rural areas of Côte d’Ivoire where children often have to walk several kilometres to the nearest school.
There was an existing school, but this was made of mud and did not have the requisite infrastructure to facilitate learning.
With six classrooms, a kindergarten class, a school canteen, school latrines, a football field and three teachers’ homes to attract qualified teachers, the new school will contribute to the physical, social and academic performance of the children in the village of Pokou-Kouamekro.
Didier Drogba strongly believes that education is important for the physical and mental development of children, and the support of international companies like Nestlé will help make these communities a better place.”
Didier Drogba said, “We have been working on this project for the last two years and I am very proud to see it completed. The belief of my foundation has always been if we give children access to health and education, we will build future generations of doctors, scientists, businessmen and women and that is how we build a better Africa. When I started working with Nestlé, I explained our vision and they have given us great logistical help and support on the ground to make the construction of this school a reality.”
“We are pleased to collaborate with the Didier Drogba Foundation on this 2-year project because access to quality education is fundamental to securing a better future for children. The Didier Drogba Foundation promotes education, sustainability and sports, as a means to help children have a brighter future. Nestlé is tackling child labour by building educational infrastructure. The Didier Drogba Foundation has done great work,” said Stanislas Guedj, Country Manager for Nestlé Côte d’Ivoire.