After visiting the village of Abokro in the department of San-Pedro and Kragui in the department of Méagui, the CNS team and the Inter-ministerial Committee (CIM) led by Mrs. Yao Patricia Sylvie, Chief of Staff to the First Lady, visited on Friday, September 27, 2013, the village of Goboué in the department of Lakota.
The emissaries of the First Lady, Mrs. Dominique Ouattara were welcomed by a jubilant population, strong in its ethnic diversity.
As for the first two communities visited, the team of the National Oversight Committee of Actions in the Fight against Trafficking, Exploitation and Child Labor (CNS) visited the community development project implemented through the "Schools" Project of the Nestlé Group. The objective of this visit is to monitor and evaluate these projects for the welfare of the populations. Thus, it is a progressive school of three (03) classes, an office for the Director of Studies and latrines that were built as part of the "shared values" project of Nestlé. This was made possible with the collaboration of the populations of Goboué.
Long before visiting these new buildings, Mrs. Yao Patricia Sylvie, Executive Secretary of the CNS, shared Mrs. Dominique Ouattara's vision on child labor issue. Indeed, the host of the day reminded the people that long before the accession of President Alassane Ouattara to power, the First Lady had already put all her energy at the disposal of the welfare of the little ones, through Children Of Africa Foundation. "Mrs. Dominique Ouattara does nothing else but to work for the happiness of the children. The First Lady has devoted her whole life to the welfare of children, "she told the people. In addition, Mrs. Yao Patricia Sylvie took this opportunity to remind people of the importance of enrolling children.
" the proper place of children is in school and not in cocoa farms," she hammered. However, she said that the idea is not to prohibit all socializing work for children. According to her little ones can help their parents in the farms during their days of rest. Nevertheless, such children shall not perform work that is likely to endanger their intellectual and physical development. Addressing the issue of women's empowerment, Mrs Yao Patricia Sylvie invited her sisters from Goboué to join the vast program for financing women's activities set up by Mrs. Dominique Ouattara through Ivorian Women's Fund (FAFCI).
Finally, the collaborator of Mrs. Dominique Ouattara offered 600.000 F CFA to the populations. Happy with so much generosity, the people of Goboué, in return, offered gifts to their host.
Mrs. Maxime Tanoh, Nestlé representative at this ceremony encouraged the people to educate the little ones. She stated that the construction of this school aims not only to positively impact the production of cocoa in this community, but also to prevent children from traveling 8 km to the neighboring village to go to school. Djoua Gneprou, chief of Goboué, thanked the First Lady for her charitable works. For him, the CNS and the CIM’s visit is appreciated by the villagers. In addition Djoua Gneprou raised a corner of sail on the life daily suffering of the students of Goboué. He revealed how these children had to travel nearly 8 km on foot each day to reach the neighboring village’s school. This problem is also one of the reasons for school dropout in the community. According to him, the construction of this new school is a breathing space for Goboué.