SPEECH BY THE FIRST LADY NATIONAL LAUNCH OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL KITS BY THE CHILDREN OF AFRICA FOUNDATION FOR THE 2026–2027 SCHOOL YEAR

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is once again a pleasure to welcome you here today for the national launch of the distribution of school kits by the Children of Africa Foundation for the 2026–2027 school year.

First and foremost, I would like to convey to my dear children the warm regards of your father, my dear husband, President Alassane Ouattara, who asked me to give you a big hug on his behalf.

I would now like to welcome Mr. Koffi N’Guessan, Minister of National Education, Literacy, and Technical Education, whom I congratulate on the important work he has been doing at the helm of his department since taking office. Well done, Mr. Minister.

My greetings also go out to my dear sisters, the members of the Association of Wives of Heads of Institutions and Ministers, led by Mrs. Massogbê Touré, whom I would like to thank for their efforts in support of our children’s education.

I also extend my greetings to my dear sisters from the Ambassadors’ wives Group, led by Mrs. Suhad Belliard, whom I thank for her constant support.

I would now like to welcome Mr. Jean-Marc Yace, Mayor of Cocody, whom I thank for his presence and his warm words of welcome.

I would also like to welcome Mr. Mohammed Yacine, CEO of SIPPI, as well as Ms. M’Bahia Dominique, Director of Social Services at the Lonaci Foundation; and all of our generous donors. Thank you for your unwavering support over many years. Thank you for your generosity toward our children.

I would also like to acknowledge Ms. Nadine Sangare, Director of the Children of Africa Foundation, as well as our entire team, for the remarkable work accomplished throughout the year in serving those in need. Well done, Ms. Sangare!

I would also like to extend my greetings to the principals and school administrators who have come here to underscore the importance of this ceremony for students across the country.

Finally, I would like to greet all the teachers at the Cocody Sud School Complex, our guests here today, the parents, and my dear children, whom I am delighted to welcome.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear brothers and sisters,

Every year, as the school year begins, the Children of Africa Foundation makes it a point of honor to support families throughout Côte d’Ivoire,

so that every child can return to school under the best possible conditions. This year, we wanted to give this initiative special significance by launching it from the Foundation’s offices before our teams set out to travel across all regions of the country.

For the 2026–2027 school year, the Children of Africa Foundation will donate, as in previous years, 15,000 school kits across all regions of Côte d’Ivoire.

These kits include backpacks, educational support books, and school supplies, carefully selected so that our children can study with peace of mind and succeed this school year.

In addition to these school kits, we are providing equipment and food for school cafeterias, early learning toys, and outdoor play equipment for our youngest children, as well as furniture for teachers—all totaling 200 million CFA francs.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we know, the start of the school year provides the government with another opportunity to support thousands of families by distributing school supply kits. This initiative helps ease the burden on parents and promotes the education of all our children throughout Côte d’Ivoire.

For our part, for twenty-eight years now, the Foundation has continued its unwavering commitment, convinced that education remains the key to progress and fulfillment for every child.

Hundreds of thousands of school kits have been distributed since the founding of Children of Africa, helping to give generations of children the chance to enjoy a more peaceful school experience.

At this point in my remarks, I would like to reiterate my sincere thanks to all our generous donors, with their help we are able to renew this gesture of solidarity toward our children, year after year.

Dear teachers,

I would now like to tell you that you are doing an admirable job. You have chosen a noble profession, one that entrusts you with a significant responsibility—not only in the lives of our students, but also for the future of our nation.

You bear the heavy responsibility of shaping tomorrow’s leaders, and you can be proud of that. You have our full support as you carry out your mission of training the next generation.

For my part, I would like to congratulate you on the excellent work you do every day, and I encourage you to continue on this path. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Dear Parents,

The future of our children has always been of great importance to me. I sincerely share your desire to see them succeed in life, and I want them to be able to grow and thrive under the best possible conditions.

That is why the Children of Africa Foundation will continue to support families in Côte d’Ivoire, just as it always has.

Thank you for all your efforts and for the sacrifices you make to ensure your children have the very best.

My dear children,

I wish you a wonderful year with your classmates, and by the end of it, you’ll be successful! I know you’ll listen carefully in class and you’ll behave well and pay close attention to your teachers’ instructions.

Make good use of the school supplies you’ll receive; they’ll be very helpful for your learning. The best gift you can give me is to achieve excellent results at the end of the year, so that we can all be proud of you.

I wish each and every one of you a wonderful school year!

Thank you.