With joy in the heart and the scent of sharing, the end-of-the-school-year celebration of the Wê-Mun project, which in the local Yacouba language means precisely “There is room,” was celebrated in Man, Côte d’Ivoire. A place to study, to dream, to build relationships based on reciprocity.
The festive atmosphere was made even more special by a major milestone: 83 percent of project students successfully passed the national BÉPC exam, compared to a national average of 51 percent. An achievement that speaks to the commitment, perseverance and support received throughout the school year.
The day was a true celebration of brotherhood, with dancing, music and an exciting football match involving students, families and project members. During the preparations and during the celebration, the beauty of a journey lived together emerged powerfully: personal experiences were shared, the mottos of the “love nut” – daily tools for growth and relationships – were recalled, and there was room for gratitude for every small gesture of solidarity.
Wê-Mun is an educational initiative established to support disadvantaged children and youth in the city of Man, in the mountainous district of Côte d’Ivoire. Since October, 60 middle and high school students have participated in the program, which provides educational accompaniment, school reinforcement courses, exam preparation and personal development, with the support of qualified teachers.
The study takes place four evenings a week, from 7 to 9 p.m., in a space equipped with a library, school manuals and computers with Internet access.
At the same time, about 50 elementary school children carry out playful reading activities, an urgency in Côte d’Ivoire where difficulty in text comprehension limits all other learning. One of the most significant stories is that of a fifth-grader who, having great difficulty in reading, participated in activities with younger children. After only a week, he acquired new skills and was able to reintegrate into his class group. A sign of how transformative learning can be when it takes place in an atmosphere of trust and encouragement.
The heart of the project is not only school learning, but the development of a culture of fraternity, where everyone is a protagonist through concrete gestures: one boy shared his bananas with everyone, another donated his books to make them available to his classmates, the older ones help the younger ones with their homework.
Wê-Mun is not just a place to study, but a space to grow together, to learn from others and to build, day by day, a more just and inclusive society.
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