Ivory Coast Wè-Mun
The ‘4COWE-Ivory Coast- Wè-Mun’ project is implemented in Man by the association “Work of Mary in the Ivory Coast (Focolare Movement)”tin collaboration with Action New Families. ‘”Wè-Mun” in the local language means “There is room “ room for study and brotherhood.
DEFINITION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONTEXT
The Ivory Coast vexperiences one of the contradictions typical of many countries on this continent: recent strong economic growth, making it one of the leading economies in West Africa, is accompanied by widespread poverty, which affects more than 46% of the population. IIn addition, the political-military crisis of 2002-2011 contributed both to undermining the present infrastructure and to deepening inequalities between Abidjan, the capital – and the rest of the country which is much poorer.
In Man, the provincial capital of the Tonkpi region, in particular, the lack of basic services and extreme poverty have a negative impact on the state of education. The inadequacy of the school infrastructure (49% of schools do not have access to drinking water and 25% do not have multimedia rooms), the overcrowding of classes, the lack of reinforcement courses and the precarious contractual status of teachers severely undermine the solidity of the school system; while at the same time, the widespread corruption and the institutions’ habit of demanding frequent contributions from parents undermine its credibility. The result is that only 1 in 2 students finish primary school, and only 1 in 5 secondary and high school. By the start of secondary school, many young people are still unable to read and write.
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
The Ivory Coast is a West African state with a population of approximately 26.5 million people. The region of Tonkpi sis located in the north-west of the country and is one of the poorest and most backward regions of the Ivorian state: here, in the Mountain District, is Man, the provincial capital and headquarters of the SAD project. The city has about 335,000 inhabitants and, despite being a tourist destination, its economy is based on the agricultural sector, as in the entire region. Public services are lacking, of poor quality and often economically inaccessible for the majority of the population. The Wê-Mun education centreis located in the Doyagouiné district.
Project details are currently being updated