The African Women Initiatives (AWI) Foundation launched this Thursday, January 30, its integrated project "My canteen" in Abidjan. This initiative aims to mobilize godfathers and godmothers to take charge of meals for students for a minimum amount of 500 FCFA.
Clearly, it is a question of offering a hot and balanced meal to the pupils, especially those of the countries in difficult situation. Of the 120 days of the school year, students eat on average 18 days. 31% of them, from priority areas, benefit from a canteen. A UNDP survey reveals that in Côte d'Ivoire, school canteens promote the evolution of the enrollment rate to 15%.
For the period 2020-2021, the AWI Foundation aims to support 100 school canteens, allow 20,000 pupils in public primary education to have 120 days of meals and support 100 women's groups.
Through this initiative, the foundation also offers women entrepreneurs and fighters a business opportunity. For Fadiga Mariam Fofana, PCA of AWI:<<the my canteen project is for us, the solution to the empowerment of women because it will allow them to sell their products>>. According to estimates by the Ministry of National Education, the 5,379 canteens throughout the territory consume around 177 tonnes of food per day. An economic breeding ground for rural women.
Since its creation in 2016, the NGO AWI has been working for economic and social independence in three main areas, namely: women's economic empowerment, community development and facilitation (communication and partnership).