After a first experience in 2019, the National Solidarity and Sharing Program has just been relaunched by the Department of School Life, under the supervision of the Ministry in charge of National Education, this Monday, February 3 at the National Material Center Scientist in Abidjan.
Each primary school pupil is invited to raise a contribution of 100 CFA francs, after saving 5 CFA francs on their pocket money. The amount collected should be used to assist some of their comrades with disabilities or from modest families, through donations of food and nature, wheelchairs, pharmaceutical glasses, as was the case in the previous edition. An education in the culture of savings and above all an act of social impact materialized by the delivery of a stamp to each student donor.
“Thanks to the Solidarity and Sharing Program, we make children and their parents in difficulty happy. If tomorrow, we want citizens who are united and who have sharing at heart, it is today, from an early age that we must instil these values in them," said Kandia Camara, Minister of National Education, Technical Education and Vocational Training.
The results of this second National Solidarity and Sharing Program will be presented at the National Forum for Entrepreneurial Education, scheduled for December 3-5. This forum is intended to be the pool for celebrating entrepreneurial successes in the school environment and the field for demonstrating the genius, talent and leadership of young school entrepreneurs.
“The government's choice to give every Ivorian child an entrepreneurial culture is salutary. It is about giving them autonomy and the ability to take charge of themselves in this new world characterized by digital culture, climate change and the virtual," says Effimbra Nicolas, Director of School Life and National Coordinator of Entrepreneurial Education.
For Kandia Camara, seasoned entrepreneurs must take an active part in this process. “Get our young thumbs up and coach them. Give them opportunities to build new skills by directing them to resources they could tap into in their project. Prepare them to devise strategies to exploit innovative ideas,” she urged.
In 2019, the first National Forum for Entrepreneurial Education brought together 3,000 participants who came to observe the skills and know-how of students, through 500 micro-enterprises selected in various projects including social, crafts, sport , agriculture, livestock, hygiene, sanitation, beautification, industry, commerce, ICT, innovation, invention, research and the arts.