The women wore their most attractive jewellery, while the men wore their best "boubous" (traditional robes). The ambiance was festive among the people of Tahara on 27 November 2013, as they celebrated the rehabilitation of the local primary school in Goulia sub prefecture, in the department of Kaniasso Folon region, 105 km from Odienné by the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI).



Not so long ago, the village community, already straining under the adverse effects of the Ivorian crisis and increasing poverty, was plunged into further despair because they could not raise the funds needed to rehabilitate their primary school since it was destroyed by a fierce tornado in 2008. The state of things had become a source of demotivation for the school children, their parents and their teachers.



UNOCI, always aware of the role that a school can play in the future development of a nation and its catalystic effect in the consolidation of peace, decided to rehabilitated and equip the public primary school in Tahara with benches and tables at a cost of 10,889,556 FCFA for the benefit of 420 children, said the head of the UN Mission's Office in Odienné,

Robinson Cadet during the official handover ceremony in Tahara.



The realisation of the project also means that the primary school has increased its capacity to contribute to giving a fresh impetus to primary education in the region and improve the learning conditions for pupils and working conditions of teachers.



The Regional Director of Education, Souleyman Djiré, thanked UNOCI for its actions and activities in the area. "{We cannot count all the things UNOCI has done to improve education in the district of Denguélé. Thank you UNOCI for having eased the burden on parents by rehabilitating this building. I urge the children, their teachers and their parents to take good care of it. Parents, send your children to school, especially girls and the girls should avoid early pregnancy in school which adversely affects their education}," he said.



The ceremony was attended by local authorities, representatives of the different UNOCI sections, namely, Human Rights, Public Information and Civil Afairs, local NGOs, teachers, opinion leaders, pupils and the general population of Tahara.