Some 981 ex-combatants at the resocialisation Centre in Bondoukou on 14 November 2014 received an allowance of CFA 40,000 francs each from the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) to mark the end of a month-long training organized within the framework of UNOCI's support for the Ivorian Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process.

The training programme centred on civic education, social values and relevant skills aimed at preparing the ex-combatants to reintegrate into normal life in the community. The beneficiaries welcomed the UNOCI gesture which goes a long way to boost efforts by the national Authority for DDR (ADDR) towards the socio-economic reintegration of ex-combatants.



"At first I did not believe it but when I arrived at the resocialisation Centre, my way of looking at things changed thanks to the training we received and the guidance provided by the gendarmes. I realized that the process was serious and was supported by organisations such as UNOCI. I realized this was a life time opportunity not to miss," said Zoumana Kamagate, an ex-combatant from Abidjan who chose taxi driving as his project of reinsertion.

On his part, Rassime Traore, an ex-combatant from Sinematiali said the gratuity received from UNOCI would enable him pay advance rent for a second-hand clothing store he plans to open when he receives money for the project.

Besides financial support, UNOCI provides education for the ex-combatants on a wide range of subjects including human rights, the fight against gender-based violence, sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS. A voluntary HIV/AIDS screening test was carried out on 25 ex-combatants including three women.



Located 431 km east of Abidjan, the Bondoukou resocialisation Centre is at present catering for its 4th batch of ex-combatants who are 1005 in number.