01-08-2024 | di COOPI

CAR. Investing in the future through accessible, inclusive, quality education

Non-attendance at school remains one of the major challenges in the territory of the Central African Republic, a severe problem exacerbated by the violence perpetrated during the civil war, which has been going on in the region since 2012. In response to this obvious crisis in the education sector, in May 2024 COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale launched the project "Integrated emergency response to support accessible, inclusive, quality and protective education for the most vulnerable populations affected by the crisis in the Central African Republic", funded by the European Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) with a 2 year-duration, aimed at improving access to quality education for children affected by the difficult situation in the regions of Haut-Mbomou and Ouham-Pendé.

In response to the various needs identified during surveys carried out by COOPI directly in the field in the sub-prefectures of Bozoum, Obo, M'boki and Zémio, the intervention is characterized by a multi-sectoral approach targeting over 13,500 beneficiaries. In particular, access to formal education is integrated with initiatives in the water and sanitation sector to improve the living conditions of thousands of vulnerable families.

To ensure the integration or reintegration of out-of-school children living in targeted localities, COOPI is committed to improving school facilities, purchasing and distributing school kits for pupils and learning kits for teachers. Improving access to drinking water and hygiene is made possible by rehabilitating and building water points, particularly in communities where no water is available today. The project is also being implemented at the technical level, through capacity-building for staff involved in teaching.

In keeping with its approach, COOPI ensures that the projects it carries out are sustainable. The goal of project sustainability is pursued by educating the staff involved, and the local community, and building resilience through a multi-sectoral approach.

COOPI has been present in the Central African Republic since 1974, and since then has been carrying out emergency and long-term resilience-building projects, notably in the fields of education, child protection, the fight against gender-based violence, camp management, food security, livelihoods and rural development. In its area of intervention (Haut-Mbomou), COOPI has been operating since 2009 with projects focused on protection and funded by UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees).

In collaboration with Elena Carone