08-07-2024 | di COOPI

Lake Chad. The impact of the ADELAC project: designing the future starting with schools

In Lake Chad Province, COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale conducted a mission to monitor the activities of the project "ADELAC: Building the future through holistic early childhood development", funded by the French Development Agency (AFD). The project, which has been operational since June 2020, aims to improve the access and quality of educational, social, and health services for children in Lake Province, particularly in the Mamdi department, while strengthening the abilitiesof local communities.

During the visit, the administrative and school authorities had the opportunity to take a close look at the achievements. The delegation visited several schools where significant infrastructure improvements have been made: new classrooms, water wells, shared gardens, and latrines. In addition, the skills of the teaching staff have been enhanced, new teachers have been hired, and children have been provided with necessary school, playground, medical and nutritional materials. In addition, "Child Friendly Spaces" (Espaces Amis d'Enfants) were created and psychological support provided, significantly contributing to the well-being of the pupils.

The enthusiasm of local authorities and communities was tangible. The prefect of Mamdi department praised the efforts, stressing the importance of these achievements for the welfare of the people of the Lake. COOPI's project manager in Bol, Sidiki Aboubakar Mfokoue, urged communities to take care of the infrastructure and ensure its sustainability, stressing the importance of education as a means of improving social and economic life:

 The ADELAC project will come to an end, but the State will remain. The State is you, it is us. It is up to you to maintain what has been accomplished, it is up to you to put it to good use. This is the message I wanted to give you today: you have the responsibility to continue this action, because education is the best way to change your lives. 

Representatives of local communities expressed their gratitude for the support they received, saying,

 "We thank COOPI, its arrival has helped us a lot. Even if the project ends, we now have the ability to run the schools."

  The benefits of the ADELAC project have been evident: clean water, new classrooms, latrines, and medical supplies are just some of the accomplishments that have had a positive impact on the daily lives of the pupils and their families.

The implementation of this project has also strengthened intersectoral coordination among local authorities regarding health, education, and social services, improving the effectiveness of services provided to foster optimal child development. A second phase of the project and its extension to other departments in the province have been eagerly requested by local people, who are eager to see further improvements.

COOPI promotes education in Chad, both by building and rehabilitating school infrastructure and equipping classrooms with the necessary materials, and by implementing psychosocial support interventions, training teachers and supporting parents' associations in supporting schools.