School Feeding:
A Lever with Multiple Benefits
A simple school meal can change much more than a child’s day. School feeding programs help children learn better, stay healthier, and attend school more regularly—while also supporting families and strengthening local communities. CLEF partners are now testing a new model designed to unlock the full potential of these multiple benefits. For many children, especially […]
School feeding: much more than a meal
School feeding is often seen as a nice-to-have. In reality, it is a strategic investment. In Côte d’Ivoire, expanding school meals could simultaneously improve education outcomes, nutrition, social protection, and rural livelihoods. Through the CLEF initiative—a partnership between the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, 16 cocoa and chocolate companies, and two philanthropic foundations—the Ministry of National Education […]
Building a Sustainable School Feeding Model in Côte d’Ivoire
A new school feeding model is being tested in Côte d’Ivoire—designed to be both affordable and sustainable. Supported by CLEF partners and implemented by the Ministry of National Education, Literacy and Technical Education, this pilot is already changing lives. Through the voices of those on the frontlines, we bring you the story of this ongoing […]
The Pedagogical Advisor, a Driver of Change
Pedagogical advisors rarely make the headlines, yet they are the quiet engines of change in education systems. Working at the sub-district level, they are the ones who help teachers bring new policies to life in real classrooms. In Côte d’Ivoire, pedagogical advisors like Réal N’da Kouakou spend their days on the move—following dirt tracks, visiting […]
Investing in Learning: How Cocoa Companies Are Strengthening Child Labor Prevention Through CLEF
Investing in education is becoming one of the most powerful levers for cocoa and chocolate companies to mitigate child labor risks. In Côte d’Ivoire, 16 companies have partnered with the Government and two philanthropic foundations to expand access to quality education in cocoa-growing regions—an unprecedented collective effort. In this interview, Jean-Claude Tano, National Coordinator of […]
PNAPAS: A Game Changer for Foundational Learning in Côte d’Ivoire
When teaching changes, learning follows. Discover how PNAPAS, supported by CLEF, is helping thousands of Ivorian children read, write, and calculate with confidence. The CLEF (Child Learning and Education Facility) coalition pursues three major objectives in Côte d’Ivoire, particularly in cocoa-growing regions: Improving access to education, through the construction of school infrastructure and the set-up […]
In Côte d’Ivoire, learning is being reinvented!
Through the CLEF initiative, the National Program for the Improvement of Early Learning (PNAPAS) is transforming primary classrooms. Every child now has access to their own textbooks, teachers are being trained in an innovative way, and pedagogical advisors provide ongoing coaching. These are tangible actions for quality education—closer to every child. Coming soon on our […]
Webinar Recording – Public–Private Collaboration to Combat Child Labor in Cocoa
The International Cocoa Initiative recently hosted a webinar onpublic–private collaboration to address child labor in the cocoa sector. The panel featured: Benjamin Silué (Ministry of Labour & Social Protection, Côte d’Ivoire) Paul Koffi Agenor (ILO / ACCEL Africa) Sabina Vigani (CLEF coalition) Panelists shared first-hand experiences of cross-sector collaboration, highlighting that while such partnerships are challenging to establish, […]
COGES help boost girls’ school enrollment
Come along with us as we meet the local community leaders who bring School Management Committees (COGES) to life. Leaders like Marie-Louise KOUAME AMOIN don’t just attend meetings, they visit families, talk with parents, and challenge traditions to ensure every girl has the chance to learn. It’s patient, personal work. It’s change from the inside […]
The School Management Committee: A strategic asset for the Ministry of National Education and Literacy
Before traveling to the heart of Côte d’Ivoire’s cocoa-growing regions to meet the School Management Committees (COGES) in Bakaridougou and Assoumankro – where CLEF partners, including the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, 16 cocoa and chocolate companies, and two philanthropic foundations, are supporting the construction of new school infrastructure – we made an important stop in […]