Prepared by Lindsey Adjoa Assamouah Abotsi
« My name is Kuyo Fleure Emmanuella. I am 14 years old and a student at the secondary school in Niablé, located in the Lôh-Djiboua region.
Like every girl my age, I have big dreams. I want to study hard, stay focused in class, and make my family proud. But for a very long time, going to school meant facing a daily and invisible struggle—an ordeal that had nothing to do with my homework, but everything to do with my most fundamental dignity.
For a very long time at Niable, my school had neither functional latrines nor access to clean drinking water.
And whenvever my classmates and I needed to use the restroom, or when we were on our periods, we had no other choice than to go into the thick bush behind our classrooms. Honestly, this was a terrifying daily reality, because that bush was known to be the home to dangerous insects and venomous snakes, and every step through those tall grasses put our health and safety at risk. »
« During our periods, the humiliation was even greater. Without clean water or a private space, many girls preferred to stay home for an entire week every month to avoid the shame of soiling their clothes. When you miss a week of school every month, you fall behind. And little by little, our dreams begin to fade—not from a lack of intelligence, but from a lack of protection. »
Fortunately, the community of Niablé decided to take action to put an end to this public suffering. By building a strong partnership between Habitat for Humanity Côte d’Ivoire, Habitat for Humanity Canada, and our local leaders, modern public latrines and clean water points were built right inside the community schools of Niablé during the second year of the project implimentation.
Notwithstanding, Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) training workshops were also organized, with the help of community teachers and HFHCI staff, to equip the students with the knowledge and confidence to manage their health and lives properly.
“Before, we had to go to the bush, where there are snakes and dangerous insects,” shared Emmanuella, giggling with her friends; “Today, we no longer have to do that, because we now have public latrines and clean water.”
Access to clean water and private, secure sanitation facilities gave Emmanuella and her friends more than just infrastructure—it restored their dignity.
Today, they can manage their hygiene with complete confidence, stay in class without fear, and focus fully on their studies.
The fear that once hung over their schoolyard has vanished.
« Seeing people we know and those we do not know work together with our community to build these facilities has completely changed how I view my future. It made me realize that my education matters, and that my health and safety deserve to be protected. Beyond just transforming our school environment, this experience has sparked a deep passion within me, inspiring my future career path to advocate for community development and health so that one day, I too can grow up and build a better future for others in my community and my country. »
To you reading Emmanuella’s story, your donations do not just transform communities; they transform the thoughts and ideas of the people who live in them.
Whenever you give or partner with us you create life-changing impacts, empowering youth – young girls, to stay in school and dream without limits.
So please continue to support our programs. Together, let’s open the door to hygiene, dignity, and a better future.
