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Reclaiming Dignity at School: The Story of Emmanuella Kuyo Fleure

Lindsey on 10/09/2026

Reclaiming Dignity at School: The Story of Emmanuella Kuyo Fleure

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.

Sharing starts with a home.

Together, let us build hope and stability
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Building Health and Hope: Habitat for Humanity Côte d’Ivoire Launches Year 3 of the Canada Project in Godou

Lindsey on 31/08/2026

Prepared by Lindsey Assamouah Abotsi

Building Health, Hope, and Hygiene: Habitat for Humanity Côte d’Ivoire Opens the Door to Year 3 of the Canada Project in Godou

GODOU, Côte d’Ivoire — In the rural heart of the Lôh-Djiboua region, a shared vision for community health and sustainable development took root as 645 residents gathered under festive banners for a landmark celebration. On August 27th, 2026, the community of Godou officially opened the door to the third year of a transformative life and healthy community – the provisionary build of clean water, sanitation, and hygiene –  (WASH) initiative, backed by Habitat for Humanity Canada and implemented by Habitat for Humanity Côte d’Ivoire (HFHCI)

For decades, Habitat for Humanity Côte d’Ivoire has worked alongside communities across the country to address the housing deficit, promote access to decent and affordable housing, and improve access to safe water and sanitation.

 

Through its latest three-year initiative, the organization is strengthening water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure in rural and cocoa-producing communities. Thus far, 6 high schools have each been equipped with a public latrine and a water borehole, while 2 out of 3 WASH awareness activities have been conducted across nine villages. The initiative also seeks to provide a  capacity-building and health education to 2500 community members and train 1800 students on hygiene practices, as of now 1986 community members in diverse sectors have been trained and 1200 students have been trained on hygiene practices. These trainings have  equipped the community members of Loh-Djiboua with knowledge and behaviors that can contribute to healthier and more resilient communities.

Building on these efforts, the initiative continues to focus on cocoa-producing families and rural households, investing in resilient water infrastructure and sanitary facilities in schools while empowering students and community members with the knowledge and skills needed to adopt critical health and hygiene practices.

The launch event in Godou reflected the deep community-wide ownership of these goals, drawing an impressive crowd of 529 adults and 116 children. Highlighting the profound, multi-generational impact of these efforts, Jean-Jacques Yao, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Côte d’Ivoire, emphasized the organization’s core mission during the celebrations: 

« This milestone represents our unwavering commitment to placing families and local communities at the center of development. By addressing critical needs in water, hygiene, and sanitation hand-in-hand with our partners and local authorities, we are laying the groundwork for healthier, more resilient futures where every child and parent can thrive with dignity. »

Local voices echoed this sense of optimism. « It brings me joy to see my village working hand in hand with Habitat for Humanity. Thanks to this partnership, the younger generation will finally have safe and proper public latrines to use. » shared local resident, Sankara Moussa.

With strong administrative backing, traditional leadership, and active community participation, the successful rollout in Godou heralds a vibrant new chapter of health, education, and sustainable growth for the Lôh-Djiboua region.