From May 22 to May 26, U.S. Ambassador Jessica Davis Ba travelled to the north of Côte d’Ivoire to visit U.S.-funded projects and meet with leaders in government, civil society, and education. In Nangounkaha, the Ambassador visited a school where kids receive food assistance from the United States through USDA’s McGovern-Dole program. The daily lunches provided helps the students to stay focused on their studies. The McGovern-Dole program provides daily 125,000 meals to children in various schools across the country.
Ambassador Davis Ba also attended two U.S.-funded, through USAID, community theater events. The performances aimed to build inter-communal ties and education women about land rights. The Ambassador joined a recording of the “Binkelema” radio program, a project funded under the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability to build trust between community members and security forces to build resilience to violent extremism.
The Ambassador visited Bio Amandes, a shea butter processing company in Ferkessédougou. With help from USAID, the company has increased production and is helping women become self-sufficient. Davis Ba also went to the Korhogo Regional Hospital to see the molecular biology lab, a project funded by PEPFAR. She met with security professionals working to build relationships with the community and keep people safe. This trip gave the Ambassador a chance to meet with hardworking people and experience the beauty and diversity of Côte d’Ivoire. She also saw how welcoming the people of Côte d’Ivoire are.
