Our activities in schools show that French pupils and students express a real interest in the relationships between rich countries of the Northern hemisphere and the poor countries of the South. It gives opportunity for a civic and interactive education.

First contacts.

Members of the Association intervene in schools on request. When it is possible Nigeriens, either living in Rennes or passing through, attend these meetings. It usually takes two hours and consists of a presentation of the country, its geography, history and economy, then a presentation of the main activities of the association in the fields of education , health and culture.

The Association suggests a presentation with a slideshow, it brings documents and initiates a discussion with the students. Practically the school needs to make a videopprojector available for our laptop.

School programs and pedagogy.

The first contact can be used to initiate “itineraries of discovery “in middle schools or “project work “in high schools. The proposed content is in keeping with the civic, legal and social education programs (ECJS) of the 10th grade (2nd in the French system,)

School life

The outcome of such meetings can be club activities to arrange exchanges with Nigerien schools and provide support to them. The club members can read or stage Nigerien tales, prepare picture exhibits, sell Nigerien arts and crafts.

AECIN also operates extra-curricular workshops.

Examples of actions

  • Bourgchevreuil Primary School in Cesson-Sévigné : in 2011 AESCD met seven classes and organized a solidarity cross country race to provide a hundred newborns with birth kits (talcum powder, soap, Cologne) in Dankassari.
  • Beausoleil Primary School in Cesson-Sévigné : in 2012, AESCD met the whole school , the pupils baked and sold cakes to aid the school garden set up in Dankassari. The pupils’delegates donated a cheque of 452 euros to Mamadou Saidou, the Tarbiyya Tatali coordinator in Niger, when he visited Cesson in June 2012.
    This action was maintained in 2013 and 2014.
  • In 2016, Maman Chadaou met pupils’ delegates from the three Cesson-Sévigné schools, and a Charity Relay Race for Dankassari involved over 800 pupils from Cesson. Following the race nearly 3000 euros were collected, which will cover the manufacture of 60 table-bench units in three schools of the rural community of Dankassari. A Grade 4 class in Cesson started a pen friend project with a class in Dankassari. The operations were maintained in in 2017-2018 and in 2018-2019,
  • Cesson Bourchevreuil Junior High School: in 2016 three Grade 7 classes met an ANIRE student specializing in hydrogeology on the topic of access to water, and the film Lougou Gets Water at Last was shown. Then, late in 2016, a convention was signed between the Junior High School and AESCD, and another meeting between three Grade 7 classes and Mamane Chadaou took place during his visit. A pen friend project with three Junior High Schools of Dankassari is being launched and thanks to a collection (350 euros), Lougou Primary School is being equipped with table-bench units. In 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, involving 7th grade students who watched the films Lougou Gets Water at Last and Three girls in Dankassari.
  • Orgères High School in 2019: 6 classes of 7th grade attended the film ’Lougou Gets Water At Last’ and ’Three Girls In Dankassari’, followed by discussions.

Other educational activities

  • Betton middle school: meeting with teachers and introduction to Niger.
  • Meetings in the schools of Cesson, middle schools of Beton and Cancale and school of Pace to introduce Niger with a slides show.
  • The struggle against poverty day meetings in Lycee Laennec with other groups.
  • Partnership with Jean Jaures High School in Rennes. In 2006-2008, participation in the operation 500 Bicycles for Niger, repairing and preparing bikes, student concert ‘Solidarity with Niger”. Since 2011, support to the cybercafé, internet exchange projects between students in Niger and France, reflection on students’ vision of Africa, creation of texts, songs, videos by students. In 2012, an exhibition on loan from CASDEN: “Feeding the world population, a challenge for the century”.
  • In 2010 a meeting between the Cesson high school students and Echanges Afrique INSA for a report on their mission in Dankassari.
  • At the Lycee de Brequigny a continuous slides show of Niger and sales of postcards with the NGO Aide et Action.
  • Meetings in 4 classes of seconde (12th grade)
    at the lycee of Cesson during a lesson of civic, law and social education. A twinning project with the lycee of Dogon Doutchi is going on with motivated students.
  • Fund raising at the school of Cancale for for resource rooms
    in the middle schools of Dogon Doutchi and at the Lycee Brequigny for the health project.
  • St Martin High School
    In 2009, 2010, 2011 a ‘bowl of rice’ operation in order to provide malnourished children of Niger with spiruline : the French children eat a bowl of rice instead of their standard lunch and the money saved is donated.
  • Plélan-le-Petit primary school, Fougères High School held their bowl of rice operations to provide malnourished children of Niger with spiruline.
Photo d’Alain Roux