École Primaire Publique de Sirana
Help Light Up a School in Sirana
Our Spring 2027 tour campaign aims to raise $10,000 to bring electricity — and opportunity — to 285 children in northwestern Côte d’Ivoire.
Students of École Primaire Publique de Sirana — 285 children, one school, one teacher for every ~47 kids.
Last fall, our group traveled to the village of Sirana, a community of roughly 4,000 people tucked into the northwestern corner of Côte d’Ivoire, on the border with Guinea — the ancestral home of the Koné clan. Among the most meaningful stops on that journey was a visit to the École Primaire Publique de Sirana, the village’s only primary school, where 285 children between the ages of 6 and 16 are taught by just six teachers, a principal, and a cook.
The village of Sirana, where daily life unfolds in the shadow of these traditional mud-and-thatch homes.
During that visit, one of our guests and his family generously donated $500 along with school supplies. Our team recently followed up with the school’s principal, Seydou Koné, to hear how those contributions had been put to use.
Our tour guests meeting with teachers and staff — donated supplies piled on the floor in front of them.
“The funding will pay for more than 10 new desks that can seat 30 students. The pens and pencils have been very helpful — teachers give them out when government supplies run out. And the soccer balls? They go straight to recess, then into a locked closet for safekeeping.”— Principal Seydou Koné
When we asked Principal Koné what his single highest priority for improvement was, he didn’t hesitate: electricity. The village has power, but the school cannot afford the connection fees and has been on a government grant waiting list for years. Without electricity, teachers cannot use computers, and evening classes for struggling students are impossible. The school’s graduation rate hovers around 50% — and the darkness plays a real part in that number.
It is our custom to organize a giving campaign alongside each Côte d’Ivoire tour. This year, every dollar raised goes directly toward bringing light — and the tools that come with it — to École Primaire Publique de Sirana. Even a contribution of $20 moves us meaningfully closer to our goal.
Every dollar brings a classroom closer to the 21st century.
Questions? Reply to this newsletter or reach out to our team directly.
Interested in visiting the school with us?
Check out our April/May 2027 trip page. We would love to have you join us!