We are honored to be featured in Saratoga TODAY, highlighting our mission to provide education and technology access to young learners while inspiring them to become future peace champions. Through collaborative learning, we bring together youth from different ethnic groups in Anyama, Ivory Coast, fostering unity, literacy, and digital empowerment.
The article sheds light on the journey of our founder, Korotoumou Katy Ballo, who grew up in Anyama amidst a decade-long civil war. Witnessing firsthand the challenges faced by her generation, she was determined to ensure the next generation does not face the same struggles. As she stated in the feature:
“It was very difficult for [my generation] because we grew up with a civil war and we felt like the older generation had failed us. So we have to make sure that we don’t fail the next generation.”
With the Davis Projects for Peace grant, the award-winning initiative led to the creation of Anyama’s first fully equipped library, providing 2,500 books and 15 computers to benefit over 3,000 students at Collège Saint Michel d’Anyama. This milestone marked the beginning of Impactful Education’s mission to bridge the education gap. Building on this success, the nonprofit established a second library at Lycée Moderne d’Anyama, the largest public school in the city. This new facility, equipped with thousands of books and 24 computers, has already introduced many students to computers for the first time giving them access to vital digital and educational resources that open doors to new opportunities.
“Some of them, the first time they used a computer was when they started coming to our library,” Ballo shared. “So we are trying to close the literacy and technology gap.”
The feature also highlights the invaluable support of organizations and individuals, whose contributions help expand our impact. As we continue to grow, our goal is to build more libraries and reach thousands more young learners across rural Ivory Coast.
📖 Read the full Saratoga TODAY feature here: Skidmore Grad Opens Library in Ivory Coast Saratoga TODAY