You were appointed Ambassador of UNICEF France in 2018, why this commitment for children and today for the children of the Comoros in particular?
It is an honor for me to support an organization like UNICEF which intervenes in the field in many areas such as protection and safety, health and especially the education of children. I wanted to join forces, through the Soprano Foundation, to shed light on the rights of children around the world, including the Comoros, my country of origin.
You recently visited the Comoros, can you tell us a little more about this educational project and the rehabilitation of schools? How was he born?
In general, since I was 12 I have been coming to the Comoros and have seen the rudimentary conditions in which children find themselves in terms of health and education. I told myself that I wanted to help. In 2019, and more particularly, after the passage of Cyclone Kenneth which devastated several schools in the Comoros, I wanted to feel useful for my country so I agreed to support UNICEF France through my Foundation to rehabilitate these schools and allow children to return to their classrooms.
Mwemboidjou primary school on Ngazidja Island after rehabilitation works- Comoros, April 2021 © UNICEF Comoros / Rachad Mohamed
Education is a fundamental right of every child and it is also a subject that is particularly close to your heart …
Yes quite ! At the beginning, I wanted to build hospitals, but for that, you needed doctors and nurses and access to quality education. I understood that it is through education that we can guarantee children a better future and allow them to realize their full potential so that they can return to their dreams.
Do you have other actions in the Comoros?
Yes, the Foundation supports the health sector and sends equipment from France to the Comoros (medicines, beds and ambulances to support the hospitals on site). We are doing all we can to make our contribution.
The child for you …
Children are our common future. It is quite simply the future. If we give them the means they need today, they in turn will be able to make the necessary efforts for tomorrow and in turn give. This is how we can build a better world.
What do you want, more than anything, today for every child?
For every child, a dream. I sincerely hope that children can make their biggest dreams come true. In spite of any situation, all children should be able to dream and it is up to us to help them achieve it.
A student from Mwemboidjou primary school (Ngazidja island – Comoros) during the inauguration of the school by Soprano, UNICEF ambassador. Photo © UNICEF
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