Two hundred young volunteer trainees have completed their training at the Bimbresso Civic Service Center in Côte d'Ivoire. The graduation ceremony for the 8th promotion, named after Minister Jean-Louis Moulot, took place on October 26, 2026, in the presence of Minister of Youth Promotion, Professional Insertion, and Civic Service, Mamadou Touré, and the promotion's patron. The ceremony marked a new stage in the journey of these young people who came to the center to acquire professional skills.
The young volunteers were distributed across several fields, including building electricity, automotive mechanics, refrigeration and air conditioning, masonry, and welding. The building electricity field had the largest number of trainees, with 72 participants. These training programs aim to provide young people with practical skills in sectors useful for economic development, infrastructure construction, and maintenance.
The ceremony included the presentation of certificates to trainees who completed their training. The representative of the promotion, Ange Dramane Kouadio, expressed gratitude to the Ivoirian authorities, particularly President Alassane Ouattara and Minister Mamadou Touré, for the opportunity offered to young people to benefit from this program. He praised the support of the center's civilian and military personnel.
Minister Mamadou Touré stated that the civic service program is a response to the difficulties faced by some young people in their academic, family, or social lives. He emphasized that these centers offer a conducive environment for resocialization, learning collective life rules, and acquiring a profession. The minister noted that the training programs at Bimbresso respond to concrete labor market needs.
Since its opening in 2018, the Bimbresso center has hosted 2,243 young people, with only about ten trainees dropping out of their training. Minister Touré attributed this result to the quality of supervision and the determination of young people to complete their training. He also mentioned the success of previous cohorts, with young people accessing employment, creating their own businesses, or integrating vocational training establishments.
Minister Touré emphasized the importance of personalized follow-up for young people after they leave the center. He announced efforts to strengthen support for entrepreneurship, including training in management, financial education, and business plan preparation. The minister called on companies to welcome more young people from the centers, offering them opportunities for professional immersion.
The minister urged the new graduates to demonstrate discipline, honesty, respect, and seriousness in their professional lives. He reminded them that the name of their promotion commits them to upholding the values embodied by their patron, Minister Jean-Louis Moulot. The promotion's patron praised the civic service program, considering it a genuine bridge for young people who have experienced disruptions with school or society.
Key points
- The Bimbresso Civic Service Center has trained 2,243 young people since its opening in 2018.
- The center offers training programs in sectors such as building electricity, automotive mechanics, and refrigeration and air conditioning.
- The Ivoirian government aims to provide young people with opportunities for professional insertion and entrepreneurship through the civic service program.
