In Biankouma, Côte d'Ivoire, eight Associations de valorisation de l'entraide communautaire (AVEC) from the sixth cohort of the Programme des filets sociaux productifs (PFSP) have presented their financial report for the second cycle, from October 2025 to September 2026. The report reveals that the AVEC groups have mobilized a total of 24,217,300 FCFA. This achievement was announced during the official ceremony of sharing of the AVEC, held at the Biankouma City Hall, followed by the second edition of the AVEC Awards.
The AVEC Awards, in its second edition, aims to recognize and reward the outstanding performance of the AVEC groups. Three prizes were awarded to the top-performing groups. The AVEC Kodebah, from the Ancien village neighborhood, won the first prize, distinguished by its members' savings of 4,424,300 FCFA, credit granted to members of 1,100,000 FCFA, and solidarity contributions of 245,800 FCFA. This exceptional performance earned them the top spot among the eight AVEC groups.
The second prize was awarded to the AVEC Kakougbeh, from the Soma neighborhood, with a savings balance of 3,346,000 FCFA, a credit balance of 1,140,000 FCFA, and 151,000 FCFA in solidarity contributions. The third prize went to the AVEC Kougbeh, from the Zone rouge neighborhood, with a savings balance of 2,999,500 FCFA, credit to members of 1,205,000 FCFA, and a solidarity contribution of 162,200 FCFA. These prizes serve as a motivation for the AVEC groups to excel in their activities.
According to Olivier Irié, a community agent consultant (CAC) in charge of the training and supervision of the AVEC groups, the AVEC Awards constitute a significant addition to the activities of the beneficiary households of the PFSP. He stated that this initiative creates a positive competition among the different AVEC groups. The CAC also mentioned that the winners received a refrigerator each and that next year, the focus will be on financing income-generating activities (AGR), with prizes for the three best AGR projects.
The PFSP aims to support vulnerable households through non-reimbursable quarterly allocations of 36,000 FCFA. The program also provides training and supervision to the AVEC groups to enhance their financial management and income-generating capacities. The success of the AVEC groups in mobilizing over 24 million FCFA in 11 months demonstrates the effectiveness of the PFSP in empowering vulnerable households.
The third edition of the AVEC Awards in Biankouma will focus on the theme "les AVEC face au défi de la résilience et de la solidarité locale" (AVEC facing the challenge of resilience and local solidarity). This theme highlights the importance of AVEC groups in promoting resilience and solidarity within their communities. The upcoming edition is expected to feature more innovative and impactful initiatives from the AVEC groups.
The success of the AVEC groups in Biankouma is a testament to the impact of the PFSP in promoting economic empowerment and social cohesion among vulnerable households. The program has enabled the AVEC groups to become self-sufficient and contribute to the local economy. As the program continues to expand, it is expected to have a positive impact on more communities in Côte d'Ivoire.
Key points
- The AVEC groups of PFSP cohort 6 in Biankouma mobilized over 24 million FCFA in 11 months.
- The AVEC Awards aim to recognize and reward the outstanding performance of the AVEC groups.
- The PFSP provides non-reimbursable quarterly allocations of 36,000 FCFA to vulnerable households.
