Côte d’Ivoire program
The Jacobs Foundation’s Côte d’Ivoire program advances education in cocoa regions through teacher training, infrastructure, and evidence-based policy, using public-private partnerships and data-driven research.
Funder: Jacobs Foundation
Due Dates: Rolling (Partner invitations and proposals considered on an ongoing basis)
Funding Amounts: Over CHF 77 million committed; typical awards and support vary by project and partnership; target capitalization CHF 110 million.
Summary: Improves education quality and access in cocoa-growing regions of Côte d’Ivoire through teacher training, infrastructure, evidence-based policy, and a public-private co-funding model.
Key Information: New partners and proposals are welcome; focus is on collaborative, cross-sector initiatives aligned with national education priorities.
Description
The Jacobs Foundation's Côte d’Ivoire program is a large-scale, collaborative initiative aimed at transforming education in the cocoa-growing regions of Côte d’Ivoire. The program addresses major educational challenges, such as low competency in reading and math and high rates of child labor, by focusing on:
- Training teachers in effective pedagogical practices
- Building and improving school infrastructure
- Engaging parents and communities in children’s learning
- Supporting the use of rigorous research and evidence for policy development
A cornerstone of the initiative is the Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF), a pooled funding mechanism that brings together government, philanthropic organizations, and the cocoa/chocolate industry. CLEF is designed to benefit over 4 million children and 10 million parents by 2027, aligning with the Ivorian Government’s 10-year Education Sector Plan and national strategies to combat child labor.
The program supports the creation of an Education Evidence and Data Lab (EdLab) to drive data-driven policy and program decisions, and emphasizes public-private partnership as a blueprint for systemic educational improvement.
