Introduction

There is no need to prove that education is one of the fundamental rights recognized for every child, according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Moreover, it is often said with pride that to offer education to a child is to guarantee them the opportunity of a better future—or at least the hope of a brighter tomorrow. This belief holds true, as most people who have benefited from quality education are today among those who make decisions for the entire world, through major international institutions and the state structures they lead or manage.

The Meaning Behind the Donation of School Kits

Unfortunately, the dream of providing a good education for one’s child is not accessible to everyone, as not all parents have the financial means to do so. Thankfully, nature—ever generous—abhors a vacuum and inspires kind-hearted individuals to step in and assist struggling parents through acts of charity such as donations. These gestures aim to make education a right accessible to all children in Côte d’Ivoire. In most cases, the beneficiaries of these school supply donations are children from underprivileged backgrounds or orphans.

A Poorly Chosen Timing?

In Côte d’Ivoire, the school year generally begins in early September. The first week is usually dedicated to physical registration and revision of key lessons from the previous year. The following week is used to distribute school supply lists so that parents can buy the necessary materials. By the third week, classes have fully resumed across the country—which means we are already approaching the month of October. By then, all children are expected to have their complete school materials, except for a few latecomers who will have to work hard to catch up.

The Late Arrival of School Kit Donations

Like a doctor arriving after the patient has died, these well-meaning donors—sent by God in secret to support needy children—often arrive with arms full of school kits ready to distribute for free. These kits usually contain schoolbags, textbooks, notebooks, geometry sets, pens, pencils, erasers, and everything a child needs to fully enjoy their right to education. However, the problem is that these donations often arrive at a time when the very parents they intended to help—poor, struggling, or even deceased—have already made great sacrifices to buy supplies for their children.
So, when the benefactors finally come to “relieve” them, one might ask: of what suffering, exactly?

The Timing of School Kit Donations Must Be Reviewed

If we are truly concerned about the hardship faced by so many parents during this difficult back-to-school period—even for those who are relatively well-off—then we must seriously reconsider the timing of these charitable initiatives.

Conclusion

Ultimately, it would be much more appropriate for these school kit distribution ceremonies to take place during the second week of the school year, when the need is both real and urgent. Once parents have already struggled on their own to provide school materials, receiving kits at the end of October or early November makes it seem as though the original purpose of these donations has been completely lost. Hence the meaning behind the title: “Donation of School Supplies in Côte d’Ivoire: A Doctor After Death?”