The return to school coincides with the Auchan Kirchberg shopping centre undertaking a great action supporting SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde.

For its 10th edition, the initiative runs from Tuesday 5 to Saturday 23 September and is dedicated to the educational programmes developed by the association in Niger, a country that the hypermarket has decided to support for the 3rd time since the beginning of the action.

The objective is to ensure respect for the right to education of the children of this country which is experiencing extreme poverty and is among the least developed in the world. Despite progress in primary school enrollment over the past two decades, the challenges remain enormous. Early education lags behind (only 7% of children) and only 15% of girls aged 15-24 are literate. In Niger, where a record fertility rate is recorded (7.6%), three-quarters of the girls are married before the age of 18.

After supporting the Jardin d’Enfants SOS in Dosso, Auchan Kirchberg is supporting in 2017 the educational components of the two new Community Support Programmes for the Protection of Children set up by SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde in Dosso and Tahoua. These programmes, which target more than 2,200 children and 500 families, focus on respecting the rights of the child and thereby the right to education and community development. Only a strong and effective community mobilisation can ensure that young people grow up with everything they need in a dignified and stimulating environment where their voice is heard and their participation strengthened. Going to school is one of the basic needs of children that their families must be able to guarantee.

Action in practice

At the time of purchases of school supplies, Auchan Kirchberg customers can show their solidarity by way of making a donation at the checkout (using Euros accumulated on their Auchan card or adding an amount to their purchases). They can also choose one of the articles of solidarity for which Auchan has pledged to donate €1 to SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde, or make a donation in an SOS urn available in the participating shops of the Auchan shopping centre.

SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde will e organising a face-painting stand on Saturdays 9, 16 and 23 September (from 12:00 to 18:00).