About AFCOA

AFCOA's Mission, Les Cases des Enfants, and l'Hôpital Mere-Enfant de Bingerville

The American Friends of the Children of Africa Foundation (AFCOA) is a US-based non-profit organization established in 2011. AFCOA's mission is to support the work of the Children of Africa Foundation (established in 1998) to take care of disadvantaged children and at-risk youth in Côte d'Ivoire through its Children's Houses (Les Cases des Enfants). The Children of Africa Foundation was founded in 1998 by Mrs. Dominique Ouattara, a long-standing philanthropist and supporter of at-risk children and youth in Côte d'Ivoire and several other African countries. Since 2011, Mrs. Ouattara has been the First Lady of the West African nation of Côte d'Ivoire. The primary sectors in which the Children of Africa Foundation operates are:

• Education
• Health
• Mentoring
• Skills Training

The Foundation realizes its mission primarily through orphanage-style youth intake centers for children ages 2 to 18 (cases des enfants).

In addition to Les Cases des Enfants, the Children of Africa Foundation supports hospitals in Ferkéssédougou, Ouarga, M'Bengué, Jacqueville, and Agboville, among others, with donations of medical and non-medical supplies. Its latest hospital project is the Maternal-Child Hospital in Bingerville, focused specifically on maternal-child health. Funds raised during the 2012 Gala are being used to support this ambitious and important project.