Cote d’Ivoire Project

Dates

March 11 - 21, 2021

Location

Cote d'Ivoire

Participation Fee

$1,580

Download Info Pack

Overview

Join Maranatha in the western African country of Cote d’Ivoire and work at the Niangon Adventist Secondary School!

The Niangon Adventist Church began in the 1980s in the Yopougon neighborhood of Abidjan. The church began meeting in a rented shop, but the congregation grew so rapidly they quickly outgrew the space and acquired a plot of land for a new building. When the congregation acquired the land, they also had plans to have a school on the same property, but have not been able to acquire the funds needed to start construction. Adventist Education is a top priority for church leaders, and Maranatha has agreed to build several classrooms and laboratories to meet their need. Their goal is to have space for nearly 400 students.

Volunteers on this team will build the masonry block walls for one of the buildings as well as reach out into the community through activities like children’s ministry programs and health education.

Update (Jan 2021): As countries continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic regulations change regularly. At this time Maranatha is moving forward with the preparation for this project. Those planning on joining this project should go ahead and register and we will update registered volunteers if there are any changes to the status of the project.

Scope

Masonry School Construction

Thursday, March 11

Arrival in Abidjan

Friday, March 12

Orientation and first work day

Saturday, March 13

Worship with the local congregation

Sunday, March 14

Work days with mid-week excursion

Saturday, March 20

Worship with the local congregation

Sunday, March 21

Departure from Abidjan

ARRIVALVolunteers will arrive in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (airport code ABJ) on Thursday, March 11, after 5:00 p.m.Please wait for confirmation from Maranatha before purchasing your airfare to ensure there is still space on the project.

DEPARTUREVolunteers will depart from Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (airport code ABJ) on Sunday, March 21, in the afternoon or evening.

Hotel KIMI

VIEW ACCOMMODATION DETAILS

Our group will stay at The Hotel KIMI in the Yopougon neighborhood of Abidjan, about 15-30 minutes from the job site. Volunteers will gather for meals and worship in one of the meeting halls at the hotel. Most of the rooms have one queen bed. Amenities include bed linens and towels, private bathrooms with hot water, air conditioning, WiFi (although slower than you’d expect at home).

Travel Information

Volunteers will purchase their own plane tickets to Cote d’Ivoire. The dates posted are the arrival and departure dates from the project. Due to travel time you may need to leave your home a day or two before the project start date.

More information is available in an information packet available for download above.

Please wait for confirmation before purchasing your airfare. Booking outside the advertised flight windows could result in additional fees and missed portions of the project.

Travel Resources

CI Azumano Travel:
800-454-4099 or by email with Erle or Azumano Team at corporatetravel@ciazumano.com

Butler Travel:
503-879-5005 or by email with Nathanael at nathan@butlertravel.com

Assinie Beach

Assinie is one of Côte d’Ivoire’s famous beach towns about two hours from Abidjan. The group will spend the final night at a nice hotel with plenty of areas to relax. The hotel is located on the edge of a lagoon, and shuttle boats can take guests across the lagoon to the coastline where the waves break on the beach. There are jet skis and other beach activities available for an additional cost.

Yamoussoukro Basilica and Chocolate Factory

During the project volunteers will take a day off to travel north to Yamoussoukro, the administrative capital of Côte d’Ivoire, to visit the Our Lady of Peace Catholic Basilica. It was constructed in the late 1980s, and the design of the dome and plaza are inspired by Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. It is one of the more popular destinations in Côte d’Ivoire, but it does require a drive of about four to five hours, round trip.

During the week, volunteers will also have the opportunity to break from work early one afternoon to take a short tour of a local chocolate factory in Abidjan. Chocolate is one of Côte d’Ivoire’s most profitable exports, and visitors will have a chance to see how the chocolate bars are made and taste the various forms of chocolate.

Contact Us Want to speak with someone at Maranatha directly? Please call our office at 916.774.7700 to speak with a volunteer specialist. Alternatively, you can send us an email.

Thank you for your interest in one of our mission projects. You have been added to the interest list, and you will be notified via e-mail as soon as more information is available and registration has been opened. Typically registration is open three to six months in advance of the project dates; although, sometimes it can be delayed as we lock in accommodations and budgets. Thank you for your patience.

Please note that putting your name on the interest list ensures that you will be notified when registration is available, but does not guarantee you a place on the project. You will still need to complete the online registration form to reserve your spot on the trip.

Feel free to contact us at anytime to find out the current status of this project.