Reutlingen sends a colorful container full of hope to Bouaké!

Reutlingen sends a colorful container full of hope to Bouaké!

Reutlingen has started an exciting mission! The city and FairNetz GmbH are sending a colorfully painted shipping container to Bouaké, the twin city in Côte d'Ivoire, also known as the Ivory Coast. What's in it? Exciting photovoltaic modules, workbenches, lots of tools and other important utensils for training young people in sustainable energy management! This unique project, “Sustainable City of Bouaké”, is supported by EU funding and will run until February next year.

The container that is sent to the FairNetz company premises is a real eye-catcher! The colorful painting is complemented by the logos of the city of Reutlingen, FairNetz, the flag of the European Union and the coat of arms of Bouaké. But that's not all - valuable knowledge also travels from Reutlingen to West Africa! In October, four participants from Bouaké, including an interpreter, took part in a three-week training course at FairNetz.

Knowledge exchange and training

As Thorsten Jansing, managing director of FairNetz, explained, the topics of the training were diverse. Everything was there, from practical training approaches to materials and occupational safety to the right leadership style. “The training here is different from what is usual locally in Côte d’Ivoire,” emphasizes Jansing. It’s about learning to adapt smartly to local conditions!

Thierry Dognondo, technical project manager from Bouaké, also left no doubt that the training was successful: “It was a stress-free training, everything was carried out very professionally.” Mayor Thomas Keck added that this was an important step in the long-standing town partnership. “We are confident that promoting renewable energy can lead to the integration of young people into sustainable careers, which is crucial to the fight against climate change.” This commitment ensures positive change – for Reutlingen and Bouaké!