Raising awareness among communities about forest protection

“Raising awareness means transmitting and empowering change. By accessing local and appropriate resources, we enable communities to become active players in protecting their environment.” Libraries Without Borders  

In Côte d’Ivoire, deforestation has led to the disappearance of more than 80% of the forest cover in sixty years. To address this major ecological challenge, Libraries Without Borders (Bibliothèques Sans Frontières) is leading an innovative program aimed at strengthening the skills of local communities in forest preservation. With the support of its partners, the association is developing a set of educational tools—Ideas Box, Ideas Cube, and Kajou digital cards—enriched with thematic content on the environment.  

This system provides 50,000 people, including 400 teachers and mediators, with access to appropriate resources and targeted training, particularly in rural areas, which are often far from traditional information channels. At the same time, Libraries Without Broders supports 70 local organizations and 250 young leaders to initiate concrete community projects, using the Human Centered Design (HCD) methodology. A community of practice has also been established to foster collaboration between field actors and ensure the sustainability of the actions carried out.  

Through this participatory approach, BSF influences behavior, encourages the transfer of knowledge, and supports the implementation of sustainable solutions rooted in local realities. The Michelin Corporate Foundation supports this initiative, which combines digital inclusion, education, and civic engagement to promote the ecological transition.  

Key figures:  

• 50,000 people raised aware of forest protection 

• 250 young leaders supported to lead community projects 

• 80% of users feel they have improved their environmental knowledge and practices