Share your story with us

I’m Mokissi KOUANDJANNI, a young woman from Ivory Coast, a communications specialist committed to the respect of children’s rights, i.e. access to education for all, freedom and equality between human beings regardless of their gender, race, place of birth, parents’ living conditions or beliefs, with the aim of making my contribution to building a better world based on solidarity. The daughter of a teacher who contributed to the golden letters of national education in Ivory Coast, I was lucky enough to grow up in a nuclear family surrounded by love and reference points, which enabled me to benefit from a quality education making me the educated woman I am today. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case in our tropics, given the rise of single-parent or adoptive families due to early sexuality among teenagers, the practice of raping young girls and the resignation of certain parents. Children are increasingly left to fend for themselves in an increasingly difficult environment. These are the reasons that motivated me to lead this fight in defense of children’s rights, and this commitment drove me to create MAKE SMILE in 2019.

Your JAMII Femmes adventure

I was part of the 1st cohort of the JAMII Femmes program organized by Women In Africa and The Coca-Cola Foundation. More than 3,000 African women entrepreneurs benefited from this opportunity. After 4 months of intensive training at the prestigious Honoris United Universities, I learned a lot about critical thinking, time and stress management, and the keys to digital marketing and impact communication.
In early 2023, I was honored to receive my Honoris United Universities Certificate of Appreciation for my dedication to the program.
Thanks to this training, I am more competitive in the various fields in which I work. JAMII Femmes is much more than online training, it’s also a network of inspiring African women entrepreneurs, as well as the sharing of experiences with quality mentors such as Madame Nabou Fall, whom I’ve had the good fortune to meet through this program.
Finally, I’m honored to be one of the WIA 54 mentors for 2023.

Finally, please give us a quote about your motivation, your vision of Africa or your personal ambitions

My vision through MAKE SMILE is to prepare the new generation of Africans by giving them access to quality instruction and education based on cardinal values alongside the public authorities, and thus to work towards the development of the African continent.