Welcome to Lakou Bosco Village!
«It takes a village to raise a child»
Guadeloupe, an overseas department, is one of France’s most vulnerable territories. It has a particularly large youth population, with nearly one-third of the population under the age of 20. This overseas territory faces significant inequalities: school dropout rates are extremely high, with 20% of young people leaving the school system without a diploma; the truancy rate is the highest of any French department.
This situation is even more acute in working-class neighborhoods, where more than 65 % of mothers are raising their children alone under precarious socioeconomic conditions.
True to its missions of education and the prevention of academic and social drop-out among children and youth aged 4 to 25 and their families, primarily from priority neighborhoods, this meeting between the educational approach of Don Bosco and Creole culture thus gave birth in 2020 to a pedagogy of connection and trust sheltered by the LAKOU BOSCO association!
Who are we?
Launched in September 2020, Lakou Bosco was created with the ambition of reaching out to the most vulnerable youth and families, providing them with a fraternal and educational experience, and guiding them toward new opportunities.
Our priority objective is as follows: to reach out to local residents, particularly young people and families in the area, to offer them a welcoming space for meeting and support. Through this place, we seek to develop self-esteem, dignity, and a sense of belonging directed toward others at the heart of an educational approach.
Located in the heart of Les Abymes, between the working-class neighborhoods of Dugazon and Baimbridge—designated as priority urban areas under Active Watch—the Lakou Bosco center currently hosts numerous initiatives for youth and families, including educational support, street animation, parenting workshops, cultural and sports projects, and school mediation.
A comprehensive educational approach: Don Bosco's pedagogy
The educational project of Lakou Bosco is based on a global approach, inspired by the pedagogy of Don Bosco as well as the values of popular education. This pedagogy explains that to educate a child, you must meet them where they are. Thus, we wish to bring consistency to a child's education. This is why our educational presence extends to their main living environments:
- The neighborhood «reaching out» to one's environment to build a trusting relationship and prevent disruptions.
- The school : to support students' academic progress, prevent them from dropping out of school, and promote their personal growth.
- The family support parents, value family resources, and support the educational relationship.
- Digital technology To discover and explore how young people use the Internet, particularly social media, in order to better understand the educational, social, and cultural issues of the digital world.
Our actions
Lakou Bosco is committed to meeting the needs of youth and families through three main areas:
- Prevention of idleness:
We ensure an educational presence in neighborhoods through street activities and events. These activities help build connections, provide a secure educational framework, and encourage young people to participate in collective and positive dynamics.
- Dropout prevention:
We are setting up personalized educational and academic support programs to help young people in their schooling. It is based on tutoring workshops, adapted learning methods, and support for the young people's career path, including specific workshops and remedial sessions.
- Prevention of family breakdowns:
We offer parenting support, group activities, and solidarity initiatives, including food aid to meet the essential needs of families.
- Orientation and project support:
We promote the social and professional integration of young people from working-class neighborhoods by setting up a mentoring program that brings together volunteers and economic stakeholders, in order to offer them personalized support, concrete assistance, and opportunities to look toward the future.
Our partnerships and accreditations
Our current structuring is the result of a long reflective process and steady growth, the fruits of which are officially recognized by our partners.
- In January 2021, we obtained the EVS (Social Living Space) accreditation from the CAF (Family Allowance Fund) and ACM (Recreational Center for Minors) accreditation from the DRAJES (Regional Academic Delegation for Youth and Sports).
- In June 2022, the association's first premises were inaugurated in the presence of the prefect and more than 200 people.
- In January 2023, we were recognized as a third place by the department of Guadeloupe, in order to facilitate business creation and the exchange of practices and know-how for RSA (active solidarity income) beneficiaries.
- In January 2024, the CAF granted us the CS (Social Center) accreditation.
- In 2024, we obtained two additional approvals:
- «ACADEMIC EDUCATION » of the French National Education system, an official recognition for educational associations. This label, which is particularly important to us, guarantees that the association respects the principles of public education and has demonstrated the quality of its work.
- «YOUTH AND POPULAR EDUCATION» from the Guadeloupe DRAJES, a national accreditation issued by the State to organizations working with youth and in socio-cultural activities. This accreditation recognizes that the association aligns with the values of popular education, promotes the empowerment of youth, and guarantees the pedagogical, civic, and educational quality of its actions.
A dedicated team
With a team of 11 employees and 40 volunteers, we currently support 60 families and more than 80 children.
Our actions rely primarily on public funding, in particular:
- The CAF (Family Allowance Fund) provided 55% as part of the «Prevention of Idleness and School Dropout» project,
- The ESF+ (European Social Fund Plus), which has been co-financing our initiatives on the prevention of idleness and school dropout since 2023.
- An initial operation 202303801 “Prevention of idleness and school dropout” subsidized for an amount of €56,000 from September 2023 to August 2024
- A second 202403098 operation, “Prevention and combating of early school leaving,” finalized and supported up to 154,260.81 from September 2024 to July 2025.
- A third operation 202503122 “Prevention and fight against school dropout” funded under an agreement for €428,702.38 from September 2025 to December 2027.
This grant is part of the national ESF+ Employment, Inclusion, Youth, and Skills program and helps co-finance a portion of the salaries of activity leaders and educators.
Lakou Bosco is a member of two networks:
- DON BOSCO ACTION SOCIALE (DBAS), national branch of socio-educational institutions applying the values and pedagogy of Don Bosco of the association of Don Bosco Houses
- FEDERATION OF LIVING SPACES AND SOCIAL CENTERS (FEVES) from Guadeloupe and Saint Martin, a local network in Guadeloupe and a member of the national network of the Federation of Social Centers of France (FSCF) applying the principles of popular education.
Join us
We firmly believe that it takes a village to raise a child. Together, let us build a better future for the youth and families of Guadeloupe.
To join us, contact us via the website« JEVEUXAIDER.GOUV.FR »
For more information, please feel free to contact us or follow our activities on social media: Youtube/@lakoubosco974 and Facebook/Lakou-Bosco
Support via the Don Bosco Foundation:
Supporting today's youth - Building tomorrow's Guadeloupe
Youth in Guadeloupe, become a sponsor to support the work of Lakou Bosco
