After Lyon, Nice became the second city in France to open a solidarity grocery store for the benefit of students. This Wednesday, Agora-É celebrated its 1-year anniversary. Let’s revisit a vital issue for many students.
The anniversary of the Agora-É solidarity grocery store was celebrated this Wednesday in its 100m² premises (1), provided by the City Hall. The City has always supported the project alongside other partners (University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, other local authorities, student associations, social housing landlords…) to offer pleasant study conditions and a comfortable living environment to the 35,000 students in the azure city. A.N.D.E.S. (National Association for the Development of Solidarity Grocery Stores) is the 5th largest Food Aid network in France. For 11 years, it has promoted the model of solidarity grocery stores and supported their development and sustainable implementation. In Nice, the significant work of Face06 and its President, Jérôme Doyet, should also be noted.
In 2012, Agora-É helped 105 students. This reality speaks volumes about the increasingly concerning rise of student poverty. It is difficult for many to balance studies with part-time jobs. With rising living costs and tuition fees, the issue of food expenses inevitably comes up. Once rent, transportation, bills, insurance, and mobile phone are paid, there is little left for food. Even going to the university restaurant for 3€ per meal becomes complicated. Leisure and outings thus become secondary.
A student can spend a maximum of only 5 euros per month there, equaling around 50 euros at supermarket prices. Thanks to the Food Bank and the support of certain supermarkets, organizations can easily slash prices (90% cheaper than in major retail chains). After Nice, other solidarity grocery stores have already opened in Lille and Brest. Other cities are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks or months like Paris, Nantes, Angers, Reims, and Avignon. The OVE (National Observatory of Student Life) will launch its major survey “Students’ Living Conditions” (2) from March 18 to June 18 for 200,000 students in France to understand their needs and improve their living conditions.
