This Wednesday, September 2nd, at 2 p.m., a distribution of school supplies for families in need took place. A distribution organized by the Communist Party of Alpes-Maritimes, along with the Réseau Education Sans Frontière, Habitat et Citoyenneté, and Tous Citoyens Associations.
This afternoon, a queue was formed at the end of Balatchano Street, located in the Port district in Nice. And for good reason, a distribution of school supplies was taking place. This distribution, organized for the past three years by the Communist Party, in collaboration with various Associations, allows families in great difficulty to equip their children for the school year.
A difficult start
For some, the start of the school year means a reunion with friends, but for others, it is worrisome. Many families lack the means and are having great difficulty buying the necessary supplies for their children. Here at the distribution, a mother of two children attending CP and CE2 explains to us that September is very challenging financially for her. “I am alone in taking care of my children. I am currently undocumented, so I don’t receive any benefits. Therefore, paying for back-to-school expenses is difficult. Generally, I spend 200 euros. I make sure to buy the cheapest items, and whatever I couldn’t buy, I came to collect here.”
An effort to raise awareness
It is to support these families that the PCF and these Associations organize these distributions. This year, 290 school kits have been collected, 50 kits for preschoolers, 80 for primary students, 80 for secondary students, and 80 for high schoolers. However, the organizers are wondering if they will be able to satisfy everyone. “Last year we accommodated 250 families; this year it’s uncertain. For the start of the school year, masks add extra costs to the budget. We are in a big crisis; families who managed to get by are now facing precarity and find themselves in need,” explains Cathie Lipsyc from the Tous Citoyens Association. Through their collections, the Nice Communist Party and the associations also aim to “raise public awareness about this situation,” adds Cathie Lipsyc.
A touch of good cheer
In a somewhat stressful atmosphere, two large sheets of paper and charcoal are set up in front of the PCF office. Yohann Léveillé, a cartoonist, is also contributing to this distribution by drawing with the children. “I came to help. Around the drawings, there’s more interaction with the children. These drawings are a bit like the story of this afternoon.”
