The lakeside commune of Sô-Ava, located 25 km north of Cotonou, is home to approximately 180,000 people spread across 69 villages built on Lake Nokoué and along the Sô River. Most dwellings are built on stilts, and several villages are only accessible by canoe. Despite its tourism potential, Sô-Ava is among the three poorest communes in Benin. Its economy relies mainly on fishing and agriculture, with limited access to basic social infrastructure, particularly in education.

The local education system faces numerous challenges: overcrowded classrooms with more than 100 students, a lack of adequate infrastructure, a shortage of qualified teachers, and extreme household poverty. In 2017, only 60% of children in the area had access to school, but just 25% reached the primary school certificate (CEP), and only 5% went on to university. School dropouts remain frequent, mainly due to a lack of school supplies, demotivation, and poor long-term educational prospects.

In response to this situation, and in alignment with the Sô-Ava Communal Development Plan ("PDC"), a primary school block was established, consisting of 6 classrooms, an administrative office, a library, an educational play center, and a school transport service, to promote complementary, playful, and inclusive learning.

In 2024, a foundation, a first classroom, and an office were built to serve as the starting point for developing a secondary education cycle. This progress addresses a growing demand for access to quality secondary education in a commune with over 53,516 young people aged 15 and over (RGPH4). At this stage, additional funding is needed to complete the development of a fully functional secondary school within the same educational complex.