Konssaddougou village is situated nearly 400 kilometres off Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory Coast which is also called the Paris of Africa.

The signboard of the school says in French "School of Peace" and "Established by Bangladesh Battalion-4".

The Bangladeshi troops under the UN Peace Keeping Mission have set up the school and therefore the villagers call it Bangladesh School.

A camp of Bangladesh battalion 4 (Banbat-4) is situated near the school. Though this village is located 400km off "Africa's Paris", conditions prevailing here are completely opposite.

The poverty-stricken village has no electricity and water supplies, and one has to drive through remote jungles to arrive at it.

Ivory Coast has malarial mosquito infestation and chances of getting malaria in this village stand very high. Besides, there is infestation of poisonous snakes. In such a hostile environment, the Bangladesh troops are carrying out UN duties for the last two and a half years.

Currently, 40 army personnel are posted in this camp. Despite high risks, the troops were not given prefab residential facilities. They sleep in tents, and bring drinking water from a town called Doukro, which is 120km away, once a week.

Water supply is perpetually inadequate here. For use in other work, they have the option to bring water from an area called Prikro, 27km away.

To contact relatives in Bangladesh the troops have to go to Doukro camp, located 120km away. They make this visit in turns. Therefore one cannot avail the opportunity to call their dear ones more than once a month.

There are a few more camps of Bangladeshi troops in such remote locations.

In addition to such hostile settings, the troops are facing the challenge to restore peace in this country. This village came under rebel attack a few years back during a civil war.

Located near a region that is controlled by the rebels, Konssaddougou and its adjacent villages are considered highly risky. Consequently, working for peace in this area is a big challenge.

Amid such a challenge the Banbat-4 is trying to spread the light of education in this isolated and backward village by setting up a primary school early last year. This has created the access to education for several thousand people in this village and its adjacent ones.

In the past, only a handful of the villagers used to send their children to schools in far off places where they had relatives.

"Before setting up the school, the families had to send their children in other villages where primary education was available. But it was very difficult for us," said San Kamenao, spokesman for Konssaddougou village chief Kouame Komenan.

"Setting up the school here has not only benefited this village but also the nation as a whole," he added.

A Bangladeshi army delegation along with some journalists led by Brigadier General Rafiqul Islam made a visit to this school on July 13.

The delegates were accorded a warm reception by both the villagers and the students. Standing in rows at the entry, the students chanted Ivory Coast's national anthem and then assembled in front of the school to chant the national anthem of Bangladesh.

The flags of the UN, Ivory Coast and Bangladesh were hoisted in front of the school.

Presently 95 children of the Konssaddougou village study at this school. The locals and the Bangladeshi troops are trying to get children enrolled from other villages around.

These children previously used to work at different farms without access to education. But they are now being motivated to enrol.

The school has two teachers. One of them -- Kouassi Yao Nouho -- said, "It was very necessary to create this school because children of this village did not have any scope of education before setting up of this school over a year ago." He added that before this, there was no initiative to set up a school there.

The teachers said the children are taught as per a standard primary education curriculum for class I-VI. After class VI, they will attend a school test to enrol at a secondary school. If they pass the test, they will have to go to some schools far away.

The Bangladesh army have provided furniture, books and writing books and other materials for the school from Bangladesh and Ivory Coast.

No financial help of the Ivory Coast government has so far reached this school.

"It's not possible for villagers to continue this school after the departure of the Bangladeshi contingent. So we've requested them to inform the government and ask aid for this school after their departure," said San Kamenao.

Banbat-4 Contingent Commander Lt Col Md Jahangir Talukder also noted that he was aware of such a request from the locality.

"We've already discussed the matter with the local public representative. They have said they will try their best to retain the school," he said, expressing hopes that the institution will exist with the help of the government in the future.