This is an orphanage that was found after crowdfunding for Covid relief during the pandemic. Our chickens farms were not allowed to sell in Abidjan with the shutdown so we did a GoFundMe to purchase the chickens and then distribute them to surrounding orphanages.
This orphanage had literally run out of food the same day our team arrived. They were about to take the kids out to look for food when wee delivered rice and chicken.
Since then, we have donated rice and food to them periodically. Unfortunately, to receive state funding they need to have a certain number of directors and positions of which they couldn’t pay the salaries so they are not recognized by the state.
This priest here is the founder. The story of how this began is a woman came to him to receive healing for a mentally ill child. He went with the woman to a local healer. He found out that the ‘healer’ was going to give them drugs to kill the child but because the priest was present instead told them he couldn’t help them. That night the priest had a dream where the child came to him and told him to help him. The priest didn’t understand the dream but the next day the woman went off in search of another healer and returned 2 days later with no baby. The priest then understood that the woman had disposed of the child.
In this region, we are not sure how far these traditions extend. Children born incorrectly are taken by the families and killed. They are deemed to be cursed. For example if a baby come feet first instead of head first, if it’s two top teeth come before it’s bottom teeth, if a mother dies in childbirth, if the mother is crazy, etc. these mean the child is not respectful and is often killed.
All the children in this orphanage were saved from the punishment of death and brought here. Because of the taboo of raising these children, they are not allowed to play outside in the village so they study most of the day.
The priest created this “Center for Transitioning Youth.” These children are so smart! And talented. Back last year we started an Art initiative as an extenstion to the STEM method taught in some schools. We had paint supplies brought in and the children created visual art pieces. One boy displayed significant gifts. With the help of one of our micro finance loan success stories (a local T-Shirt Printer) we printed T-shirt’s with his artwork for the whole orphanage! This gave the boy great pride and he presented the team with another piece of art. You may notice the boys arm. He was extracted from a tapioca machine when he was an infant which is why his arm is deformed.
We are grateful to be in association with this orphanage and hope to continue to support them as we can.
