Our Children
Victoire
Treatment of undernutrition
Since she was born, Victoire was fed with artificial milk and porridge. In fact, her mother was ill and was receiving a treatment that was not compatible with breastfeeding. She unfortunately passed away in April 2021. Since then, Victoire and her 8 year old brother have been cared for by their grandmother. She currently has very little means to feed them. All of her savings have been spent on her daughter’s medical treatments and the purchase of artificial milk.
Koffi Israël
Preventing the risk of undernutrition
Koffi Israël was born with a small weight of 2.8 kg. The delivery was done at home due to lack of financial means. Currently, he is not in a situation of undernutrition, but is at risk of being so, as his mom does not produce enough milk. His dad is a teacher, but due to Covid, his school has closed, and he is now unemployed. We are supporting the family with a donation of artificial milk every week, and our midwife also regularly meets with Koffi’s mom to help her stimulate her lactation.
Kokou Israël
Severe undernutrition
Kokou Israël lives with his parents. His mom used to be a retailer, but she is currently unemployed. His dad is employed in a factory that manufactures organic plastic bags. In his first days of life, Kokou was admitted to the hospital of Tsévié for a neonatal infection. Since birth, his mom has not produced enough milk to breastfeed him, and he is now in a situation of severe undernutrition. When we first met him, at 9 months, he weighed 4.6 kg.
Alice
Acute undernutrition
We met Alice following the death of her parents. At the time, she was suffering from malaria. Her grandmother, who has been taking care of Alice, is a farmer and has very little income. At the beginning of her care (we estimate that Alice was between 12 and 15 months old), she weighed 5.11 kg and was 61 cm tall. Graines d’Espoir is now supporting her through a monthly food supply and regular check-ups at the center.
Kodjo
Treatment of undernutrition
Unfortunately, it is a sad event that lead us to meet Kodjo. His mom passed away three months after his birth. Kodjo was brought to our center by his two aunts, who are now taking care of him. When we first met him, at 4 months old, he weighed 4.13 kg. Graines d’Espoir is now supporting him through the donation of artificial milk and medical care in our center.
Afi
Treatment of undernutrition
When we met Afi, at 6 weeks old, we were alarmed by her weight, which was the same as when she was born (2.3 kg). In fact, her mom has little breast milk, and Afi has difficulty breastfeeding. She gets out of breath very quickly. We are now supporting her through the donation of artificial milk and medical care in our center.
Justin & Justine
Preventing the risk of malnutrition
Justin and Justine are twins born prematurely at 36 weeks. At birth, Justin weighed 1.96 kg and Justine 2.3 kg. Unfortunately, their mom died after delivery and their dad has little means to provide for the children. After being hospitalized at the hospital of Tsévié for a few days, they were referred to us for further medical and nutritional care.
Kokou
Pediatric oncology treatment
Kokou suffers from a probable rhabdomyosarcoma, the most prevalent soft tissue cancer in children. Since February, we have been financing Kokou’s hospital stay as well as all the medical examinations necessary to his care. We are currently awaiting confirmation of the final diagnosis, as a biopsy was not possible to perform due to the location of the cancer just behind the eye.
Viviane
Respiratory problems and undernutrition
Since birth, Viviane has had respiratory and deglutition problems. She is suffering from severe undernutrition (5.7 kg at the age of 14 months). To this day, she can only drink liquids and cannot eat solids. She has significant psychomotor deficits and has malformations in both feet (talus valgus feet). She also has a large umbilical hernia.
Grâce
Severe undernutrition
Grâce is suffering from severe undernutrition. When we first met her, at 5 weeks old, she weighed 2.76 kg. At the examination, we noticed her extreme thinness and apparent dehydration, marked by dry and wrinkled skin, and dull and frizzy hair. In fact, she has trouble breastfeeding properly. We are now supporting Grâce through the donation of artificial milk, and regular check-ups at our center, so that she can come out of her state of undernutrition.
Mawuli
Severe undernutrition
Mawuli suffers from an important psychomotor deficit. He doesn’t hold his head on his own, he is not able to sit up, and he doesn’t walk. This is due to his state of severe undernutrition. In order to support Mawuli and his family, we are financing a monthly food supply. We are also helping his mother set up her own business. The goal is for her to become self-sufficient in providing for her family.
Hope
Visual impairment support
Hope suffers from cerebral edema and hydrocephalus. A surgical drainage seemed to be indicated to avoid the risk of intellectual and mobility impairments (a consequence of hydrocephalus). However, we have been advised against it. The cerebral edema is indeed stable and the major consequence, which is Hope’s blindness, is unfortunately already irreversible. We are now supporting her with Braille classes, so that she can receive an education adapted to her handicap.
Debora
Treatment for epilepsy
Debora comes from a family of three. She was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2019. Since she was very little, she has had what we call “seizures”. These include unconsciousness, hypothermia, sweating, urination and eye twitching. She is now following a treatment called “Lamictal”. As the family has very limited income, we finance her treatment as well as the tests required by her pathology.
Akouvi
Extreme undernutrition
We met Akouvi at her home during a vaccination visit. She was abandoned by her mother just a few months after birth, and as a result no longer has access to breast milk. Akouvi now suffers from extreme undernutrition. When we first met her, at 10 months old, we weighed 2.9 kg. Her dad, grandmother and aunt are now looking after her. However, the dad is unemployed and the family has very limited income.
Akou
Treatment of extreme undernutrition
Akou was born with a neonatal infection. When we met her in April 2020, at the age of 13 months old, she weighed 4.5 kg and was 62 cm tall, which placed her in a situation of extreme undernutrition. Before she was treated by Brigitte, our midwife, her mother used to breastfeed her and give her porridge bought on the side of the road, but this was not enough for little Akou.
Ami
Treatment of extreme undernutrition
Our little Ami was born to an alcoholic mother, with a birth weight of 2 kg. Her intrauterine growth delay was caused by alcohol during pregnancy. Her mother did not have enough breast milk, so she supplemented with porridge. This was not suitable for her nutritional need. In addition, due to lack of hygiene care, Ami was covered with fungus when we met her for the first time.
Geremie
Monthly food supplies and Braille classes
Geremie’s father died in December 2018. His mother is alone to take care of her 4 children. She cultivates a small plot of land to be able to survive, but this is not enough to provide for her children. Geremie and his brother Emmanuel both have had congenital glaucoma since birth, for which we are financing their ophthalmic treatments. We also provide Braille classes for Geremie, so he can have access to an education adapted to his disability.
Emmanuel
Monthly food supplies and Braille classes
Emmanuel’s father died in December 2018 in a motorcycle accident. His mother is alone to take care of her 4 children. She cultivates a small plot of land to be able to survive, but this is not enough to provide for her children and to ensure that they have enough food. Emmanuel and his brother Geremie are both visually impaired. They have had congenital glaucoma since birth.
Two options to support the children
Monthly sponsorship
Your monthly support allows us to plan for the long term and to act quickly in case of an emergency. You will receive regular updates on the children’s progress and on the center as a whole (including written reports, photos and videos).
One-time donation
Efficient and directly available to our teams, your one-time donation helps finance all of our activities. Thanks to your generosity, we can save lives, give hope and change the children’s future.
Contact us
70A Impasse de l’Amiradou
83190 Ollioules, France
+33 6 61 73 08 64
(English contact)