Growing up safe and happy

Letter from former SOS children Marie Jacqueline, who expresses her feelings about growing up at the SOS Children's Village Kaolack, Senegal.

My name is Marie Jacqueline and I’m 27 years Old. I’ve been to SOS when I was about 9 months old and I don’t remember much when I first arrived. My Mum has told me I was the baby girl of the house. In my house there were 3 brothers and 5 sisters. At the age of 3, I went to nursery school as did other SOS children it is inside the village.

Our village is in the country side (KAOLACK). Once I’ve started the primary school, I’ve always wanted to succeed and become someone helpful in society. In SOS my family (brothers and sisters, uncles and aunties) have always been there for me.

In the village, we never did without things such as shoes, clothes, food and any other things. I can tell you in SOS, there is no discrimination, moreover with Mum love, and care and protection were priorities. Later in life I started realising that those brothers and sisters are not my biological family. SOS is just a wonderful place to live, to feel at home safe and happy. I have an exemplary and an angel mother SOKHNA MBAYE “my dearest mum I love you”. Also I love my brothers and Sisters who I keep in touch with no matter where I’m in this World.

I started my University and it is one of the best SOS could sent me to do my Bachelor Degree. After my degree I worked for that University as a responsible in Marketing and started travelling around Africa by making some advertisements for the University. Today I’m in the UK because of SOS who gave me the chance to study a Master degree in Finance. Now I would like to do another Master degree in the UK in the Child Welfare Society and work later in life with SOS, run a business and employ SOS children.

Thanks to those who help in many ways SOS because your care is not wasted.

Thanks to SOS Senegal, SOS UK which I appreciate their staff a lot with all help given to me at all times.

Yours faithfully
Marie Jacqueline

SOS Children has supported nearly 29,000 children and families in Senegal during 2007 including over 400 children at the SOS Children's Villages located at Dakar, Kaolack, Louga and Ziguinchor.

To enable children like Marie to become independent you can sponsor a child in Senegal.