Case studies: former SOS child Abobo-Gare, Cote D'Ivoire

Serge was admitted to SOS Children's Village Abobo-Gare in 1975, after being picked up in the market where he was staying with his mother. Serge could no longer stay with her because she was extremely poor and had no house, no money and even no food. His mother had to beg for the whole day to be able to eat with her son. On the evening, she was obliged to find refuge in the hangars of the market where they could sleep.

Serge lived in the village until he was 18 years old, followed by four years in the SOS Youth Facility. He had his primary education at the SOS Primary School, Abobo-Gare. During the period of his secondary education, he specialized in catering. Today, at the age of thirty-five, he is one of the great managers who counts among the best in his area.

Serge is always nostalgic every time he remembers the moments spent in the village: "At that time, we were just a few. The village was still new and very beautiful. We were all brothers and sisters and we all knew each other. The ambiance in the family houses was exceptional, especially during Christmas, Easter and other feasts. We were really pampered and other children envied us. It was really very nice", he said.

Entrance into active life

Things were not very easy at all. Serge had to be realistic and optimistic in order to find his way: "The moment I left the village; I understood that it was time for me to stand on my own two feet. It was not easy at all because I suddenly felt alone. With the help of the village director, I got a job in a local company, but I think I was a bit irresponsible not to take it seriously and I lost it. The village director supported me again by giving me little money which helped me rent a small house where I stayed for two years".

"I found a new job six months after having lost the first. My first salary was 90,000 FRS CFA (around 140 Euros). This money represented several millions for me. I did not waste it in leisure activities and entertainment because I had an objective to achieve. I wanted to be a businessman and I knew that I would need a good start-up capital; this was why I saved part of it each month. I opened my first restaurant in 1998. But, it collapsed after two years because of mismanagement and I had to restart a year after", he said, while asking for a minute to answer a phone call.

In five years, Serge had succeeded in opening four restaurants in the town of Abidjan, with a total of about twenty workers. "The culinary arts have long been a passion for me. Every time that I saw my SOS mother doing the cooking, I often stayed with her to see how she mixed all the ingredients to make the best soup I have ever eaten", he said, smiling.

A lot of recognition

Serge is grateful and thinks that SOS Children's Village Abobo-Gare played a significant role in helping him become a successful businessman and a good head of the family. "The village sent me to school, fed me, dressed me and did everything to favour my success into active life." Through his past experience as "SOS boy", he realized the importance of sharing, love and responsibility. "I learnt not to quarrel with my fate, but to work hard in order to prove that everybody can have an honourable place in society, no matter his past and his social situation", he added.

Serge is married and father of two children. "I always ask my children to study hard and to cultivate the right attitude to hard work. I also remind them how lucky they are to have their biological parents alive and taking care of them", he said.

He doesn't consider himself as a rich person, but simply as somebody who succeeded in life.

His ambition is to create larger businesses in different sectors: "I have a good percentage increase per year in both income and turnover. I plan to set up other businesses next year, especially in import, computer or furniture factory".

Good relationships

Serge has very good relationships with the village staff. Very often, he goes to the village to greet the village director, the SOS mothers, the "SOS aunts (family helpers)" and also some of his small brothers and sisters. "It is an incomparable family. I spent my childhood here. Every time I want to speak truly to somebody I come here because my real parents and friends are here in the village."

"Regularly, I visit my former SOS mother who lives now in Agboville, (about 100 kilometres from Abidjan). She also visits me each time she is passing through Abidjan. My children love her and call her grandmother".

Serge is proud of having grown up in an SOS Children's Village: "I think it is a privilege for a child to grow up in a village because it is a very good place for the children. They are well cared for, well educated and they have all the love and affection that is needed for their growth. This is why most times, they all succeed in life", he said, while fixing a car, which was carrying one of the most famous singers of Côte d'Ivoire.

SOS Children has been working in The Ivory Coast since 1969. Today, SOS Children has two unique children's villages at Abobo Gare near the city of Abidjan, and at Aboisso, about 150kms from Abidjan. Two hundred children have a loving family at theses villages and over 4,500 children and their families from the local communities benefit from projects such as the SOS Medical Centre at Abobo-Gare

You can support children in the Ivory Coast by sponsoring a child.