DE : Village d’enfants SOS de Socoura Mali A : Parrain de Amadou Yalcouye

Objet : lettre de bienvenue: Monsieur,

Nous venons d’être informé par le Bureau des parrainages de Viennes que vous avez décidée de parrainer Amadou Yalcouye. Nous vous remercions du fond du cœur, également au nom de notre Conseil d’Administration, de nos mamans SOS et bien sûr de tous nos enfants.

Votre contribution revêt une grande importance pour le travail de Village d’Enfants SOS International. Grâce à votre générosité, vous nous permettez d’assurer de votre filleul et de lui offrir une bonne formation, ce qui est très important pour nos enfants. Afin de vous tenir informe(é) de, nous vous adressons chaque été un compte rendu détaillé de son évolution. Vous recevrez en outre à Noel un compte rendu des événements survenus au Village ainsi qu’une carte de vœux et une photographie récente de votre filleul.

Je vous remercie encore une fois de votre soutien et vous souhaite la bienvenue dans la famille SOS Internationale.

Veuillez croire, cher Monsieur à l’assurance de nos sentiments dévoués.

Sévaré le 25 septembre 2003 Le Directeur/Père Moussa T. Coulibaly

Report on the SOS CHILDREN VILLAGE OF SOCOURA MOPTI

It is once again a pleasure for me to write to you to report on the information, activities and events that happend in the SOS Children Village of Socoura/Mopti during the year 2003.

First of all, I would like to thank you for your ever ending efforts in aid of the SOS Children Village of Socoura/Mopti…

As far as children are concerned two (2) of them left , reducing the total populaion from one hundred and twenty-one (121) to one hundred and nineteen (119) : Boys =60 and Girls =59. The two departures concern respectively a three year-old boy (3 yrs old) Djibril DIARRA on the request of his parents and a two-years old girl who died on August 18, 2003

In fact, the deceased girl was admitted in the village while she was affected by a viral disease in the latent state…. When the sickness was revealed, the small Diaminatou received various medical treatments within the village and then in a hospital in the capital cty ( Bamako)

Unfortunately, il spirite of this care, she died on the August 18th , 2003

However, the rest of the situation in the village is very satisfactory. Children are normally growing up and they are cared for affectionately by very committed SOS mothers and aunts. Thus, a lot of activities in various areas have been achieved.

This year again, during summer holidays, the older children in company of their comrades of the Village of Sanankoroba and with some French scouts returned to the village for planting trees (reforestation). It was in some way, theire contribution to the reforestation policy launched by the government of our country.

With the presence of foreign scouts, the project was called «  Mali Mixture ». In the program some skeches were presented with the childrens themselve as marionettes, both Malians and French. Drawing by childrens were collected and compiles in documents witch will be used as distraction by the other children in the village…

Like the others, our children went back to school on October 1st., 2003. Eleven (11) new children aged 6 to 7 were enrolled at primary school in the 1st Grade in a local school. Among the ancient pupils, many of them moved up to higher classes. Five (5) of them entered the Junior High School ( Lower Secondary School). They will meet new subjects like English, modern mathematics, Biology….

Class overcrowding is a major phenomenon in schools in our country due to the lack of facilities resulting in high teacher-pupils ratios. To compensate those, remedial courses are organized for the children by the pedagogical team composed of educators and contract teachers.

The kindergarten is still a mixing bay for SOS children and children from outside the village. At the beginning f the new school year 2003-2004, there is a total of one hundred and seventy-nine (179) children of whom thirty-four (34) SOS children’s taken in hand by seven (7) educators. Girls schooling is much encouraged.

As regards health, emphasis is on prevention to stop malaria. A sanitation and hygiene program of the village is set up (sweeping, cleaning, treatment of pits…). Everychild has got an impregnated mosquito net the mother spreads over the bed at the beginning of the night.

From January up to now, a lot of happy events occurred such as:

• The initial training of Mothers and Aunts of the new Village of Bobo-Djoulasso (Burkina-faso) in March and April 2003.
• The visit of French cyclists Servan and Alexandre from Nantes
• June 16 th, the International African Child Day was a great get- together- event of children at VESOS. The youngest from the kindergarten were very much appreciated in traditional dances performance. Slogans about Children’s Rights were posted up on the walls of family houses.
• The celebration of the “ SOS Day” on june 28 th
• The organization of “World Games for Peace” on September 28 during which children, mothers, staff and guests all signed the manifesto for peace….

Finally, to conclude, I would like to thank you, Dear Foster Mother/Father for your so much indispensable support for the survival of our SOS children…

Sévaré Novembre 10 th 2003 The National Director, The Director /Father Ibrahim BANE Moussa T. COULIBALY