Child Sponsorship Background from Abidjan, Ivory Coast

SOS Children's Village Abobo-Gare, near Abidjan

SOS Children's Village Abobo Gare was built in a palm grove 15 km outside the former capital Abidjan. It has ten family houses and can take in up to 100 children. Is also has a village director's house, an administration building, an SOS Nursery School and an SOS Primary School, which are not only open to children from the SOS Children's Village, but also to children from the neighbourhood.

Both facilities are on the SOS Children's Village grounds, have eleven classrooms (three for the nursery schools, six for the primary school, two for visual teaching) and have a capacity for about 285 children. There is also a library, a canteen and an administration area in the school building.

In recent years, various building alterations were made to SOS Children's Village Abobo Gare; the village was made bigger and was renovated so that it could house more children. In addition to the two youth facilities, the caregivers have rented flats so that the young people have privacy to a certain extent and can prepare for an independent life under the careful supervision of the caregivers.

Other SOS Projects in Abobo-Gare

In the context of the afore-mentioned programme for people with AIDS and their families (children in particular) construction work on a social and medical centre has been under way since August 2004. The social centre is designed so as to be able to take in a total of 100 children from families in need. It can offer those from the neighbouring communities the opportunity to benefit from sex education and supports people who are affected by the disease and their families with food and medicine as well as financial aid to help them pay for their children to go to school or to make payments on time. The medical centre provides medical care and medicine to those affected.

Background to Abidjan

Abidjan is the former capital city of Ivory Coast.  It is still the largest city in the country.  With a population of over five million people, it is the most populated city in French-speaking Western Africa.  Whilst not officially the capital, it is considered the de facto capital by many, as it is both the commercial and banking centre of the Ivory Coast. Abidjan is located in Southern Ivory Coast on the Ébrié Lagoon. 

A decaying infrastructure has been an issue in the city.  Pollution is particularly bad, as epitomised by a poisoning of over 10,000 due to toxic waste in 2006. Petty crime is a significant issue in the city, burglaries are common and petty theft occurs throughout the city.  Urban migration, an increase in weapons and an increase of refugees have all been cited as reasons for this.  Armed gangs are a growing problem in the city.