One of the first things AFDI did was to make sure that Albertine’s children returned to education by providing books, school clothes and backpacks. While children’s education is free in Ivory Coast, parents still have to pay for and provide school equipment for their children to attend.
Then, AFDI supported Albertine with a grant to start up a small business. ‘I now sell clothing at the local market,’ she says. And it’s proving to be much more rewarding than selling attiéké.
‘I am so delighted about the help that AFDI has given me. It helps me forget about my sorrows. I thank God, that this year my troubles are gone.’
‘Now we are happy,’ adds Adeline. ‘We have everything that we want. Thanks to this support, we children can go to school.’
And Albertine no longer needs to seek support from others. ‘Whenever I have a need, I no longer visit people for loans, I can stand up for myself and find my own way.’