Le Refuge

Country: Côte d´Ivoire

Partner: NGO Sauvons2vies Abidjan - Côte d´Ivoire

Teenage pregnancy is a scourge in Côte d´Ivoire. Most of the time, it is seen as a dishonour and families drive the young future mothers out of the house. They are left with themselves and end up living in the streets.

NGO Sauvons2vies has been working with young pregnant girls for over 10 years. The organization takes care of their needs during the pregnancy and help them deliver their babies. Most of the time, the young mothers refuse to keep the baby as they have no money to take care of themselves. The baby is then brought to a local orphanage and the mother returns to the streets.

The NGO Sauvons2vies and AFLÉ Foundation have partnered to find a place, a shelter (Le Refuge) where these new mothers can stay in order to receive the appropriate medical and psychological support after the delivery.

Experience has shown that when these young mothers are supported after the delivery, they are less inclined to abandon their babies and to experience postpartum depression.