Guinea – DCD, DEA - Early Life of Joseph Samoura Joseph Samoura Conakry, Guinea, West Africa March 10, 2021
I was born and raised in the northern part of Sierra Leone, West Africa. During the civil war (1991 – 2002), my parents and older brother were killed and burned in my home. I was out playing with friends when rebels attacked our village. There was no way for me to return home or see my parents any more. With that situation I was rescued by an old man who managed to escape with me. We took a bush road to another village where we stayed for almost a year. That village was also attacked by rebels where they killed many people. We escaped and later managed to cross over to Guinea. MY LIFE IN GUINEA I was living with this old man in Conakry the capital of Guinea. After a year, the old man became seriously sick with 1
so much pain due to the suffering he went through during the war in Sierra Leone. He later died in a nearby hospital. After the death of this old man, life became more difficult for me and I was obliged to jump on the street again sleeping in an unfinished building and eating waste and leftover food from people. I was later rescued by another man who took me home and introduced me to his family where I lived for few years. REASON TO START THE DCD FOUNDATION (DESTINY CENTER FOR DESTITUTE) During my life on the streets in Guinea and later rescued by a man who took me home to his family, I was going around to meet some of the chldren who were also living on the streets and eating waste and leftover food and sharing my story. To hear their stories was very sad. Some of these childrens’ parents also managed to cross over to Guinea during the civil war in Sierra Leone and Liberia. They finally decided to stay and start a new life in Guinea after loosing their families and properties in Sierra Leone and Liberia. I decided to become their best friend and bring them together. Upon that basis, I decided to start the DCD Foundation to find ways and means to transform the lives of these vulnerable / destitute children as they have no hope in their lives. Most of these childrens’ parents fled from Sierra Leone and Liberia and finally decided to settle their lives in Guinea where some of them are facing persecution. Some of these women were fortunate to marry Guinean men. When their husband or love ones dies they end up facing another persecution from the husband’s family as foreigners and later are asked to leave the home. Many of these women end up with their children on the street begging and seeking domestic work to survive.
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I’m praying and wishing as Founder of the DCD Foundation to meet people who will be touched and come to our aid to transform the lives of these children for a better future. ABOUT THE DCD FOUNDATION The Destiny Center for Destitute Foundation (DCD) is working since 2014 with an authorization from the Guinea Government. It is a non-profit foundation which is primarily focused on improving the lives of destitute children by reducing suffering, especially by social reform through humanitarian work. The foundation aims to work in the fields of orphanage, schools, and skill training centers. VISION Identify destitute children who need aid in Conakry of Guinea, with an openness to expand to other areas. Initiate and develop general humanitarian assistance to destitute children in collaboration with the competent authorities in place. Provide education for destitute children. Put in place a home for the protection and assistance for orphans and semi-orphans. Put in place facilities to help or intervene in desperate cases. Reduce the high percentage of juvenile school dropouts.
MISSION We direct resources to strengthen the capacity of destitute children to better meet the needs of their community, so that the children who are victims of situations and circumstances they did not create, are well prepared for a promising future.
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PROBLEM The problem of orphans and street children has become acute due to the rapid urbanization of Conakry. There are thousands of homeless children living on the streets. Many specific reasons and realities exist that cause an increased number of orphans and street children. Some of the reasons are: internal conflicts, rebel wars in neighboring countries, HIV/AIDS, ebola, imprisonment of fathers and/or mothers without a trial, re-marriage of deserted /widowed /divorced women, and unwanted pregnancy of sexually exploited girls. The culture dictates that a widow, who is left without help, is obliged to remarry to a brother of the late husband. It is not always obvious that her children will get support from that brother who may have already more wives and children. Also, many of the refugees from neighboring countries do not have family around. These orphans and street children are left without care and support. Orphans and vulnerable children are always confronted with immense psychological and social problems. Considering the harmonious development of the society we should be taking care of the concerned children. Therefore, we envisage supporting these children by providing education, care and protection. Presently we are facing a great challenge in paying the monthly rent for the school building, payment of teachers and food for the children. These are the main challenges we are facing now.
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DCD FOUNDATION PHOTOS
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