Profiles
Sentinelles is, above all, about the people we meet: those who work alongside us, those whom our teams support every day, and those with whom we join forces to maximize our impact. These encounters, collaborations, and acts of solidarity are the true wealth that guides Sentinelles’ mission.
Marie
“I am a widow. I was living in a house that would one day fall on my head. With the arrival of Riverkeeper, I started to have a glimmer of hope. I was given a business to work and live in peace. My concern was also to have a house. The Riverkeeper Foundation responded favourably by building a house for me out of planks. It was a dream for me, because I didn’t know that one day I would have a house where I could sleep away from all the bad weather.
Today I have just bought a rented field on which I will plant beans and maize. I can’t thank the Fondation Sentinelles enough for giving me the courage to fight for the well-being of my children. “
Marie
Maria
At 24 years old, Maria (alias) is the mother of three children, two of whom are girls aged 7 and 4, who were probably sexually assaulted. Powerless, she is violent to the older one. During the Family Meetings created by Sentinelles, she learns how to become responsible and provide a healthy family environment for her children.
Fatimata
“My name is Fatimata and I believe I am 45.”
Fatimata suffers from fistulas since complications during a delivery that turned into a caesarean and the loss of the baby. The most visible symptom is acute incontinence. She had been suffering from it for 5 years before being taken care of by Sentinelles.
Omar
Omar (alias) was born in 2013. He is fighting off noma. His severe anaemia deprives him of a necessary surgical procedure for now. At the Madoua care centre in Niger, he benefits from medical treatment to be cured of fistulas, of severe malnourishment and of a growth retardation. But what is striking about this little boy is his incredible lust for life and beyond normal resilience.
Diera
On March 3, 2013, Diera was attacked by a “dahalo”, a thug. She was only 19. Her family finds her, left for dead after more than ten axe blows to her face, her neck and her back. A long fight starts then to recover, physically and mentally, during which Diera shows unbelievable courage and dignity.
