Fatu Fofana

Fatu is 16.  She was born in Liberia where her Father died due to illness.  When civil war broke out in Liberia Fatu’s mother managed to get the family to refuge in Guinea.  Fatu’s mother is old and weak but she occasionally does domestic work to earn a little money.  However, she is unable to feed, clothe and educate Fatu or provide proper accommodation for the family of six. The whole family lives in one single room.  Fatu and her sister are forced to go to the market after school and in the holidays to sell oranges and bananas to try and support the family. When they return home they are expected to cook for everyone. Sometimes they drop out of school for up to two weeks to try and earn money to pay their school fees.

“I like to read books in my spare time. I would like to become a doctor. My favourite subject is Science.”

Fatu:  Receiving assistance from FCRS has made our lives and that of our mother to change.  Our old and ill mother is no longer thinking about how to get uniforms and tuition for us.  From what we receive we are able to pay the rent and get some food.  There is a sense of surety in the home – before we were going to school late because we had to sell [in the market] at night.  But now that has changed and we are trying to pick up in our lessons.

CRS:  Fatu is bright, determined and [now that her attendance has improved] getting some good results.