Vivre Ensemble la Pouponniere de Mbour (Senegal)

The Pouponnière is a temporary place of refuge to small babies without their mothers. It enables orphans who have lost their mothers or babies whose mothers are not fit to care for them (due to illness or other serious causes) to live protected during their first years when they are so vulnerable before returning to their families after a year or two.
The association develops fast and it becomes rapidly apparent that all the children cannot return to their homes (rejected by the family or poor living conditions). In 2003, there is a need to create « Family Units » to look after the children who are ready to leave the Pouponnière but cannot return back to their families.
After a few years the association becomes well known for its stability and reliability. The AEMO (Senegalese social services) begin to send numerous requests to take in and protect children in danger, often off the street, in order to help them return to a normal life and childhood. Family affections and links are encouraged especially when separation is the consequence of poverty. In the case of bad treatment or rejection from the family the children remain in the association on a long term basis. In this case and if circumstances permit, the child will be welcomed into a foster family whilst still being under the responsibility of the association and will remain a member of the association.
Our values :One of the fundamental values of Vivre Ensemble is to maintain, create or re-establish the link with the natural family. The final objective is to return the child to its original environment. For this reason all the personnel is Senegalese. The children live permanently in a traditional, linguistic and culinary Senegalese environment in order to avoid any cultural break.
The Pouponnière today (Februar 2016): - 135 children present at the moment
- More than 1300 childrens saved and welcomed since 2002.