In the eyes of Djeneba
Foster families are great people. We are fortunate to have over 350 families all over France who care for the child they take in as if it were their own. We invite you to follow the journey of a foster child through the story of Djeneba, a 3 and a half year old girl from Burkina Faso, and her host family, Nadia and Alexandre the parents, Jenna, Harrys and Heiman their children.

The arrival
Djeneba arrived at Marseille airport on Thursday, November 21, 2019, wrapped in the scarf of Claudine, her Aviation sans frontières courier. The first contact with her host family was fraught with emotion, but also fear... it's hard to suddenly find yourself surrounded by strangers in a country where everything is foreign to you! But her shyness was short-lived, as she was so curious about this new world.
Adaptation
As the days went by, Djeneba completely turned her host family's daily routine upside down, even reorganizing the tribe's little routines! It didn't take them long to catch on to Djeneba's liveliness and intelligence in understanding the world around her. With a touch of authority and a formidable temperament, the little girl quickly established herself as the head of the family. She made her little world laugh by introducing the obligation to give her a kiss before leaving the house, or to climb on the back of every newcomer.

Medical examinations
In the morning, Djeneba starts her day sitting up in bed and "spreads the sun on her face"! A ritual that seemed to work well in giving the little girl energy and good humor on a daily basis! A good mood that sometimes faded when it was time to go to the hospital for the many necessary medical examinations... but came back at full gallop when she got home!
The operation
Friday December 20 marked the first day of the rest of Djeneba's life. Doctors were preparing to close her ventricular septal defect, the small hole in her heart that was preventing her from living normally. After a morning spent watching cartoons, it was off to La Timone Hospital in Marseille to repair the little Burkinabe girl's heart. Soothed, Djeneba made her way down to the operating room, leaving her parents already eager to see her again. That evening, Dr. Fouilloux put an end to the interminable wait by announcing to Nadia and Alexandre that the results of the operation were very positive! Three days later, Djeneba was back home on the evening of December 24, just in time to celebrate Christmas and enjoy her greatest gift: a healthy heart!

Recovery
In great shape and very dynamic since her operation, spending her days in front of the television was out of the question! Djeneba took full advantage of the time spent with her host family to learn to count, recognize shapes and colors, learn a few French words, color without going overboard... and run! A perfectly natural action for a healthy child, but not for a child with a heart condition.
The start
Djeneba flew home to her family in Burkina Faso on February 4. Her mom and dad were delighted to find their little ray of sunshine totally transformed.
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