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In the eyes of Djeneba

25.03.2020 - Children - Host families

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.

Djeneba has been a big part of our lives. Every moment spent with her is a real joy. You should see her when one of us walks through the front door, she's so happy that no mouth can stay shut. No arm can avoid its impulse to carry her. She carries such a light, full of joy and sweetness.

Nadiafoster mother

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 prepares to rejoin her continent, her parents longing to hug her. For our part, we're also starting to prepare ourselves to make the separation 'less difficult'. We sometimes imagine the emptiness caused by her absence. The only thing that motivates and soothes us is her recovery. Meeting this child will have wreaked havoc in our lives and in our hearts.

Nadiafoster mother