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Abandoned Twins find a New home with SOS children’s Village Bissau

July 3, 2007

The love and care at SOS Children’s villages gives new chances to abandoned and orphan children. This is a story of the love and care that abandoned baby twins Silvano and Silvino received at SOS Children’s Village Bissau as their second welcome to the world.

Children in Guinea-Bissau are not only vulnerable because of poverty or HIV/AIDS; they also unfortunately face strong cultural practices which hold no consideration for their wellbeing. Silvano and Silvino are twins that were born into the community of Binar, which is located about 25 kilometres from Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau. They have experienced these strong cultural practices which were carried out with no ounce of love from their own remaining relatives; however today they are healthy, safe and loved by their SOS mother at their new home in SOS Children’s Village Bissau.

How culture can break up families

Life could not have started worse for Silvano and Silvino. Their mother died during child birth at their home and their father ran away upon her death, abandoning his own children. That is because in the Balanta ethnic group, which is the most represented ethnic group in Guinea-Bissau, it is common for the woman’s family to blame the husband for the death of their daughter. Thus, the twins’ father preferred to run away, and abandon his children, than live with and face the accusation of his in- laws. Parentless, the twins were considered a burden, and were left in God’s care, in a shaded spot behind the family house still covered in their birth’s blood and uncut umbilical cords.

Saving the twins

The slightest kindness the abandoned orphans received was that from their aunt, who was saddened with the situation. Unaware of what to do she grabbed the two newly born babies, and wandered aimlessly. She was eventually advised to bring the twins to SOS Children’s Village in Bissau.

Upon the aunts’ arrival at SOS Children’s Village Bissau with the orphaned baby children, SOS mothers, the mother counsellor and the nurse of the village responded promptly to this emergency situation. While the babies’ aunt explained the whole story in tears, two SOS mothers and the nurse took the babies to clean them from their birth blood and proceed to cut their umbilical cords. After medical checkups, one of the SOS mothers recalls, “They were really hungry, one of us quickly went to buy some baby powder milk to feed them.” All this genuine care was administered even when the director of the village was absent.

Following the procedure

The next day Antonio Albino, the village director set up a team to go and contact the local authorities and verify the story. Together with the social worker, the village nurse and one of the SOS mothers, they headed to Binar. And with the confirmation of the events by witnesses the team proceeded then to inform the regional court about the child abandonment case. With that, they started the regular procedure and necessary paper work to officially admit the abandoned orphan twins to SOS Children’s Village Bissau.

Receiving love and care

Today, the twins receive love and care from SOS mother Mariana. However the love for those incredibly blessed twins doesn’t end there; Silvano and Silvino receive daily visits from almost everyone in the village. These two little ones that were once left to die in the shade are now loved and cared for more than they could have ever wished because of the child loving atmosphere provided at SOS children’s Villages.

Topics: Africa, Child Abandonment, Case Study |