Mens e Corpore sani at the pouponnière di Ayamé
The project “Mens et corpore sani at the Ayamé Pouponnière”, largely funded by the 8×1000 contribution of the Waldensian Church, aims to improve the standards of care for newborns orphaned of their mothers, who, with an average of 13 per year, are entrusted to the facility by the Ministry of Family of Côte d’Ivoire.
Maternal mortality during childbirth in Côte d’Ivoire has risen alarmingly in recent years, and following the honor received in 2021 from the Presidency of the Ivorian Republic as the “Best Ivorian Institute for Child Protection and Reintegration”, newborns affected by congenital or pregnancy-acquired conditions and/or complications from pathological labor that require a specific approach are often redirected to the pouponnière.
The objective of the project is to achieve the psychological and physical well-being of the newborns upon arrival at the pouponnière through:
Improvement of the quality of care, attention, and nutrition
Enhancement of healthcare during their first months of life
The project includes the addition of two further childcare assistants (the “tantie”), supported part-time by a nutritionist, to monitor the growth of the newborns, ensuring them the necessary tactile and vocal contact, a constant physical and emotional bond that is crucial during this early period for proper neuropsychological development, a fundamental prerequisite for their future physical and psychological well-being.
The experienced nutritionist monitors the infants’ growth and adjusts their diet based on the results.
This part of the project also finances the purchase of high-quality powdered milk for the newborns, as well as part of the hygiene supplies, such as diapers and cleaning products.
The second objective, “good health,” is overseen by a senior local pediatrician, also part-time, assisted by volunteer doctors from the Pediatric Specialty School of the University of Pavia during periodic bimonthly missions.
These resources ensure the proper administration of routine care, such as vaccinations and screenings, as well as the care required in case of illness or hospitalization. They also provide continuous training for the pouponnière staff on basic hygiene procedures and on measures to adopt in cases of contagious diseases, epidemics, and health emergencies.
We thank the Waldensian Church for its long-standing support of the Agency’s childhood projects, from 2018 to 2024 with “Bien Rentré au Foyer” and from 2024 with this new initiative dedicated to newborns, which has also been confirmed for 2025.
