Hello,
My name is Isatu Sidibay and I am writing this letter to express my profound gratitude to all sponsors and the Desert Flower Foundation’s team for their generous support. Without your help, my little daughter Claudia could not go to school because I could not afford it.
Claudia is only five years old and is currently in the second class of nursery school in Freetown. She really enjoys attending school and shares with me her numerous adventures experienced there with her new friends every day. I am very glad that my daughter can learn and play with peers. Claudia was always a very active and cheerful child and now has a chance to let off some steam having fun with other children.
Unfortunately, I was too busy to play with her, because as a single mother of three children I was always occupied with earning money. Professionally, I am a petty trader and sell candies and other types of confectioneries. I do it at home, as I cannot afford a trading stall at the market. During the Ebola crisis I was barely earning enough to survive and it was a very difficult time for all of us here. My older brother had to support us financially. Otherwise we would be starving.
I have also two sons, but they are a bit older than Claudia and not always understand her needs. Fortunately, now she can give vent to her energy with other kids. My daughter is like our sunshine. She is a good girl and almost always has a smile on her face. The more I am happy that she will not be cut. And it is all thanks to your help! Thanks for your support and especially for clarification that we can finally stop practicing female genital mutilation here. I think this is a small step to make big changes in our society.
God bless you!
Isatu
