Problems for OVCs

Here are some interview responses of OVCs describing challenges in their past or present living situations:

Before coming to SOS Children’s Village: “The environment I was living in was not conducive at all, in most cases I was left with a baby to take care of while the mother disappeared for two weeks or so at a time. During such times I was missing classes, making it difficult to catch up with school work.” –Male, 14 years old

“At home I am not allocated enough time to study. I come late from school after 1700hrs, and sometimes I find the dishes dirty and no one preparing dinner, so it means that before I can do my schoolwork I have to do the dishes, prepare dinner and do other household chores.” –Male, 15 years old

“I wasn’t living well [before]. I was staying with my mother; she drinks alcohol and she would go and spend nights out at the bars. Many times various men would come home at night looking for my mother, and when they didn’t find her they would then abuse me sexually.” –Female, 14 years old

“I remember one time my father sent me out to the shops to buy some items, and it happened that I forgot what I was supposed to buy and bought the wrong items. When I got home my father was angry with me and he told me to pack my bags and leave his house.” He says his father was verbally but not quite physically abusive. –Male, 15  years old

Before SOS, “We were not going to school. There was no one to take care of us. I was always alone; my older siblings were only coming home late at night.” –Male, 15 years old