Rosalie Dosso, Cote d’Ivoire "I am 32 years old. I am single with three children"

"My name is Rosalie Dosso. I am 32 years old. I am single with three children. I went to school but not so far, and when I dropped out I decided to start a small business to feed myself, and now my children. The father of my children visits once in a while and gives me some support but very little.

"Before I moved to this place, I was living in an illegal shantytown from which I, along with other residents, was ordered to leave by the company that owned the piece of land because they wanted to build on it. That is when I moved to this place. I built this house by myself in 1997.

"I started selling garri [cassava grains]. Through this I saved about 10,000 cfa [US $17] and started a small business in front of my house; here I sell sweets, beer, cigarettes and water. I manage a profit of about 1,000 cfa [US $1.7] a day.

"But to purchase the crates of beer I had to borrow extra money from a friend. She lent me 15,000 cfa [$26]. My customers are mainly the workers and builders in the area I live. I also sell local brews.

"I have never asked for assistance from any humanitarian organisation or NGO. You see, it is commonly known that they make you wait for a long time and in the end don't help you. That is what I think of humanitarian agencies and NGOs. Because of this I have not asked for assistance from them.

"I started selling these things [she gestures to her wares] and today, I can feed my children.

"I have heard much on the radio and television about the work of humanitarian relief agencies, but they have not changed my view of these agencies.

"I would like to save and open a proper shop with the profit I am getting from my small business. Yes. There is a lot of need for intervention in the health sector because medicines are expensive. I'm saying this because one of my children is asthmatic.

"If I were to ask for help from agencies or NGOs, I would ask them to provide quality food - things that we can eat, because good food is necessary for good health."

Links: 
IRIN In-Depth Cote d'Ivoire