Before founding the Association “Le Sourire sucre les Larmes”, I have worked by myself for two and a half years for a cause that overwhelms me and which afflicts young chldren aged 3 months to 6 years and more in Burkina Faso.
This disease is called the Noma or Cancrom Oris. It is sadly also described as the “Visage of Poverty”.
During this period, I have been sending every two months and at my expense small packets of medecine and toys that charitable souls have offered for these children. Unfortunately I could only send two monthly parcels, and no heavier than 2 kg., postal costs being prohibitively expensive.
One parcel sent at “fast mail” rate did cost about 21 Euros.
One send an slow surface rate did cost about 10 Euros.
That is why I decided to create my Association to raise funds, to obtain your help.
But helas, on the 1st March 2006, postal tarifs more than doubled, even quadrupled. I am now obliged to send my medical supplies at “Africa Colissimo” rate, at the monstrous price of 36,53€.
The only compensation I get is the guarantee that the parcels will arrive at priority level, in approximately one week, and that I can send upto 7kg!
I still get the email confirmation that Dr. Zala receives the parcels.
So I do require your gifts because I will be able to send parcels more often.
For those who choose to make financial donations, these sums will go to paying the postal costs for these parcels. And now, with these postal rates, I need your help even more.
You must know that I give dated, signed receipts for all financial contributions. The Association (and I) are absolutely trustworthy and you must know that all the gifts and donations will be used only for this hospital and nothing else.
It is, by the way, one of the reasons that incite me to act by myself because I trust no one but me, and I know that my parcels do not “go missing” - in other words are appropriated by other causes that I have no control over, or are sold or stolen by people.
You must know straight away that what ever your gift, I will be truely grateful and thank you on their behalf from the bottom of my heart.
Presentation of the Association
“Le Sourire sucre les Larmes” is an non-lucrative French Association with a ’Loi 1901’ status. It was formed on 22 October 2003 and is registered with the French sous-Prefecture at Marmande in the Lot-et-Garonne department of South West France, under the number 4126.
Its three members are :
Jocelyne : President (lives at Grateloup)
Hervé : Treasurer (also)
Martine : Secretary (lives at Albi)
Its aims :
Humanitarian aid for the pediatric service of the Regional hospital of Ouahigouya (Burkina Faso) by purchasing and collecting medecines (not pas expiration dates), baby milks, small medical supplies, clothes etc. and generally by purchasing and collecting all things necessay to an under-nourrished and impoverished population in Burkina Faso.
* See our contact details
I am occasionally asked why I gave this name to the Association?
And I would like to explain:
There is nothing more beautiful on Earth that the smile of a child when he/she is happy! But the children who suffer from the Noma no longer smile. The “sugar” is the expression of my parcels of gifts and medical supplies and the “tears” symbolise the suffering of these children. Our “Sugar” drys their “tears” and makes them smile again - even if this happiness can only be seen in their eyes…
