04/10/2003

This young Ivoirian boy is named Bonaventure, which means “Good adventure.” His wonderful name seems sadly ironic considering his latest travels were fleeing fighting in eastern Liberia and western Côte d'Ivoire. RI interviewed his father before the attacks in Toe Town. The family fled Côte d'Ivoire in December and had been living in the Toe Town transit center for several weeks. However, they were afraid to continue taking refuge in eastern Liberia. Bonaventure's father said, “I have seen kids here who are no more than 9 years old with guns. There is no security in this camp – I do not allow my kids and family to go outside the transit center. I want to leave. I am so afraid. Sometimes we have had to flee the camp in the night to sleep in the forest and only return in the morning.”