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| Ana as a teenager in the SOS Children's Village - Photo: SOS Archives |
Ana Victoria and her three brothers and sisters came to SOS Children's Village Los Jardines in the capital Santo Domingo with the help of a family friend. At that time Ana was eight years old. The friend spoke to Ana Victoria’s father and eventually convinced him that it would be best for his four children to grow up in the SOS Children's Village. They had lost their mother, and although their father did everything he could, he found it difficult to cope.
Difficult Transition
Initially, living in the SOS Children's Village was not easy for Ana. Although Ana and her brothers and sisters met their father every weekend, it was painful to be separated from him. "However, my SOS mother managed to win me over and my sadness disappeared." Ana also had to get used to the new house and to living with a total of ten 'brothers and sisters.' Ana tells us: "Our conflicts were normal, just like in any other family. What made us argue most," says Ana, laughing, "was how long each of us took in the bathroom, because there were so many of us."
Anna loved spending time with her siblings and studying. Later in her life this paid off when she obtained a degree in accounting.
Adulthood and Lessons Learned
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| Ana and her daughter - Photo: SOS Archives |
Today, Ana is 35 years old and married with a five-year-old daughter. She is well aware that there is a relationship between her life in the SOS Children's Village and the way she lives today. "Of course the SOS Children's Village influenced my relationships and my family life! In the SOS Children's Village I learned so much that I can pass on to my own daughter now that I have a family of my own, such as the values that have left an impression on me."
Ana tells us that the village director "treated us like his own children. He was a great person and an example to us". Ana describes her SOS mother as loving and caring, and adds: "She taught us many things which I now know and appreciate."
Ana Victoria summarizes her life in the SOS Children's Village: "My life in the SOS Children's Village was an experience I wouldn’t change for anything in the world. It was wonderful, and if I had to repeat it, I definitely would."