10 March 2014 - International Women's Day was marked on 8th March by SRSG's visit to Bethel orphanage, in Bissau, where he made a personal donation worth 2,63 million francs CFA (USD 5,000.00), as well as by a ceremony at the Government Palace, attended by the UN family.

On the occasion of the International Women's Day last Saturday, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Guinea-Bissau, José Ramos-Horta, visited Bor, around Bissau, home of 42 children without families, created four years ago by a Christian missionary, the afro-brazilian Francisca Conceição, a self-proclaimed slaves' descendant who said she came back to the land of her ancestors to take care of the most underprivileged and the poor with the pension she receives.

The Head of the UN in Guinea-Bissau and Peace Nobel Prize laureate made an appeal to support this orphanage - phone +2456852864 - where babies and children up to 14 years old are welcomed and also attend a private school.

In this orphanage, the youth who are accommodated in rooms and taken care of by a dozen of workers, who are also in charge for their food and clothing.

Without permanent donors, she receives regular support from International Partnership for Human Development and, recently, a clothing donation from UNICEF.
Educate, train and send back these youth to the society are the main objectives of the orphanage.

On the other hand, the UN family was present at the lobby of the Government Palace during a ceremony in the presence of the Minister of Women, Family and Social Solidarity, among other personalities. On this occasion, the former Speaker, Jorge Malu, made a presentation on the theme, "Women in Politics, at the Parliament, for Governance and in Diplomacy", moderated by Francisca Vaz.