Ousmane has been stateless all his life. His family \u2014 who were from Burkina Faso \u2014 were living in C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire at the time of his birth \u2014 a birth, however, that was not registered. Abducted from his family when he was 6 years old to work on cocoa plantations, he has lost all ties with his parents and is unable to establish their identity. As a result, the authorities of neither C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire nor Burkina Faso recognized him as a national of their country.<\/p>\n
Being stateless has put Ousmane in a position of extreme vulnerability. \u201cI work in the fields to survive because I do not have a choice. I would have liked to be a driver. But because I do not have papers, no one will hire me\u2026 When you do not have papers, you cannot do anything. I hope to have a better life, be like my friends, be happy; be like everyone else. \u201d<\/p>\n