Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Karate Delivers

Karate Delivers at Maison de la Gare



Early in 2015 a karate program was established at Maison de la Gare for the talibes. A young karate
black belt volunteering with Maison de la Gare with his family perceived the advantages karate has to offer the talibe children. The discipline, structure, self-confidence, sense of belonging to something special and respect among practitioners that is integral to the sport, thirteen year old Robbie Hughes thought, could greatly influence the talibes in a positive way. And, self defence skills could be a real advantage for vulnerable children forced to beg on the streets of Saint Louis. Many dozens of gi's were transported from Canada. Robbie began teaching karate to the talibes, local senseis in Saint Louis were engaged to continue the program ongoing, and many of the Maison de la Gare talibes fell in love with karate, as described by Rowan Hughes, Robbie's sister, and talibe, Arouna Kande in an article for Global Giving earlier this year.

The morning karate class at Maison de la Gare
Karate is now taught at the Maison de la Gare centre four mornings a week by senseis of a local dojo, Sor-Karate, Saint Louis. An average of about 30 talibe karate students attend each class, which is divided into beginner and advanced sessions. All students proudly wear their white gi's and belts during class. Many more talibe sit on the side-lines, curious and perhaps imagining themselves in a clean, white gi as well. They, too will be welcomed into class when they demonstrate interest. Most of the dozen talibes Robbie had identified to be registered at the dojo last March have progressed impressively and will soon be testing for orange belts. Issmaila Balde, who assists instructing the Maison de la Gare morning karate classes and who is, himself, a "grand talibe"(old enough that he should be released from the daara but still trapped there, beholden to the marabout), has recently earned his green belt. These "dojo talibes" train at the dojo most nights each week. For some, karate has become a consuming passion, proving for these children to be all Robbie hoped it would be.

talibes training at Sor-Karate Saint Louis dojo

One little boy, Yaya, seems particularly devoted, attending Maison de la Gare karate classes nearly
Talibe Yaya
every day. He takes karate very seriously and learns quickly. Yaya always wears a purple dinosaur gi, and refuses to relinquish it despite the fact that it is clearly too small for him.  Yaya was recently promoted to the more advanced class. And, Issa Kouyate, the president of Maison de la Gare will speak to Yaya's marabout about permitting him to be registered at the dojo with the older boys. Several of the more dedicated children in the advance class have been identified for registration in the dojo.

Robbie with Samba, newly registered at Sor-Karate
Thirteen year old talibe, Samba was initially registered at the dojo, but dropped out after a few months. Apparently his heels were injured and he could not practice.  But, he is better now, and Samba has been re-registered at the dojo. Samba is proud of his new gi and keen to begin again and catch up to the other dojo talibes. Several of the Maison de la Gare "dojo talibe" kids have begun sparring and are ready for competition. However, equipment is lacking. At the dojo one pair of kumite gloves was shared among all. When on a follow up volunteer visit Robbie joined the "dojo talibes" in training and offered his gloves for use, the kids took advantage of having two full sets of gloves and a series of sparring matches ensued.  Donate through Canada Helps to register a talibe at the dojo for a year



The talibe karate kids have seen some of Robbie's karate Bo staff competitions on you.tube, and they also want to learn. Robbie and Mamadou found  broomsticks in the market serve fairly well as Bo staves, although they are a foot or two too short. Robbie's initial Bo lesson with Issmaila is a reminder of how eager and capable these kids are of learning quickly when they are motivated.



Talibes sanding their newly cut Bo staves
The morning following Issmaila's introduction to the Bo, after  karate classes, five kids asked Robbie to teach them Bo as well. It later was noted that several broom heads were lying discarded, stripped of their broom handles which are now being used as Bo's. It is also likely there is also a shovel head at Maison de la Gare now missing its handle. Mamadou discovered an alternative to broomsticks, and the talibe karate kids were soon at work, under Robbie's guidance, sanding and perfecting their new
Bo's. Issmaila is such a committed karate student, and such a fast learner, that he is now able (and very willing) to continue teaching the karate Bo lessons ongoing.
Issmaila, the student becomes the teacher

Karate is delivering astonishing benefits to many Maison de la Gare talibes. And, for a few, a true and abiding passion has been sparked. Who knows where it may take them.


Saturday, December 5, 2015

"A Day in the Life" of Maison de la Gare

"A Day in the Life" at Maison de la Gare


There is very little action at Maison de la Gare first thing in the morning. Lony Mame Diarra, the "house mother" prepares breakfast for the little talibe boys living in the dortoir d'urgence, Just Kalidou and Gorgui at the moment. Mamadou turns on the water and tends the garden. A neighbour notices the water is running and knocks on the still locked door, asking to fill his jug. He is invited in, as usual. Arouna organizes his books and bag for school.

the MDG Garden
Kalidou and Gorgui eventually rise and enjoy their breakfast. Then they kick the ball around, amusing themselves. After all, this is no daara where the talibes are sent out to beg for their breakfast as well as quotas of money with the sunrise.

By 10:00am Noel, the activities manager is positioned with his computer by the front door. He greets each talibe, recording his name and daara, as the boys begin to stream through the now open gate. Some entrust Noel with their begging bowls, little piles of coins collected during morning begging, and their few small treasures, so they can run off and play, hands free.

soccer, anytime...anywhere
Before long the library is full of kids asking Bashir, the librarian, to put on a movie. And, a lively soccer match is underway in the sandy open area. One strong kick injures the already battered bougainvillea. Another, the banana tree. Mamadou winces with the next near miss of his bananas.
Mamadou and his bananas
Then he shrugs and joins the game. Before long, the ball is gone, over the wall due to an over-enthusiastic kick. Someone small and light is launched up onto the roof of the classrooms. Then, he is over the wall. Back comes the soccer ball and the game resumes. A little later the boy has also made
his way back around through the front door again. Many children take advantage of the bank of showers and toilets. They watch  out for each other, passing filthy clothes out to each other to watch over as they bathe.

Children present themselves throughout the morning at the infirmary, arriving in ones and twos. Awa, the Maison de la Gare nurse, tends their wounds, eases their toothaches, examines and redresses their infections and generally spreads much needed TLC.
The MDG Infirmary

At about 11:00 karate begins. the MDG karate kids wait for the door to be opened to the room where the gi's are stored, then they put on their white uniforms and prepare for class. the class lasts a little over an hour, and is divided into beginner and advanced groups. Many more talibe sit watching the karate kids in action, possibly thinking about joining in someday themselves.

MDG Karate Kids

relaxing in the garden, the begging bowl by his side

As the sun rises higher in the African sky more and more kids make their way over to the
library or the garden. There they play, talk, or just lounge around, enjoying doing nothing in the shade.

After a few hours the kids head back out onto the street and the doors of Maison de la Gare close. The boys have begging quotas to fill. And, in many cases they will be expected back at the daara for a little bit of coranic instruction.

Later in the afternoon the gates of Maison de la Gare open once again. Kalidou and Gorgui have been fed and have enjoyed an afternoon nap. Mamadou probably has as well. Arouna returns from school. He has a break for a few hours, time to help out around Maison de la Gare. Arouna, a begging talibe himself until just last year, is an inspiration to so many of the kids. Some of the kids who visited in the morning come back
the talibes doing their laundry
in as their begging quotas have been filled and submitted to their marabouts. But, there is also a different crowd. French classes are taught in the afternoon, and the children who want to learn are gathering, waiting for the teachers to arrive. Games resume. The infirmary is back in action. More children head to the showers or wash their clothes. All the while, kids are keeping an eye out for the arrival of the teachers.

a karate gi, freshly washed

When Bouri, Aida and Abdou unlock the doors to their classrooms children begin to head over. Some of the older ones  who are studying with Bouri are hoping to learn enough to begin in the public school system sometime soon. These boys are eager and diligent. Some of the littlest ones need some encouragement to set aside the ball and head to class. But, many also see the opportunity for what it is and stream right on in.

Bouri with her students

A few kids, the "dojo talibes", bow out of class early and head to the Sor-Karate dojo to train. After class, as the night descends, a meal is handed out to each child. Then, after a bit more socializing, out they go, "Ba souba", "à demain", into the darkness, back to their daaras. Maison de la Gare is quiet once more.

Two Little Miracles

Two little Miracles

Kalidou and Gorgui playing soccer with Robbie

On our day of arrival we met Kalidou and Gorgui for the first time, two seemingly fragile and joyful little boys. Kalidou is 4 years old. He was sent to his daara at a very young age, and he has been regularly running away for nearly two years. He has a family, he offered to give one of his father's cows away. But, when sent home he is sent back to the daara or he runs away from there too. The police found Kalidou on the streets and brought him to Issa at Maison de la Gare.  Gorgui was taken from his daara by Issa Kouyate, the president of Maison de la Gare, last April when it was discovered that a serious injury caused by an embedded fish hook was infected on Gorgui's upper arm. The marabout had done nothing at all to care for the boy and the wound was festering and gangrene was beginning to set in. Now the two bright little boys are living temporarily in the dortoir d'urgence at Maison de la Gare. Lony Mama Diarra, a long term volunteer, lives in the house with Kalidou and Gorgui to care for them.

Kalidou and Robbie
Kalidou is so full of energy and life! He constantly tries to induce people to play with him. He is interested in everything. He is almost always smiling. It is impossible to keep him clean. Kalidou was interested in Robbie's Bo staff from the minute he saw it. On our second day Kalidou had found himself a Bo staff of his own, just the right length  and he asked Robbie to show him how to use it. Robbie has been giving him lessons, and Kalidou is catching on fast.  As soon as we appear at Maison de la Gare, morning or afternoon, the first thing I often hear is Kalidou calling to Robbie. Kalidou proudly wears his karate gi for the MDG karate lessons he has joined since Robbie's arrival on the scene. It is amazing to watch the little ball of energy quietly waiting in a karate stance, or focusing on his sensei's instruction.

Gorgui
Gorgui is a gentle, quieter type. His smile melts one's heart. He loves to play soccer, he is always ready for an impromptu match or some one-on-one. Since Gorgui has discovered our hand sanitizer he can't get enough. The perfume of it seems heavenly to him. Every few minutes he seems to ask for more by rubbing his hands together then holding them up to his nose and swooning with delight, looking to heaven. Our supply has dwindled much more quickly on this trip than is usual. I think I will give him the little bottle of perfume I found in my suitcase as a gift. It will blow Gorgui's mind and senses, for sure.

One night, when Robbie and I were at the dojo Sor-karate so Robbie could train with the dojo talibe kids, Gorgui and Kalidou were there also, watching. Mama Diarra was signing up for classes and they had tagged along. When we left in the pitch black it soon became apparent that we were being followed by Kalidou when he called out in the now familiar voice "Roby". When we took Kalidou back to the dojo he did not want to leave Robbie, so we brought both Kalidou and Gorgui with us to meet Dad for a late dinner, with Mama Diarra's permission.
Gorgui and Kalidou ordering dinner

We ate at la Linguere, seated near an open door. Soon several talibes children had gathered curiously watching Kalidou and Gorgui be served Coke, Fanta and large plates of chicken and rice. Throughout dinner both boys kept trying to share with the other talibes at the door. A boy from outside passed in a flimsy little plastic bag to Kalidou, who tried to pour half his Coke into the bag for him. Gorgui continuously tried to pass out morsels of chicken from his plate. Watching out for each other is so clearly ingrained in these little talibe boys. When we were leaving, Gorgui was distressed to see the food left on some plates. We obtained another bag filled it full of leftovers, and Kalidou took charge of the bag. Upon leaving the restaurant to meet Arouna who would escort the boys back to Maison de
Kalidou
la Gare, Kalidou stopped dead in his tracks. He saw a homeless man, clearly hungry. He walked over, looked up and reached way up to gently pass the man the bag of food. They looked at each other for a moment then Kalidou moved on as the man instantly and hungrily dug into the bag and began to eat. I felt as though I had witnessed a miracle, grace in motion. Awesome to observe. Little waifs who have nothing, sharing everything they have, and in such a spirit of kindness and acceptance.

Gorgui's arm now
Gorgui is thriving at Maison de la Gare.  But, his marabout's wife comes regularly to Maison de la Gare, as the marabout is demanding to take him back. I am almost happy that Gorgui's arm is taking such a long time to heal. One day soon, Issa may have no choice but to return him to the marabout. Kalidou's situation is also uncertain. Issa does not want to return him to his home just to have him runaway again or be sent back to the daara. But, one day soon Maison de la Gare will try to integrate Kalidou back into his life as best they can. Hopefully he and his family will reunite and he can grow up at home, with his brothers and sisters. And, Hopefully Maison de la Gare will continue to watch over both Kalidou and Gorgui wherever their lives lead next.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Karate Can Kick Poverty - Still in Action at Maison de la Gare


Last year my son, 13 year old Robbie Hughes had a vision for a karate program for the talibe children of Maison de la Gare. 8 months ago when my family visited Maison de la Gare that vision was implemented. We arrived with dozens of donated gis and Robbie began giving karate classes at Maison de la Gare. Before long each of the 70 gis we brought were in use as talibe children who live primarily on the streets and are forced to beg for hours each day discovered karate.


Robbie assisting at MDG karate class
At first it seemed incongruous. These kids have no discipline or structure in their lives. Their onlyauthority figure is an often abusive marabout who uses them as modern day slaves. But Robbie pointed out: "who needs the confidence, self-discipline, self-defence skills, and a sense of belonging to something important more than these kids?". Karate offers all these things, Robbie reminded me. Wisdom.


Karate is taught at the centre four mornings a week. One little boy, Yaya, seems particularly devoted,
Yaya
attending nearly every day. He takes karate very seriously and learns quickly. He always wears the purple dinosaur gi, and refuses to relinquish it despite the fact that it has clearly become too small for him. Today Yaya was promoted to the more advanced group. And, Issa, the president of Maison de la Gare will speak to Yaya's marabout about permitting him to be registered at the dojo.

The local dojo, Sor-Karate, Saint Louis that we found to partner with Maison de la Gare last March,
Maison de la Gare kids at the dojo
has kept the karate program at Maison de la Gare going. Most of the dozen talibes Robbie had identified to be registered at the dojo have progressed impressively and will soon be testing for orange belts. Ismaila, who assists instructing the Maison de la Gare morning karate classes will be

Robbie with Samba

testing for his green belt tonight. Robbie and I have been invited to attend the grading. Talibe, Samba was initially registered at the dojo, but dropped out after a few months. Apparently his heels were injured and he could not practice.  But, he is better now, and we have re-registered him at the dojo. Samba is proud of his new gi and keen to begin again and catch up to the other dojo talibes. Several of the Maison de la Gare kids have begun sparring and are ready for competition. However, equipment is lacking. At the dojo one pair of kumite gloves was shared among all. Robbie joined the open mat training last night and offered his gloves for use. The kids took advantage of having two full sets of gloves and a series of sparring matches ensued. Having watched many competitive sparring matches over the years, I was impressed.


The talibe kids have seen some of Robbie's bo competitions on you.tube, and they also want to learn. We found broomsticks in the market that will serve fairly well as bo staves, although they are a foot or two too short. Robbie is using these for training. His initial bo lesson with Ismaila reminded us


how eager and capable these kids are of learning quickly when they are motivated. This morning after karate classes five kids asked Robbie to teach them bo. I later noticed several broom heads lying discarded, stripped of their broom handles which are now being used as bos. I am fairly certain there is also a shovel head now missing its handle.Their class on the roof of the Dortoir d'Urgence proved, once again, how quickly these kids learn.


The dojo does not study weapons, but they also are keen to start. Master Ignate Ba has asked Robbie to teach him bo as well, so he can introduce it at the dojo. Robbie has his work cut out for him here. Fortunately, it is a labour of love.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Welcome Home to Maison de la Gare


Maison de la Gare

With each kilometer that passed on the road from Dakar to Saint Louis we settled more into the rhythm of this place. The desperate-to-earn-a-living roadside merchants swarming cars, hoping to sell sunglasses, phone credit, Kleenex, peanuts, t-shirts, toys, cookies, and pots and pans fell behind as we drove out of the city. They were replaced by stalls lining the roads, selling furniture, baskets, and household supplies, as we passed through the suburbs. Then speeding on surprisingly good roads through the African landscape of baobab forests and desert scrub populated by goats, donkeys, zebu, and the occasional person, each community we passed through was dedicated to selling a single product. One town offered meat. Aging carcasses lined the highway, displayed for sale. Another town seemed to be the car repair centre for the entire country. Many others sold melons. Pile after pile of watermelons lined the road, tended, it seemed, by all the females of the community. Who buys these thousands upon thousands of melons, we wonder. I have never witnessed more than one or two to change hands in commerce. In a different season it will be clementines. Or, pain de seinge.

Le Pont Faidherbe

After about four hours of driving, as salt began to mix with the sandy, heavy air, we spotted the palms of la Langue de Barbarie across the Senegal River. Then the half kilometer long Pont Faidherbe led us to the Island of Saint Louis once more.

After just enough time to unpack some gifts and organize the books for the library and the donated karate supplies that a made this trip with us, we were off to Maison de la Gare.

A joking group of talibes just being kids
As soon as we arrived at the alley leading to the Centre, I heard my name being called by about six familiar faces. Little, barefoot, filthy, delightful boys. Talibes. They each rushed forward for a proper hand clasp greeting.  Several repeated my name, wanting to ensure I knew that they know me. Their welcoming smiles grew bigger when i began to pass out candy and the group of six instantly, miraculously became a clamouring horde of twenty. When will I learn? Some of the original six shook their heads at me knowingly.

Upon entering the sanctuary of Maison de la Gare, all we saw were smiles and all we felt was welcome. Long time, once talibe friends, now staff of Maison de la Gare greeted us first with shy smiles and then warm embraces. Then a Maison de la Gare teacher, the mother of my Godchild approached and updated me on Mouhamed's progress. Kindergarten and a loving family - what all these talibe boys deserve and will never have.


The progress at the centre was encouraging. Mamadou has clearly been busy. The coconut trees have finally taken hold, no longer in danger of succumbing to stray soccer balls or wrestling children. The papayas have finally survived the season of wind/sandstorms to stand tall and bear fruit. The children attended class, played games, washed clothes, and read in the library. And, karate continues. Soulaymane proudly announced his imminent orange belt grading and the beginning of sparring competition. Robbie

Teacher, Bouri M'Bodj with talibe students



can't wait to start drilling him. And, Ismaila, who appeared at Maison de la Gare because of the karate has won a silver medal in competition! Maison de la Gare proudly safeguards his medal, a triumph for all the talibes. Samba, who had amazing potential and natural karate form has stopped practicing karate. I hope to uncover the reason why. But, he promised Robbie he will begin again tomorrow.

After a long and emotionally charged day, our hearts are full but our eyes are heavy. Back to the comfort of Maison Rose to unpack, organize the rest of our supplies, and check in with loved ones back home on-line. As I tuck in under my mosquito net, with family at my side and people watching out for me nearby, I cannot help but worry about where the talibes are sleeping tonight.
Maison Rose, an oasis of comfort in Saint Louis to us as Maison de la Gare is to talibes

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

On our way, again...

A busy Dakar beach 
We  are on our way! In the air, heading toward Dakar. It feels as though I have only just left Africa. I can almost feel the powerful African sun on my skin. Taste the hot, heavy, sandy air, that is at once humid and dry, at the back of my throat. Sense the unique African pace that is slow and methodical, chaotic and energetic, all at the same time. Hear familiar sounds. The Imam's call to prayer. Voices of strangers who seem to know us. "De retour!", "Les Canadiens! Combien de temps cette fois?".  And best "Ah, les amis des talibes!".


We are heading back to a land of paradoxes. The greatest one of all, of course, is the existence of the talibes. Young boys far from home and family, forced to beg for hours each day by corrupt
Chains on a talibe who ran
marabouts. This transgression against humanity persists in the land of Teranga. A land where people share what they have with neighbours, friends, strangers, and beggars alike.

Rod LeRoy with talibes in a Dara in 2010
This time I am travelling with my father, Rod LeRoy and my 13 year old son, Robbie Hughes. This is my eighth visit to Senegal with my father and my second with my son to work with Maison de la Gare.

Maison de la Gare win the Championship Game


The children of this place have become a second family to us. We celebrate their triumphs. Yellow and orange belts earned in karate. Registration in the public school system. Another

Robbie teaching karate

tournament win for the Maison de la Gare soccer team. We mourn the losses. A death to malaria. A disabling injury or infection. The persecution of an abusive marabout. A runaway rescued in a "ronde de nuit" sent back to his marabout by the police. Daily forced begging. And, we worry. There is no one else but Maison de la Gare to worry out these boys.


Soon we will be reunited with our Maison de la Gare family, welcomed back with open arms and open smiles. We will learn what challenges they currently face. What hopes they currently have. Who has given up. Who is still fighting. Who is triumphing against all odds.

Let the adventure begin, again...

Monday, March 23, 2015

Composed on the Paris-Dakar Rally Route. Written and Posted in Ottawa: Tourists again.

On the morning of our last full day in Saint Louis, the four of us took a calèche tour before heading to Maison de la Gare for our final goodbyes. Knowing what to expect from past experience in a calèche with Rowan, I warned the driver that Rowan would not tolerate it if he either whipped the horse or made it to canter on the paved roads. But, no need to have worried, this horse seemed unusually well treated by local standards.
Our Calèche

Saint Louis has a long and interesting history, defined for centuries by slavery, then by French colonization.  The ties to France still abound. French is spoken in schools and government. White baguettes are standard breakfast fare for everyone, including the talibés. The architecture and feeling of the city on the Island is very reminiscent of New Orleans, but older, charmingly shabbier, and everything is covered in a layer of sand dust. And, goats are everywhere. The island of Saint Louis is connected to the mainland by a 512 metre bridge spanning the Senegal River, le Pont Faidherbe, designed by the architect of the Eiffel Tower, and was a gift from France to Senegal.

As we drove over a second bridge to La Langue de Barbarie, a long spit of land, connected at one end
La Langue de Barbarie
to Mauritania, we truly entered another world. This is the world of fisher-families, a society apart from the rest of Saint Louis. Many people who live here may never cross the bridge to leave the small neighbourhood of Guet NDar. Every family here is dedicated to the work of ocean fishing. Men here have up to four wives and often over a dozen children, all dedicated to working to manage the catch. Children rarely go to school here.


Saint Louis is the city most in danger of global warming induced rising sea levels. And, Serious flooding is a chronic issue in the rainy season. For these reasons, the site of Maison de la Gare was built up many feet with gravel and sand before construction began. La Langue de Barbarie, right at the ocean's edge, and only a few feet above sea level, is the area most at risk. The occasional summer cyclone or heavy storm can be devastating here.

Guet Ndar typical street

The houses the fisher people live in are tiny, and in many cases, all family members do not fit in the house at any one time and they have to sleep in shifts. Nevertheless, families are relatively rich, due to the work of fishing. Every tiny house has several televisions, one for each wife, and antenas dominate the skyline. Most men own land away from the area. But, they are superstitious and rent out the large homes they build in the countryside, fearing that if they or their families move away from the tiny ancestral homes on La Langue de Barbarie, their good luck with fishing will be replaced by a curse. So, they stay.

Returning from Saint Louis to Dakar, we followed the route of the Paris - Dakar Rally, along the

Letting air out of tires for the beach drive
beach, in a four by four truck, baggage strapped in the back. I had not taken this route before, and I was astonished, along with the rest of my family, at the never-ending beach that borders the entire length of Senegal from Saint Louis to Dakar.  We drove, literally, on the beach. Our driver skillfully
avoided the pounding waves of the Atlantic while driving as close as possible to the water to benefit from the firmest and smoothest sand. The expansive white sand of the beach extended seemingly endlessly. The perfect surfing rollers to our right, forrest to our left, we encountered many horse drawn carts on our way, and the occasional truck avoiding the main highway. Several fishing communities dotted our route. Occasionally as fishing pirogues were  launching to sea and blocking our route, we had to temporarily navigate inland around the community to continue on our way.



About two hours into the drive we turned inland to Lampoul, an area of desert populated by
Lampoul
dromedaries. We stopped for lunch in a bedouin-style tent. We were scheduled to ride dromedaries before continuing on our way. However, the camel driver who was to prepare our mounts had not shown up that day. "C'est l'Afrique" was the explanation, along with a simple shrug. So, we drove back to the coast to continue to Dakar.

The incoming tide forced us off the beach a little before our destination of Dakar, and we passed by Lac Rose for a second time (the finish line of the Rally was at Lac Rose). The lake was brilliantly pink on this day, and piles of freshly collected salt were everywhere.
Lac Rose 

Driving through the countryside from the beach back to the highway presented yet another side of this part of Africa. Communities packed with children, running and playing in the streets, calling and waving to us as we passed: "toubab!", women in brightly coloured Senegalese dresses lounging at their market stalls waited for business, and as usual goats were everywhere. The closer we drew to Dakar, the more dense the crowds of people and market stalls became. The noises and activity grew more intense and the colours even brighter. Fewer horse carts, more cars.



Later, as our plane left the ground, and Africa, a part of our hearts remained behind, connected forevermore to the talibés of Senegal and this land.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inextricable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
           - Martin Luther King Jr.