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.