Ronde de Nuit - Angels of Saint Louis

I did not participate in my first Ronde de Nuit until a few years also, In fact, I had been completely unaware of this other side of Issa's life, although I did know that talibes sometimes run from their daaras and marabout's. Now that the Dortoir d'Urgence has been built, twice weekly, late night rounds to search for and rescue runaway talibes are a regular part of the Maison de la Gare mission. We had the opportunity to participate in a night run Monday night.

As hard as Issa Kouyate, President of Maison de la Gare, works by day, for years he has gone out on the streets late at night on weekends or whenever he hears word of the location of a runaway, to search for and rescue runaway talibes. No one pays Issa to do this work. When he found children on the streets at night, he took them back to his own apartment, and settled them in for the night. The next morining he takes the kids to the police station as well as to a children's welfare association to register them. Typically, Issa, representing Maison de la Gare, is given temporary custody until the mater is sorted out. Issa than takes the kids back to his home. He could have 4 to 10 children staying in his living room at any one time. He cares for them, feeds 

Issa found this alibe in this condition, a child

them, spends as much time as he can with the often severely traumatized boys. During the day he tries to carry on with his Maison de la Gare duties.  Although a children's welfare association does exist, it does not actually offer any services to kids, or have resources to do anything about runaways or kids being abused by marabout's. After a few days a judge will call the child before him, as well as the offending marabout and Issa, a witness. If there are recent scars or obvious signs of abuse, the marabout will often make himself scarce until the evidence heals. Very rarely, in the most severe cases of abuse, marabout's see jail time. Usually, the judge will ask the talibe if he wants to go home or back to the daara. The children often want to go home. Their authorities then give leave to Maison de la Gare to take the kids home, but no resources to enable them to do so. Home can mean a journey of hours, or more likely days. Sometimes it means repatriating a child to another country.  Issa spent a lot of time on the road with children who had no one else.

Ran Ran Documentary Trailer

Since the Dortoir d'Urgence was built at the centre the runaways have been staying there for a few days or weeks, under the care of a volunteer "house mother" Mama Diarra. Every now and then a child of severe abuse and no home to go to settles in for a longer stay.

Two Dortoir talibes lounging on the first real beds they have ever slept in.

 Gorgui, a delightly bright and enthusiastic young boy with a badly injured arm has been living in the Dortoir since last April when Issa rescued him from an unconscionable situation in his daara. His wounded arm was infected with gangrene, left untreated by the marabout. A grant from the Europen Union has enabled a Maison de la Gare team to be dedicated to finding runaways, work with them, and repatriate them to their homes. Issa's own home is once again his own, most of the time.

We are dreading the day Gorgui may have to return to his daara

Idrissa and a Maison de la Gare employee, Bathie, escorted Rowan, Alicia, Katherine, Karen, Martin and I on a Ronde de Nuit Monday night. We met at the Place Faidherbe at 11pm, armed with flashlights. The streets of Saint Louis are a different place at night. Quiet, not as inviting. Issa estimates there could be as many as 100 runaways on the streets at most times. We were led across the bridge to the Langue de Barbarie. Idrissa spoke with some locals who confirmed they had spotted some runaways in the neighbourhood. We walked among the beached fishing pirogues, scanning the interiors with flashlights, as the surf pounded the shore. Then up and down small alleys and into nooks, looking for life sleeping in a pile of rags or curled up in a dark corner. It was cold this night, so we were unlikely to find kids sleeping out in the open as they sometimes do.  We did find three small boys behind a wall, curled up together in a pile of rags. Idy approached them slowly, spoke softly to them in Wolof. After a few minutes we began to move toward a waiting taxi with the boys. Suddenly, one broke and ran, too quick to be caught. The other two got into the waiting car with Bathie and Karen got in on the other side. Back to Maison de la Gare.

While on the run, the children are vulnerable. I have discovered why Issa and Idrissa, a friend working at another association to help talibes, are so driven to do this work in their own "free" time. The children flee for fear of the life in the daaras. But, what waits for them on the street could be even worse. Sexual assault is common against talibe boys on the streets, late at night as society sleeps. No one will be asking about them or care much for their wellbeing, after all. Easy marks. I knew this terrible fact, I had seen the results of such trauma with my own eyes.  On our first Ronde de Nuit we found a boy, 6 year old Gora, who had been sexually assaulted on the streets the previous night, the night we had planned to go out but had to postpone. Rowan and I are haunted by thoughts of him still. But this night, Idy warned me of a much greater risk...death. He tells me that children have been disappearing more often than in the past. He thinks because there are more talibes, and thus more runaways, the opportunity for abduction is increasing. (It is estimated there are close to 15,000 talibes in Saint Louis, alone). There is a market, Idy insists, for the blood of children for sorcery in the villages.  He admits the boys would have been afraid, rather than comforted as I would have imagined, when Karen got into the taxi, as sorcery is practiced only by women here. It is widely believed that sacrifices were made at the time of the last election, children's remains were found with slit throats. Sacrifice is a rare but horrible offence. A more common one is kidnapping to sell the talibes into slavery in Mauritania, according to Idy. Many others confirm this does happen here, to the most vulnerable talibes that few will miss. Idy says that the nights he is not on a Ronde de Nuit, he cannot sleep as he imagines the dangers lying in wait for the children he will not pick up that night. Issa feels the same way. This is the reason Issa and Idrissa value sleep so little.

Alicia, Rowan and Katherine with the current residents of the Dortoir d'Urgence

Fun and Games and Growth at Maison de la Gare

We came to Maison \de la Gare for the talibes. These little boys soak up attention and affection. And, they love to learn AND have fun. On our first day at the centre, the amazing teacher, Abdou, helped Katherine and Alicia organize the kids into two groups for a race game, while Rowan concentrated on the friendship bracelets she is so well known for, while catching up with her friend Arouna.  The children seemed intrigued and pleased that some younger people were at the centre to spend time with them. They are used to adults volunteering, but rarely do they get to interact with other kids from outside of their own community of talibes. 

Ibrahima, in red, on Katherine's team

I was so pleased to notice that Ibrahima, a little talibe who had been a favorite of a French volunteer, Gwen, a few years before, was enthusiastically playing on Katherine's team. When Abdou yelled "allez" the boys on the end crawled as fast as they could through the legs of the others on their team. The winners jumped up and down yelling "Katherine" or "Alicia"!! Then, Rowan showed them how to play freeze dance accompanied by Abdou on the jembe. Then, duck-duck-goose.

Rowan and Alicia make friendship bracelets, the talibes have given up in favour of taking selfies

The next day, more games, and the girls taught the talibe younger kids how to make friendship bracelets. I mean, they tried to. The kids ended up with some interesting and complicated knots. Fortunately, Katherine, Rowan and Alicia had pre-made enough bracelets to go around. Meanwhile, Karen, Martin and I were on the hunt for materials to secure the three new computers we had brought, to the walls of the computer room. Karen came up with a great way to convert t.v. wall brackets to the job. In the store, we met a local L.G. Employee who installs televisions and hired him to help us out. Some extensive negotiations ensued, and then back to the centre to finish the job.

Martin and Karen have installed the first computer, but the room needs more work

One thing leads to another here. After the computers had been installed, and the room thoroughly cleaned, it was noted that the walls were in very poor condition. Martin, Mamadou and Karen went back out to the market in search of scrapers, putty, paint, varsol, and rollers. The computers came down, the walls were prepared, then painted. Unfortunately, the specific instructions to Bathie and Abou who rolled the paint did not include cleaning up. Now the floor has a lovely new speckelled white pattern. Next day when the paint was dry, a visiting visual artist from Cap Verde came by. I invited him to paint a scene on the computer room wall, perhaps a small planet earth, and a boy at a computer.  I handed out money for more supplies, and was a bit worried when I saw spray paint come back. I wasted my anxiety. Carlos painted the most extraordinary mural of a talibe working on a computer, beside a crumbling wall representing his current difficult life. Just overhead stars are coming out in the night sky, representing hope and possibility. And, ahead, the entire world awaits this boy, which the computer is bringing closer to his reach. It is wonderful. More drying, another day, then the computers were installed once more. In the process of refurbishing the computer room, Martin and Karen taught Mamadou to  replace window screens. Mamadou now has a replacement kit, and the know-how to use it.

Mural in the computer room, courtesy of a visiting artist

After a few days with the kids, Alicia, Rowan and Katherine began to lead English classes.  On Issa's birthday they taught the boys to sing him Happy Birthday.

Rowan, Katherine and Alicia leading an English class in the library

 Meanwhile, I assisted the karate classes, and worked on reinforcing the karate program, at the centre and at the dojo. Robbie was sorely missed. As I tied on my own blue belt, talibes asked me "where is Robbie?" As I led the warm up, "Robbie?", "Robbie?", after class, "Robbie viens?". On the streets of Saint Louis, "Robbie!?!". Some kids brought me bo staffs and asked me, hopefully, to teach them. Unfortunately, I cannot replace Robbie in this. They will have to wait for Robbie's return, or for the next bo instruction video sent by Douvris.

Sonia assisting in teaching the morning karate class 

We had hoped to have time to work on the MDG garden, which had been looking a bit neglected since the new cultivation lands at Bango, Tol-Talibe had become a new focus. Finally, there was time. Karen engaged Mamadou in working fertilizer in around the bases of the fruit trees. Others joined in to help, and removed dead plant material. We built a compost heap for the debris and tried to explain the concept. Stones from the garden lined the compost pile neatly. Unfortunately, I don't think our compost has much of a long term chance given several suggestions we nixed to drag it to the garbage pile or burn it. Many joined in collection of the bits of trash caught in branches, bushes, and hidden in sand. Only a few needed extra encouragement to help. As I directed some tree branch pruning, several kids watched very closely, studying the method so they could replicate it in future. By nightfall, the garden was once again clean, lovely and looking healthy. 

Soulaymane works in fertilizer.     

Saturday we visited the Bango lands. Tol-Talibe is the name given to the garden by the talibes themselves. They prepared, planted, and tend this garden. It is for them, and they are the ones who will enjoy the fruits of their own labours. This is a concept it is hard for boys forced to beg for the gain of others to appreciate. But, as the first Harvests of mint, lettuce, bissap and squash are sold and enjoyed by the few boys who are initially taking charge, the light will begin to dawn. This garden will become the basis for full horticultural and agricultural apprenticeships, a real path to independence and prosperity for those talibe that have the interest and choose to grasp the opportunity. Berengere, the leader of the Tol-Talibe project, will do her best to inspire the talibes to get involved and show them the way.

Imam waters the Tol-Talibe garden.   

We spent as much time as possible talking one on one with the kids who wanted to learn English. Kaylin, a U.S. Volunteer had left behind a novel, The Poisonwood Bible, and I read a few chapters to Rahim to get him started. Kalidou and several others who are trying to learn English, listened in and were very interested in the discussions about the books many metaphors and colloquial expressions. Tidjan was very interested in my motivational self-help book, the Go-Giver. I read him several chapters, adding explanations as we progressed. I left the book with him to finish on his own.

Monday, tooth brushing was a great adventure. My dentist, Dr. Voros, in Ottawa, had donated many brushes, and this was the day we would put them to use. Alicia, Rowan and Katherine each led a brushing team. They demonstrated how teeth should be cleaned with brushes. Then, each group lined up in front of a basin. The brushes were handed out. As each boy reached the front of the line in turn, toothpaste was applied to his brush and he was encouraged to brush his teeth while those yet waiting for a turn in anticipation studied the method closely. Lots of blood from unhealthy gums ended up in the basins. Amazingly, we had exactly enough brushes for everyone. At the end of the process, the smiles were broad and brilliant! The brushes will be cleaned, and hopefully this process will be repeated weekly.

Late Monday night, Idrissa and Bathie led us out on a Ronde de Nuit.  After a search in many dark corners and back alleys, we found three runaway talibe boys sleeping in a pile of rags in the fishermans village on the Langue de Barbarie. Idy took his time to introduce himself to the frightenned boys, and to explain how we were going to help them.  One ran. Karen and Bathie hopped into a taxi with the other two, were driven by taxi back to Maison de la Gare, where Mame Diarra waited to receive them and gently help them settle in. The rest of us continued our search for children sleeping on the streets. We did not find any more this night. It was cold, and most were likely tucked just inside the open doorways of homes, with a plan to vanish before morining. They were warmer, and safer there than on the street where they would usually sleep. One of the boys rescued this night, Sediou, seemed quite a bit more traumatized than the other. It took him a day or so to offer a small smile and accept some food and new shoes and clothes. I can only imagine what his story is. Mamadou, the other boy, had been at Maison de la Gare before. This was his second time running away and being rescued from the streets. The streets are a very dangerous place for talibes to be. I will write more about it in another blog. The night of the Ronde de Nuit, we returned to our hotel at about 2pm. I do not think any of us slept very well.

On our final full day at the centre, we sponsored a feast that was organized for us by Senega-Lib Tours. Mats were layed out on the sand, well over 100 talibes were lined up, washed their hands, and were then invited to sit in circles of 10 or so on the mats. Alicia, Rowan and Katherine served the food, a feast of roasted rice, vegetables, olives and meat. Juice cans and bananas were enjoyed for desert, no one left hungry or unhappy. For the talibes, being served food in this manner, and sitting down to eat together as Senegalese families do, was an alien and much appreciated and enjoyed experience. 

Talibes polishing off the feast

Spending time with Alicia, Katherine and Rowan was an extraordinary experience for the talibes. And, I have no doubt this experience was as life changing for Katherine and Alicia as getting to know and love the talibes has been for Rowan. And, I am as certain that Martin and Karen will be drawn back to Maison de la Gare as I am that I will be myself. I know from experience it will not be easy for any of us to leave this place and these beautiful people.

Karate for the Talibes, Challenges and Triumphs

Wednesday morning I joined the karate kids for the morning class. Souleymane was teaching this day, and I assisted. Despite the cooler than anticipated weather (only 27 degrees or so), It was hot enough in my red gi that the sweat was soon pouring off. The group practicing was smaller than before. When kids are invited to join the dojo talibes and register at Sor-Karate, they usually also stop attending the morning classes with the younger kids and "newbies".  There seems to be quite a sense of pride about having been elevated to another karate level, where practice occurs side by side with the regular citizens of Saint Louis.

I thought Robbie would have been very proud to see his protege, Souleymane, leading the class. I was too, although a few missteps in teaching the first kata suggested to me he is not 100% ready to take over as sensei. When I inquired where was the sensei from the dojo, I was told not here. Here was a mystery and possibly a problem to solve.

Souleymane leading the class

Issmaila was the person who had previously led this Wednesday class. Issmaila is a grand talibe, theoretically old enough to be free of his daara, but tied to it and the marabout still. Tragically, Issmaila was sent by his marabout to build a house for him in the marabout's village. To Issmaila having to give up karate would be like a death to his passion. He lived for karate, and his passion was infectious to the younger kids. He soaked up Robbie's 

 

Issmala and Robbie in December, 2015

lessons and has fallen in love with the bo staff. Maison de la Gare had begun to cover his dojo fees when a Canadian family sponsored his membership. When he had been responsible for his own fees, prior to his Maison de la Gare connection, he would often fall faint during training, due to a combination of malnourishment and over training. With his fees paid for him, he could afford to eat a little better. When asked about Issmaila, people say "Il reviens, Insha'Allah". I also have no doubt that karate will draw him back to Saint Louis when Issmaila's duty to his marabout is done. I hope it will be soon.

Since Issmaila has been away, the senseis sent in his place have been less effective and less reliable. And, a lack of effective communication between the dojo and Maison de la Gare, and among responsible members at Maison de la Gare had led to misunderstandings about the karate program. For example, about 6 kids passed their rigorous belt testing in February. They were told by the dojo to buy new belts. But, Maison de la Gare thought this responsibility was attributable to the dojo. Time passed, the belts were not purchased, and now the boys test has expired according to WKF rules. They will need to test again. Belt testing is a gruelling and nerve wracking test of skill here. Passage is by no means a certainty. When Robbie and I were invited to attend a grading in December, of 15 who tested, 9 passed, and 3 of those were passed with reservations, with expectations of improvement for next time. And, responsibility for caring for the gis and other equipment also seemed not to be clear, and there was much room for improvement. And, a lack of clear record keeping of the attendance numbers at the centre led to frustration about understanding the fees being paid.

External factors also take their toll. A group of about 12 children who had become passionate about karate, and astonishingly good (I watched a video of a fantastic synchro kata they had learned) were prohibited by their marabout to continue in karate. All 12 of them had to stop attending class. One still secretly continues, at great risk to himself. The others are all sworn to secrecy. and so far are keeping the promise. Issa Kouyate, the president of Maison de la Gare, attempted to reason with the marabout, to no avail.

The class at Maison de la Gare grows and shrinks and then grows again. But, the numbers registered and attending the dojo continue to climb. 15 had been registered before I arrived. Now there are 22. And, sponsorships have been obtained to allow that number to grow to 27. The Morning classes at the centre are a feeder system for registration at the dojo. Three more boys presented themselves last week who want to join the dojo and practice karate. But first, they must attend classes at the centre for a few months to demonstrate commitment and get their basic skills up to speed.

New dojo talibes Boeing registered At Sor Karate

 

Souleymane and Ablaye, older talibes who are Maison de la Gare apprentice employees and also registered at the dojo and passionate about karate, have agreed to assist with the morning classes to get the kids ready, and to organize the uniforms afterward, as well as to help maintain them effectively. Mapate, the Maison de la Gare administrator, visited the dojo with me to discuss the karate fees and came to an understanding with the master, Ignate Ba. We agreed to pay for an average of 20 students at the centre, even if the number fluctuates from day to day below or above this number. Noel Coly, responsible for Karate at MDG, will track the numbers of daily attendees. Then, every few months the fees for the morning classes will be reevaluated. Master Ignate Ba assured us he would see to it that the senseis sent to the centre would be effective and reliable, even on days when only a small number of children attend. In a year or so, Maison de la Gare talibes could be advanced enough in their karate skills to take over the morning classes altogether.

Mapate was astonished to view the Maison de la Gare taibes in action at the dojo. Otherwise laid back and somewhat slow moving boys' passion for karate comes through so clearly when they practice at the dojo. Mapate could not believe he was watching the same Mamadou or Souleymane, or Djibe. The importance of karate to the character development of these kids, as well a providing a focus for the development of true passion was obvious.

Training At dojo Sor Karate, talibes and non-talibes together

Doners back in Canada continue to send coloured and white belts and white gis, and to sponsor kids to the dojo, so more begging street kids, talibes, can embrace the sport of karate and make it their own.

It seems that everyone involved in the karate program now has more clarity about their roles, and are committed to communicating effectively in the future for the purpose of the karate program. The kids deserve this opportunity to develop and grow into a true passion, and Maison de la Gare is giving it to them.

Talibes Discover their own History - A tour of Saint Louis

Talibes, volunteers and teacher gather in a caleche

Maison de la Gare is a place where talibe children have the opportunity to learn, as well as to just enjoy being children, while being appreciated as the unique individuals they are, with the inherent right to both. So, it did not seem to be too crazy an idea to invite the children to tour their own city by caleche, as tourists do.

The excursion for the talibes was at once an outing to relax far from their daily trials of forced begging, and spend time experiencing a tour and seeing local historical sights. And, these talibes learned about the history and heritage of the city in which they live, in many cases for the first time.

Initially it was planned that 16 talibes, their Maison de la Gare teacher, Bouri MBodj, and we volunteers would participate. When our group met at Maison de la Gare to gather for the walk to the tour departure point, the group of interested talibes had become 26. A few more Maison de la Gare talibes joined the group as we walked and by the time we prepared to board the horse drawn caleche to begin the tour, our group had swelled to 35. As the tour progressed two more stragglers  hopped on enroute. Our four caleche had been ordered for 23 people. But, 35 squeezed happily into the carts, with the little ones balancing on the laps of adults and teenagers. Only the hard working horses were unhappy with the situation.

As we set out on our journey, behaving like tourists, bystanders gaped in astonishment as they realized it was mainly talibes on board, some barefoot and filthy, but with beaming smiles, emanating pride and happiness. Many held our hands, enjoying moments of affection, as might a parent and child on a family outing.

We are receiving a history lesson of the local area

At each point of interest the group disembarked for a history lesson. The information was repeated in French as well as Wolof by our thoughtful guide, to ensure the talibe understood. 

Most of the talibe had never crossed the bridge to the Oceanside Langue de Barbarie, a few had never before ventured even on to the island of Saint Louis, remaining forever in their familiar begging grounds of Sor on the mainland, a 500 meter footbridge away. At one historical stop, meat pastries were being fried and offered for sale at a roadside stand. The children were delighted to be treated to a pastry each for dinner. When I prepared to pay for the treats, one of the older boys waved me aside and insisted he make the payment with his own hard earned cash. His own gift in thanks and recognition of this important event for the talibes. Such generosity from one who has so little.

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This street vendor scrambled as fast as possible to make dozens of meat pastries for the talibes

As a description was offered of the riverside colonial warehouse that in past centuries housed the trade goods of ivory, rubber, gold, and slaves, one child asked: "what is slave?"? Sober and astonished silence descended as the guide explained, as gently as possible, the history of the transatlantic slave trade in Senegal. Most of these kids had never heard of slavery, could not absorb even the concept of the barbarism that dominated four centuries of their own history. Watching these children the United Nations defines as modern day slaves try to accept such historical horrors, I was struck by how little had, in fact, changed from those difficult times for these beautiful talibe boys.

Learning about the transatlantic slave trade for the first time takes its toll

As the tour progressed, a sense of happiness gradually settled back over the group, but some thoughtful expressions remained in place.

This excursion was valuable for the talibes. A Maison de la Gare staff member later suggested to me it was equally valuable for opening the eyes and minds of the people of Saint Louis, who previously could not have conceived of talibes being worthy of such treatment. One more door opens...

A view from the caleche on the bridge to la Langue de Barbarie

Goree and Soumbedioune, Senegal Past and Present

Katherine, Alicia and Rowan, students in Senegal to volunteer with Maison de la Gare

Our first day in Dakar. Up early, we were off to the port of Dakar to catch the ferry to Ile Goree. As it is Sunday, the streets of Dakar and the port are less busy than usual. The day is relatively cool, and beautiful. The African sun is bright overhead, the sea air is fresh.

As the six of us find seats on deck, enterprising shop-keepers, on their was to work on Goree engage us, attempting to secure a promise to visit their boutiques. As we disembark, reminders are given, their names repeated, so we cannot forget that they will be expecting us.

Goree is a contrast of two worlds, and a reminder how the wonderful and the terrible can co-exist in any age, at any place. Today, a Unesco world heritage site, Goree is a bougainvillea and Palm  covered artist's paradise. Monuments and museums are scattered about the island. Schools train the next generation of artists. Galleries are ready, waiting to display their creative works. The museum housed in the old Fort describes the glorious ancient African civilizations that rivalled even that of the Pharoes of Eygypt, centruries before the first slavers arrived on the continent, before even Eygypt. It reminds us there was a time when Timbuktu was the centre of learning for medicine, science and enlightenment, more advanced than any other place in the world in that age. 

Goree's past is a horror. First developed by the Portuguese, then the Dutch, The French, then British, then again the French, all for the purpose of conducting the post transatlantic slave-trade. Human merchandise, captured from their families and homes from all over West Africa, were brutally herded to Goree. But, their misery to that time 

                                                                                                                                    

The colonial Fort, now a museum

was just the beginning, nothing compared to what was to come. "Slave Houses" covered one side of the island. Shackled slaves were taken to weighing and examining stations, then divided into groups of men, women, children, and infants. The weak or sick were released or sent to wok as maids for locals. Then, the groups were separated, mothers and fathers forced into separate cramped cells of 50 or more, while their children were put into different cells. They were unable to reach each other, but could likely hear each others' despairing cries. Anyone courageous and strong  enough to resist was locked in a tiny windowless cell, until broken.

A cell for children in Maison des Esclaves on Ile Goree

Eventually, slave ships arrived to carry the merchandise across the sea. People were herded out of the "Slave Houses" and onto ships, often leaving behind family members to be sent elsewhere on different ships, never to even hear their cries again. These doors through which the slaves departed African soil forever are known as "Door of No Return".

The Door of no Return

The voyage across the Atlantic, wedged into inhumane holds not fit for livestock, like sardines, was unimaginable misery for people who could not understand what awaited them, but only what they had lost. Of an estimated 20 + million slaves, approximately 6 million died enroute to their new masters in another world, according to French records.

The trans-Atlantic slave trade persisted for an incredible four centuries. A continent was emptied of its strong and its healthy, it's future. Thriving nations were reduced to waring, mistrustful groups of people who only hoped to remain invisible and survive. Local leaders, encouraged by slave traders to exploit and betray their own people could not be trusted, and society disintegrated. Occasional pockets of courageous resistance were brutally crushed by Western profiteers and their African collaborators, with their governments help.

Maison des Esclaves, on Ile Goree is a well preserved memorial to these terrible times. Inside a chilren's cell, one can sense the ghosts, hear the cries for mothers who will never come. Standing in the door of no return, one can feel the despair replacing the hope as it leaches from one's soul.

It was not easy shifting our thoughts and hearts back to the present day. But, we boarded the ferry back to Dakar, to tour modern day Dakar. 

Soumbedioune Beach and fish market

The fishing beach of Soumbedioune is a shock to the senses. I have been here before, but I was as overwhelmed as the first time by the explosion of colour of the hundreds of fishing pirogues lined on the beach, returning from the sea, and being launched into the ocean. The commerce of selling fish fresh from the ocean from heavy laden tables seemed relaxed, but efficient. As a new pirogue arrived at the beach, dozens of people would run up to haul it to dry land and help unload the catch. 

Some of these open boats will be out at sea for two weeks in search of a full catch. It is not easy to imagine a dozen men in these unsheltered  boats living and working together on the rough ocean for that length of time. How do they eat, and sleep? 

We wandered along the beach, the only tourists here, weaving in and out of the activity, trying to avoid splashes of fishy water. A few of us tried oferred mussels, fresh from the water, smoked on open fires. Delicious. And...so far, so good...

Later, touring the sites of Dakar, we were all struck by the effort and expense going into building large cultural landmarks, the National Theatre, a stadium to rival any in the West, a National Museum, the renovation of the Ancienne Gare to a cultural and art centre (all with the partnership of the Chineese). The mayoral seat, and the Presidential Palace were opulently impressive monuments of wealth. But, for regular people...very little.

This is a country of contrast, and of growing disparity between the rich and the poor. But, so it is at home.

National monument in Dakar

A Day in the Life

After a day touring Dakar and Ile Goree, we are on our way to Saint Louis, again. Maison Rose will welcome us with open arms, "comme chez vous". The kids of Maison de la Gare will be happy to see us, especially Rowan. They will wonder where is Robbie? Their disappointment that they will have to wait to see him again until next time may be somewhat alleviated by the karate equipment we brought with us this time. Soon, the 6 of us will make our way to Maison de la Gare with hockey bags full of computers, and karate equipment. Karen, Alicia, Martin and Katherine will meet the talibes and our Maison de la Gare friends for the first time.

The medications are in temporary lock-up at the airport and will have to be collected Tuesday, once the airport border services and the Senegalese embassy in Canada can agree between them just who has the authority to permit the medications to enter the country. Issa Kouyate, the president of Maison de la Gare would say..."C'est l'Afrique"...

I wrote an article about life at Maison de la Gare after my last visit in December that was recently  published. I hope you enjoy this description of a typical day at Maison de la Gare. 

A Day in the Life of Maison de la Gare

 

Sonia LeRoy shares her impressions of a "typical" day

There is very little action at Maison de la Gare first thing in the morning. Mame Diarra, the "house mother", prepares breakfast for the little talibé boys living in the emergency shelter, 

just Kalidou and Gorgui at the moment. Mamadou turns on the water and tends the garden. A neighbor 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. 

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 talibés are sent out with the sunrise to beg for their breakfast as well as quotas of money. 

By 10 a.m. Noël is positioned with his computer by the front door. He greets each talibé, recording his name and daara, as the boys begin to stream through the now open gate. Some entrust Noël 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. 

Before long the library is full of kids asking Bathe 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 . 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 gate 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 nurse, tends their wounds, eases their toothaches, examines and dresses their infections and generally spreads much needed tender loving care. 

At about 11 a.m. karate begins. The karate kids wait by the door to the room where the karate uniforms are sorted. Even the smallest children put on their own gi and tie their own belts. Children who a few minutes earlier were rolling in the sand, running around in rags of clothes or begging barefoot in the streets are now lined up in disciplined rows, proudly dressed in clean, white uniforms attentive and eager to learn, understanding that they are part of something special. Instruction lasts a little over an hour. The class is divided into beginner and advanced levels. Many more talibés sit alongside, watching curiously. Perhaps they, too, are considering becoming Maison de la Gare karate kids. 

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 their daara for a little bit of Koranic 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 talibé himself until just last year, is an inspiration to so many of the kids. Some of the children who visited in the morning come back, trickling in as their begging quotas have been filled and submitted. But, there is also a different crowd. 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. 

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. However, many also see this opportunity for what it is, and they stream right on in. 

A short time before classes end a few kids, the "dojo talibes" leave early to train at the Sor-Karate dojo. After classes, 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 and back to their daaras. Maison de la Gare is quiet once more. 

Ottawa to Dakar, Again

I am feeling a strong sense of déjà-vu. How many blog posts have I written from the air en route to or from Dakar? The anticipation and excitement I feel as the plane leaves the runway and turns toward Africa  never diminishes, even on this, my eleventh trip to volunteer with Maison de la Gare.

Checking in our 32 bags at the airport n Montreal

The very first time I made this journey, with my father in 2010, I had no idea what to expect. It would have been impossible to really understand what I was flying toward even if I could have known what awaited me in Senegal. Now, even though Maison de la Gare is a familiar second home, and the talibe children it serves and the friends we have made are a familiar second family, the experience, the challenges and the rewards are still different every time

Talibes in the Maison de la Gare garden

First, the deal to close the land purchase for the Maison de la Gare welcome centre was confirmed. Then, the walls went up, the plumbing went in, the classroom skeletons were built. Then, a garden was conceived, planned, and built. Then, the plumbing was re-done and the walls re-built (and lessons were learned). Then, the classrooms were finished and the library and offices were added. Next, an infirmary was planned, a grant was applied for and obtained (thanks to the Canadian Embassy in Dakar, and some Canadian architects, Civitas, who donated the required blue-prints at the eleventh hour) and an infirmary built. Now, regular transport and delivery of medications obtained from Health Partners International Canada is regularly part of our mission. Then, wifi and a computer program allowed the talibe to discover the world and connect with friends abroad. The library was expanded. An emergency transition shelter was built and furnished for talibes in trouble (thanks to another grant). A karate program was established. The vision of Maison de la Gare president Issa Kouyate ever broadens, and there is ever more to do.

Maison de la Gare, the infirmary

This time the experience we are anticipating will, again, be as never before. This trip was to have been a mission of 16 Ashbury College students and 3 teachers (and myself), planned and organized by my daughter, Rowan Hughes over the course of two years. The tickets were bought, the medications ordered,  the karate gis were donated, the itinerary was confirmed, the vaccinations were obtained, the bags were packed, and then, devastatingly, the trip was cancelled at the last minute, just weeks before our planned departure. Concern about security risks outside of Senegal, in other parts of West Africa was too much for the college to digest. But, we are nevertheless on our way! Our planned group of 20 is now a group of 6. We may be diminished in numbers, but not in enthusiasm, or commitment to make a difference with people that have asked for our help.

It was a challenge to re-arrange the trip last minute, but our motivation to make it work was great. The talibe of Maison de la Gare are expecting us, and we do not want to disappoint. Excess baggage allowances needed to be obtained to transport the 20 boxes of medications (a Herculean task achieved with the help of my father and Ashbury College). Tickets abandoned by the students who would not be continuing with the trip needed to be transferred to others who would join the trip. Last minute vaccinations had to be obtained for the new members of our group. The itinerary needed to be modified to suit 6 instead of 20 people. One family of an Ashbury student was so determined to enable their daughter to experience this potentially life changing opportunity that Katherine is not only coming with us despite the cancellation,  her father, Martin, is joining us as well! Other students and parents, unable to re-organize with such short notice will surely be future Maison de la Gare partners and volunteers. Some of them, as devastated as we were by the cancellation, have made generous donations to Maison de la Gare. My sister-in-law, Karen and my niece, Alicia are also on this flight, two more LeRoy's on their way to Maison de la Gare for the first time.

We have an ambitious agenda. But, we are an ambitious group motivated by a desire to make a difference, each in our own way. Personally, I hope to help enable others to their own potentials to help themselves and others. But, I also know I cannot help but be personally changed, as I always am, by the opportunity to spend time with the amazing, resilient, beautiful talibe children of Saint-Louis. Each of us will experience Senegal and getting to know and work with the forced begging boys of Saint Louis in a different way. I have no doubt this experience will leave it's lasting mark on each one of us.

Let the adventure begin, again...