Elhage joined the karate program a few years ago when it became avaiable. He has participated in the classroom programs from the start. And he was always here, watching, learning, ready to help others when needed. He helped in the gardens at Bango when he was needed. When the tailoring apprenticeship program became available, Elhage joined it too, seeing the trade of tailoring as the key to a successful life that it definitely has the potential to be.
Elhage has said "Not having a trade at my age is like walking blind". Most talibés face this challenge. Talibés can remain under the thumbs of their marabouts until perhaps the age of 20 or later, never having had access to any formal education or apprenticeship. And their only companions are other neglected children. Their only teachers force them to beg and abuse them. What does a child learn growing up in this environment? At what point do they learn to support themselves and contribute as citizens should?
These days Elhage is a busy person. He spends two days a week, usually Sunday and Monday, in the market, hoping for the chance to work at odd jobs moving materials as a porter to earn enough money to feed himself for the week. Then he works the remaining days of the week in the tailoring apprenticeship program with Kalidou. But, he also takes responsibility at Maison de la Gare. Elhage sleeps at Maison de la Gare at night. So, when the runaway talibés discovered on the streets during the twice weekly Rondes de Nuit are delivered to Maison de la Gare's Dortoir d'Urgence at 1:00 or 2:00am, Elhage is there to greet them and help set up their beds, get them some food, and tuck them in. He keeps Maison de la Gare tidy. He is also trusted with the keys, and is available to help with whatever is needed anytime. But, this is not all Elhage does. He has taken it upon himself to provide health care in the daaras.
Several mornings a week Elhage packs a bag of supplies from the medical clinic and heads out to the daaras to deliver health care on site to talibés who do not or cannot make their way to Maison de la Gare. If there are international volunteers, he invites them along to help. I asked Elhage why he does this- going out early in the morning to walk dusty, dirty back alleys in search of remote and neglected daaras; to toil scubbing, disinfecting, and bandaging little boys' wounds, applying ointments, and determining who might need antibiotics or hospitalization, exposing himself to disease until the early or mid afternoon, taking away from the time he has to apply himslf to his apprenticeship. He said it is because he was a forced begging talibé for many years, beaten by his marabout, and neglected. He said he knows what these boys suffer. He does not want them to be forgotten. He knows they need help and he can give it. Elhage pointed out that Maison de la Gare supported him while he was emersed in the daara life and is providing him with the opportunity to make his way in life. Elhage says the boys from these remote daaras have trouble regularly making their way to the Maison de la Gare clinic. He says it is therefore something he just must do.
This week I accompanied Elhage on his daara medical rounds. Because we left late, we took a taxi to the area near the first daara. Elhage says he usually walks. It must take him over an hour to reach the area on foot. We approached the daara and Elhage politely greeted the marabout. It was a very hot day
and my arms were bare. The marabout indicated I sould be fully covered as should my hair. This is not a usual expectation at all in Senegal. But, this Marabout had his own ideas and seemed insistant. When he asked where my coverings were, it was all I could do to refrain from demanding where his humanity was? But, alas, such a retort would not help anybody. So Elhage and I just sat down and stared at him until he eventually motionned us inside. Upon entering the daara Elhage was immediately surrounded and greeted by many little boys. They clearly knew him well, and welcomed his presence. We sat down and the boys presented themselves to us one by one. We donned medical gloves, examined the presented wounds, and then got to work cleaning, disinfecting and
bandaging. A group of boys huddled around Elhage while I worked on a very badly infected toe. Elhage's crowd had all been circumcised not long ago, but their wounds were not healing. I glanced over as boy after boy uncovered a swollen, wounded, infected penis for Elgage to treat. Elhage took what seemed to be hours carefullly cleaning and bandaging the wounds. I later asked Elhage if it is usual to have such extreme problems after circumcision, and he said not at all. This is very unusual - but common at this particular daara. The toe I was treating had swollen to about twice its size. And, after I cleaned away the dried blood and caked-in filth, it was revealed that the skin was entirely missing from almost all of his toe. It was pink and raw, and every touch was agonizing. I shared some Advil with the boy, and he gritted his teeth stoically, tears squeezing out of his eyes, as I did my best for him. In bare feet, I do not know how long his bandage will last, unfortunately. Elhage says he will consult with Awa the nurse and return soon, hopefully with antibiotics. Elhage is not sure if Maison de la Gare still has antibiotics. The medicines budget is limited. Since we had trouble transporting the inexpensive medications donated by Health Partners International, due to a Senegalese border shakedown we have stopped bringing them. Paying full price and buying locally for medications is challenging, as Maison de la Gare's resources only stretch so far. There was a medical delegation from Europe here a short time ago, and they left medicines for the pharmacy. So, maybe our patients will get lucky. But, antibiotics are not an easy thing to administer. It is not as if the boy can make his way to Maison de la Gare to present himself and get his medication each day. And, if they are left with the marbout, will the boy receive it? Elhage will do his best.
At the second daara we visited, we treated just a few boys. But, one was quite a serious case. Elhage said that he must come at least every three days to re-clean and disinfect this boy's wounded leg. Elhage explained that the open wound seemed to have begun farther up the leg and migrated over time, never fully healing. The leg felt hot as I did my best to clean it without water. And, it was swollen over a large area. Elhage added this boy's case to the list to consult with Awa. A few talibés came for medical care, "soins" who really only had slight scratches. But, as they seemed to revel in the care and attention being showered on them as we cleaned and bandaged them, we welcomed the opportunity to do so.
Eventually we made our way back to Maison de la Gare, all our bandages and "cotton" used up, and my Advil bottle empty. Most of the other staff and children had long since left for the mid afternoon pause in the day. Elhage, on the other hand, made his way to the tailoring room and got right back to work.
This is a very giving and determined young man. He will do well and he is holding my bag. How nice.
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