Alkaline

Sulayman with Abdou Soumaré

I have known Sulayman for over five years. He has always been a quiet, positive boy with a gentle spirit and a smile. He began with the karate program early. Robbie presented him with his yellow belt at a cérémonie de passage about three years ago. As he is originally from The Gambia, Sulayman speaks some English, and we always enjoyed conversations while hanging around the Maison de la Gare center.

Robbie Hughes presenting Sulayman with his yellow belt in karate

Sulayman remembers that when he was a young boy he lived happily with three brothers and two sisters and his mother and father in the Village of Welingarau in The Gambia, until the age of six. 

Everything changed when his father died. Sulayman does not remember his father at all, just photos of him. Apparently Sulayman had once told his father when very young that he wanted to be a marabout. and his brother said he wanted to be a teacher. Sulayman has no memory of having said this, or of ever having wanted to be a marabout. But, Because it had been his father's wish that he become a marabout, upon his father's death his mother sent him to an Arabic school in a nearby Gambian village. His brother was sent to school in hopes of becoming a teacher. Sulaymane remained in the daara for nearly eight years.

Then, at the age of fourteen, Sulayman's mother wanted him to go to Saint Louis to be a talibé to better learn the Quran. So, he was sent by his Marabout to a daara in Saint Louis. Saint Louis has a reputation as a place to send one's sons to learn the Quran, among poorer villages, anyway. Perhaps many parents are unaware of the miserable conditions to which they are sending their children.

a daara in Saint Louis, taken by talibé in transition, Elhage Diallo 

  Sulayman noted that all of the younger children were forced to beg for daily quotas of money. He only needed to beg or work for his own food.  None of the children, including himself were fed or offered any type of health care when needed. No one was sent to school. Sulayman did not like what he saw of how the children were treated.  He was taught the Quran during the day, but there was no place for him to sleep at night at the daara.  Sulayman spent the first three months sleeping on the street, in doorways of homes, getting little sleep as he needed to quickly move away when anyone entered or left the house where he was sheltering. He learned to ask for food from door to door to feed himself. Sulayman arrived from The Gambia with good clothes, but everything except what he was wearing was soon stolen in the daara.

Not too long after arriving in Saint Louis, Sulayman heard about Maison de la Gare and he made his way there. He saw the Maison de la Gare classes in session and he realized education could be the key for him. He spent as much time as he could at the centre, as life was much better there than on the streets or in the daara. He joined the karate program and earned his yellow belt.

A Maison de la Gare classroom

After his first three months his marabout left for Casamance in the south of Senegal and Sulayman was able to sleep in the daara now, with more than 50 other boys. 

Sulayman was able to return to The Gambia to visit his family twice in 2015. After two and a half years living in the daara in Saint Louis Sulayman had had enough. He left, and from that time on has existed in Saint Louis by couch surfing with friends. Sometimes he would sleep at Maison de la Gare's emergency shelter. He spent as much of his time as he could improving his English and learning math, in Maison de la Gare's classes and in others offered by other associations. His goal was to learn enough that he would be able to someday be able to integrate into school in The Gambia. He supports himself working in the market helping to make cooking pots, operating the grinder to finish them. Sulayman earns enough money working to buy food. 

Some of the older talibés have given themselves knick names, which is how the international volunteers have come to know and address them. Sulayman has been going by the name of Alkaline. He is not quite sure why that particular name, but he likes it. Sometimes the names are chosen by a friend, sometimes they select them themselves. Perhaps in a world where the talibé are nearly invisible to society, this is one more way they can feel they are individual and in control.

Tijan and Sulayman

Since this summer Sulayman has been seriously considering the idea of returning to The Gambia to go to school. The lack of resources to pay school registration fees and the fear of the unknown has held him back. This week things changed when Tijan arrived in Saint Louis. Tijan had been a talibé who I first met about six years ago at Maison de la Gare, also from The Gambia. Tijan also had wanted nothing more than to become educated. About three years ago when I was in Saint Louis, Tijan confided that had been considering attempting to find his way to Europe, as he heard that minors who arrived there would be enrolled in school. We figured out how he could instead return to The Gambia where he had the right to go to school, but no practical means to do so. That was three years ago. This June Tijan graduated from high school and is now preparing to begin university, studying business and economics, in January. This week he had come to Saint Louis to see me and Robbie before starting university.

Tijan with his high school diploma

Sulayman, seeing Tijan's successful example, made up his mind that perhaps the seemingly impossible may be possible after all. The school he thinks he could go to is near his cousin's house. He is hoping to be able to stay with his cousin, eating two meals a day there. And, Tijan lives just 20 minutes away in case he needs help. A friend in Ottawa had given me some money for a person I perceived to be in need. I gave it to Sulayman to help him on his way. I gave him a school bag and some school supplies and set up an email account for him to ensure we could stay in touch.

The ongoing school fees will be a challenge. And, he is not sure his plan for living arrangements will be workable. But, he is full of hope and optimism. Sulayman is determined that his time is now. Before Tijan and Sulayman left, Issa, the President of Maison de la Gare, spoke with the two boys, offering advice. Sulayman also received much appreciated life advice and encouragement from Abdou, the head teacher at Maison de la Gare.

Issa Kouyate, President of MDG offering advise to Tijan and Sulayman

Tijan and Sulayman left Maison de la Gare together, excited about the future and we said goodbye.  Two days later I learned they had arrived in The Gambia. Sulayman has had a meeting with the director of his hoped for school. He can begin high school at the start of the next term, at the end of December despite his age of 21 years.  And, he has already found a math study group to join now to help prepare him for what lies ahead. And Tijan begins his university adventure in January. The future is looking bright.