solidarity IVORY COAST 2008

His name is Arsene. He is 16 years of age but you would give his three years less. His family lives at Boniere, 35km away. Since there is only one college for the whole department, he is doing his 5th year at the Lycee at Dabakala.  A school with 2139 pupils for 10 qualified teachers (compared with 40 before the upheaval of 2003).

Arsene is luckier than most of his mates who are crowded into rooms in town.  He lives at the “campus” a students’ hostel run by the Betharramite Fathers, behind the presbytery. For 1500 CFA a month (€1) 36 youngsters have a roof, a bed, cooking and washing facilities, plus a study hall with electric light – which avoids them having to do their revision in the street to take advantage of public lighting.

Every morning Arsene is up at the crack of dawn to fetch water from the village pump, get washed and have a quick breakfast of rice, left over from the evening before to be in school for 7h00; the classes consist of 70 to 80 pupils.  In the middle of the afternoon he returns to the campus, does his prep, does his washing and prepares the fire for the evening meal.  He also has remedial lessons every day given by some one in the community and a voluntary helper from the parish.

Wednesday is holiday. Arsene lends a hand, runs errands, sweeps up at the presbytery, and meets up with his mates to clean the play ground.  Arsene has two great joys in his life on the campus:  accompanying one of the Fathers by car when he goes to the village, serving Mass on Sunday in the parish. He has his dreams, the dreams of every youngster which he keeps to himself and a great smile to greet life.

Meanwhile life could be better.  The campus was built 30 years ago.  The bathrooms need to be redone involving the demolition of the old central building where the toilets and showers are housed (no running water), their reconstruction at some distance from the dwelling houses, leaving only a shelter for the kitchen. Out there, the Betharramites haven’t the necessary means to do all this: they need €5500 to execute the work. For Arsene and the others they need us. 

Jean-Luc Morin,SCJ

Yamoussoukro, Institut National Polytechnique: something unusual in Africa, is a grouping of High Schools and Superior Institutes. The ultra-modern outlines of the south wing stand out against the sky of the rising sun. Fr Serge leaves his room at the University, and strides towards the lecture hall where he is going to say Mass. Who are his parishioners? Students like himself, only a bit younger. Every morning a little community gathers for Mass. Nothing like the congregations on Saturday night (from 400 – 500 young people fill the gym or the amphi), except the essential: the Real Presence which offers itself and which renews everything.

Serge Braga was born 31 years ago on the banks of the Lagoon, opposite Abidjan. In 2007, after eight years of priestly studies, the young religious got down to his profession studies once more. He has been a priest for a year, but Fr Serge knows the pressure of exams; with his generation he is the bearer of the hopes, the sufferings and challenges of an Ivory Coast which has difficulty in getting out of the crisis. But what is he doing here?

Fr Serge is not chaplain to the INP. And yet in the midst of this disorientated youth he is witness to other values.  He is not there simply to get a diploma in Superior Technology. And yet he is working hard to keep up with the rhythm, and to be fully capable for his new mission: to direct the training centre for motor mechanics which Betharram intends to open in Adiapodoume.

It’s a far cry from the great colleges and traditional networks, yet this initiative is in direct line of the educational traditions of the Congregation: respond to the needs of the moment, educate the individual, and be of service to their dignity. A good formation will not be a luxury in a sector where apprentices are often exploited. Not to mention the financial contribution that such a workshop could bring to the religious community. The cost of such a project is around €140.000 spread over 4 years. To launch the project, Fr Serge and his future mechanics are only waiting for a helping hand: ours!

Jean-Luc Morin,SCJ

Kouassi Aya Melanie is the only daughter of a single mother, Pale Therese. They both live in a run down quarter next door to the parish looked after by the Betharramite Fathers where they are very actively involved, Melanie as altar server and Therese with the Legion of Mary.

Every day Melanie walks along the streets of her quarter on her way to school in an over crowded classroom.  In spite of their very difficult living conditions, Melanie is a good worker; at 9 years of age she is in CE2 ( second year elementary class). But as they have no electricity at home it is impossible to study in the evening, for night falls quickly in those latitudes! With the result that last year she didn’t move up to the next class.  

This year a young out of work is helping her with her revision for a fee. Melanie goes to her evening classes several kilometres away from her home, twice a week. On her way Melanie day dreams: when she grows up she will be a doctor to look after people and improve their quality of life. Meanwhile, Melanie doesn’t look well.  She isn’t ill but her body speaks volumes; it tells the trouble her mother has to make ends meets and to take care of her.

Melanie is one of many children in that situation. For want of electricity they are handicapped in their schooling.  Yet, they only want one thing – something quite simple but very necessary: be able to study in the best conditions so as to succeed and build their future.  

For them, Saint Bernard Parish has the project of building a reading centre complete with library and study hall so that they can work in the evening and not sink more and more into poverty. The cost of this project is estimated at €8.000. Can we have a try?  Can we give this opportunity to Melanie and her friends?

Hyacinthe Ali,SCJ