INTERNAL BULLETIN JUSTICE & PEACE WORKSHOP
MISSIONARIES OF AFRICA PROVINCE OF MALI
INTERNAL BULLETIN JUSTICE & PEACE WORKSHOP
MISSIONARIES OF AFRICA PROVINCE OF MALI
JUSTICE & PEACE FILES
December 2008 - N°3
THE STREET CHILDREN WORLD (2)
CONTENTS
1 Editorial
2 Conference by M. Emmanuel Traoré
3. How do we become aware? What about us?
4 Conclusion
5 Poem: the Child
Editorial :
'Christmas... Bethlehem... There was no room at the inn!
In our day, in our towns, thousands of children have no room in their homes or elsewhere. Their refuge is the street! At odds with their families, guardians or marabouts, they have found refuge in the STREET.
It is a growing phenomenon.
Mr Emmanuel Traoré (of National Caritas - 'Everybody's children' - 'Les enfants de tous'), brings us into this little world of suffering, marginalization and isolation.
Are we to remain passive, voiceless and unseeing, ignorant of the plight of these children?The Editorial Staff
Conference at the Faith & Encounter Centre
Child vagrancy
Where do we place parental responsibility?
What are faith communities doing?
Conference Saturday 19 May 2007.
With the participation of Mr Béchir Tall, advisor to CAP, Bandiagara, and Mr Emmanuel Traoré, in charge of the section 'Everyone's Children', at Caritas, Bamako Archdiocese
A message from Mr Emmanuel Traoré,
in charge of 'Everyone's Children' programme
Proposed APPROACH:
A dictionary definition of vagrancy: the state of drifting and having no permanent place to live
Vagrant: homeless drifter
From these definitions, we can deduce that child vagrancy refers to children drifting. In addition, among these drifting children there are a minority of girls. I wish to focus my talk on the 'street children' that we find among drifting children. I propose the following approach:
I - The street children phenomenon,
II - Why did Bamako Archdiocese become involved?
III - What does the Church in Bamako propose?
I - THE STREET CHILDREN PHENOMENON
According to social services surveys, the different categories of children in difficult circumstances are the following:
Children at work,
Abused children,
Children in conflict with the law or placed in institutions,
Children with disabilities,
Street babes or beggar twins,
Street children, etc.
The list is not exhaustive.
1.1. THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM OF STREET CHILDREN
According to article 60 of the Protection of Children Code, Mali, a 'street child' is any urban resident minor, under 18, who spends all his or her time in the street, employed or not, and who has or has no relations with his parents, guardians or person in charge of his or her care or protection. The street remains the exclusive and permanent life situation of this child and the source of his or her means of existence. The street signifies an ordinary location, distinct a family or a host institution, described as public or private structures, with buildings, yards and pavements. In our opinion, this definitions seems restrictive as 'street child' is defined as a resident and urban minor, whereas with the development of the phenomenon, today we find 'street' everywhere, in the urban communities, as well as in the rural communities of Mali. We would prefer the following definition: 'Street children are boys and girls for whom the street has become a dwelling place. They draw their own subsistence from it. They are defenceless in it, at odds temporarily, partially or totally with their families or even society.'
The number of those classed as 'street' is unknown at national level, and there is no official information or census concerning this group. All the estimates and analyses are based on samples taken for research data. For instance, in a document on the 'Child in Mali' we could read '200' as an estimate of the number of children in difficulty. A census of displaced children made by the District of Bamako in October 2002 revealed that this population was estimated at 4,348, in the 11-17 age range. In this estimate, there were 3,614 boys (83%) and 734 girls (17%). Among these displaced boys, 14% stated they were at odds with their families.
1.2. Reasons children are on the street
Looking for money would be the children's main motive. However, there are also other reasons: loss of schooling, parental conflict, begging for the benefit of marabouts.1.2.1. Family life context
The United Family
'Street children are above all victims of a deliberate or involuntary family unit failure in the rural areas as well as in the towns, for a variety of reasons.' In many families in Mali, in town or in the rural areas, the child is considered the property of its parents, guardians or Koranic masters.
United families experience difficulties, often linked to a lack of reading and writing on the part of the parents, or to cultural attachments.
' My name is S.T.,I am 14. I come from the second region of Mali. My parents live together and they do not know how to read or write. My father refused to enrol me at school. He is a fetishist and wants me to help in his work. After several disagreements with him, I decided to accompany a group of children being instructed in the Koran at Bamako. I have been living in the street for 3 years. I am regularly here in the Square Patrice Lumumba to beg with my friends
Composite Families
Many children found on the street come from composite families, where husband and wife partners live with their children from other partnerships. Relations are usually very strained between these children and their stepmothers or stepfathers.
'I am fatherless. My mother remarried. On account of disagreements with my stepfather, I decided to run away far from the family and now I am here in Bamako with youngsters being instructed in the Koran.'According to opinions from social workers, one of the difficulties of cohabitation would be explained by the boy growing up and realising that his stepfather is not his biological father. Often enough, on account of the stepfather's behaviour, he no longer trusts his parents. Sometimes, the stepfather lacks patience and tact in building a father-and-son relationship with the boy. On the other hand, many stepfathers are influenced by the new couple's family circle, whose members do not understand why a stepfather should bother about the boy of the new wife, as if he were his own son.
Broken Families
Family dislocation, caused by divorce or bereavement, is at the basis of exposing children to vagrancy and sexual exploitation. A child who is used to living with both mother and father one day finds itself entrusted to only one of them. This situation is upsetting and he or she feels obliged to readapt to a new situation. This change is not always for the benefit of the child and often his or her life is sacrificed because of the pride of some parents, in the case of divorce, for example, when neither parent stoops to ask anything of the other for the well-being of the child. In composite families, many children are victims of frequent disputes between newlyweds. These disputes lead some parents to abdicate their parental authority. Various parental behaviours lead to negligence in the bringing up of children and engender a lack of affection in them. In this way, they can become bitter and delinquent.
In divorces, the child feels torn between its biological parents:'…parents are divorced. I lived with my mother who remarried. Then I was entrusted to a Koranic master with whom I came to x. Then I left that master to come to Bamako, because every day we were working in the fields.'
Often enough, he or she is thrown into confusion, because his or her aspirations are not taken into account. Whenever one or other of the biological parents has no time to listen and understand, the child feels unloved and considers him or herself as an outsider at school or even in the family.
'…parents divorced when I was quite young. According to some people around me, it seems my father divorced another woman before my mother. The children of this second wife go to school. I am the only son of my mother (with my father who is a nurse) and I am not at school. After the divorce, my mother remarried a man with whom she had 3 children, who are all at school. As for me, however, no one thought of putting my name down for school.'
In a climate of indifference or coldness on the part of parents or guardians, the child feels rejected. Therefore, he gradually takes his distance from the family of origin or host family. By dint of running away, he ends up in the street. These instances of running away are often caused by relational problems and loss of identity. Thus the street becomes the last resort.
'After disagreements, my mother left my father to come and live in Ségou. I came with my mother when I was 8. In Ségou, my mother ground maize for the women of the neighbourhood to make money. I never got any more news of my father after we left. My mother did not enrol me either for the state school or the Koranic school. Finally, I decided to come to Bamako.'
Single-parent Families
Single-parent families are an increasingly common phenomenon in society and often leave children to themselves, on the pretext of freedom in education. Their children are consequently exposed to the risks of delinquency and sexual exploitation. Their children are also at risk of being 'fostered' for the sake of 'solidarity'. We also feel that the social fabric depends on the quality of human relations that each one can make for self, and for the survival of one's dependants. This explains the system of 'social fostering' for children. However, the fragility of individual life conditions, the progressive degradation of natural resources and the extreme deficiency in financial income undermine the commitment of host families, thereby reducing the human asset factor at the service of family education.
The Polygamous Family
Without divorce or family restructuring, polygamous marriages can also propel children onto the street. In particular, polygamy is put to the test in town, as house sizes are not suited to comfortable accommodation. Children as well as adults no longer benefit from the same traditional points of reference, as roles are not shared out, as in the village. It means that the social fabric is progressively crumbling away in urban centres such as Bamako. The anonymity of the city facilitates many situations covered over in polygamous families. For instance, it is not clear where the child of a deceased spouse should go if the others do not take care of him or her.
Interview with A.D. (12): 'Father has two wives. My mother died when I was 3. After her death, my father remarried. No one was listening to me; I was always being insulted. I ran away from the family.'Polygamy is the reason for a lot of failure in educating children. In many polygamous families in Bamako, every woman lives apart, with her children in the larger family. Therefore jealousy and selfishness hinder devotedness and self-sacrifice on the part of each one in the larger family. Often, life is an ordeal in large families and the husband who has many wives is obliged to maintain each marriage, (since each wife constitutes a marriage) in numerous ways. A polygamous father leads a nomadic life among his wives. In his absence, there is a lack of authority and paternal affection in each family unit. Consequently, children are the first to feel this pain and they will go to seek paternal affection elsewhere.
Fostering
Fostering is another social practice that can be determining for a child's equilibrium. It is a traditional form of 'family placement' still very noticeable in Malian customs. It consists in confiding a child to a member of the extended family, to a friend or even a friend of the parents. The targeted objective of this form of placement is to renew or strengthen bonds of family or friendly relations between family members or families.
'I am 13. My mother entrusted me to one of her acquaintances who ran a small restaurant. I therefore had to spend the night in this restaurant or in the manager's family. I had a fight with one of the sons of the manager. He was injured and I ran away to come to Bamako. Now I am far from these problems.'
This practice of fostering developed otherwise: the fostered child is not always considered as a real child of the guardian. Fostering currently leads to the practice of bullying, child trafficking, violence, negligence, even to abuse of all kinds, at the expense of any educational norms. Many children suffer terribly from this practice and its consequences, leading to the phenomenon of street children, or delinquent children in conflict with the law, as the least of the illustrations.
'I am G.B. I am 11 and lost both my parents. I was entrusted to guardians who did not look after me well. I was always hungry and felt unloved by my guardians. I left with my companions who are being instructed in the Koran at Bamako. I have been living on the street for 2 years.'
Poverty
Currently, in towns as in the rural areas, couples who were united are divided between their activities and their family life. In the perpetual quest for the means of subsistence, children are left in the care of home helps (who are not always well-educated or adapt poorly to the socio-educational context), or to family members who have their own worries too. These continually absentee parents will probably not be able to give all the attention and affection their children require for their development. Therefore, the boys become involved in trouble in the street with pals of low morals.
Moreover, the deterioration in the economic framework is another vulnerability factor for children. Indeed, some children take off themselves, in search of an illusory supposedly better life elsewhere.'I am S.D. I am 16. I work here at the coach station as an apprentice driver. I come from a large polygamous family; my father has four wives; my parents do not know how to read or write. My village is over 300 km from Bamako towards the Côte d'Ivoire border. I left my family because of poverty. There was not enough food for everyone; that is why I came here, to find money to help my parents.'
At Bamako itself, there are children who live with their parents in the poverty of the streets, parents who came from the rural areas, seeking a better life in town. These children live and sleep in the street, outwith any family unit. In addition, many of their parents are not well informed about the dangers of the street, the importance of the power struggles that prevail there. Sometimes these children are unwittingly enrolled in delinquent children's gangs.'I am M.S. I am 17. I live with my family near the Grand Mosque of Bamako because of poverty. My father is blind. We come from a rural family with no plough or cart, so we have no means of subsistence. My village is 80 km from Bamako. My parents pushed me to come with them to do like the others who collect money for the village to buy oxen. I have not been to school. I have been in the street here in Bamako for two years. I often tout to find passengers for the public transport minibuses called 'sotramas'.
The economic reality of Mali contributes to the disintegration of traditional methods of solidarity. According to the 'Etude Prospective Mali 2025', (Mali Prospects Study 2005), three Malians out of four do not have enough to eat. At Bamako, many families no longer manage to provide education and food for their children. These children people the street to meet their needs, most often by being abused by unscrupulous adults.
According to Hamidou MAGASSA, a Malian anthropologist, 'street children' represents a new word for increasing poverty and extreme distress, as well as the fragility of the formal and informal social protection system. For him, the prime location for the social security and life insurance of every Malian is the family. It is one of the reasons compelling Malians to increase the size of their families, concerned to respond to the imperatives of protection of each of its members, in view of a non-existent institutional responsibility. In this way, at a very early age, children spend all their time in the street, playing, looking for the means to meet their basic needs, (food, clothing and affection) and to respond to the needs of their parents, guardians or exploitative adults of every kind.
1.2.2. The street and the phenomenon of begging
Families in difficulty are therefore vulnerable social cases that provide the street with victims of sexual exploitation. However, the phenomenon of begging seems to be the first provider of children for the street, children who do not appear to be at odds with their families.
According to ancestral tradition, tender age 'beggars', in their capacity as pupils at Koranic schools, leave their families to follow Koranic masters from village to village, from town to town, and sometimes from one country to another throughout West Africa. Initiation into the Holy Book, the Koran, and the education of these boys far from the family cocoon are decided in a climate of trust between the Koranic master and the parents of these children. In our time, this tradition is often diverted from its initial aim to become strictly lucrative in the hands of unscrupulous adults. Therefore, these children are obliged to beg, not just for their food, but also to have a certain sum of money for the pockets of their masters. When these boys do not manage to find the required sum, they run away and seek refuge in the streets, afraid of confronting the anger and whip lashing of their masters.
'I am M.D. I am 14. At Bamako, the master asked us for 500 francs CFA a day. We came on foot. It is too difficult. The master said that is how we are going to gain heaven.'
'I am A.B. I am 12. I was entrusted to a Koranic master who asked me for 600 francs CFA. If I did not bring back this sum, I received 60 strokes of the cane on my body. That is why I went away far from my parents and the master.'
II - WHY DID BAMAKO ARCHDIOCESE BECOME INVOLVED?2.1. Doctrinal basis
2.1.1. The New Testament
The Perception of the child
'Let the little children alone, and do not stop them coming to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs'. (Matt 19: 13-15 / Mark 10: 13-16 /Luke18: 15-17).
'I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 18: 1-5 / Mark 9: 33-37 / Luke 9: 46-48)
'I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God'. (Cf. John 3: 1-4)
Mission of the workersThe mission of the workers in development are to be the leaven, the salt and the light in their different activities. 'As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.' (Cf. John 20: 21). The workers must constantly remember that they are on mission.
2.1.2. The Church and human development in Africa n°46
In this document is the teaching that we can adopt concerning mission. This teaching demonstrates the preferential option of the Church for the poor.'Mission: the Church is the conscience of society in condemning evil, reviling perverse projects and unjust structures. Conscious of the infinite value of the human person, the Church must concentrate its effort on changing minds and hearts, as well as living conditions. It must try hard to humanise lifestyles, working conditions and relationships, to free them from the consequences of sin represented by unjust structures, the forces of oppression and alienation in all its forms.'
The late Archbishop Luc Auguste SANGARÉ, during the South-North meeting of partners in the Social-Pastoral, on the topic of 'against poverty', said this, 'The social activities of the Church, inspired by the works of Jesus himself are periodically addressed to the poor, the dispossessed, the voiceless and the abandoned…'
'The increase in diversified organisations engaged in meeting various human needs is ultimately due to the fact that the command of love of neighbour is inscribed by the Creator in man's very nature.' Benedict XVI - 'Deus Caritas Est' §31
'Right from the beginning, the Synod Fathers recognized that the Church as Family cannot reach her full potential as Church unless she is divided into communities small enough to foster close human relationships.' John Paul II. 'Ecclesia in Africa' §89
III - WHAT DOES THE CHURCH IN BAMAKO PROPOSE?
From 1992 until now, the Church has been involved with 'street children' through the diocesan programme entitled 'Action Enfants de Tous' - 'Action for Everybody's Child'. This name is at once a cry from the heart for children (so as not to stigmatise them) and a call to adults, (for these children belong to all of us). The programme is addressed to boys and girls. It is developed in several phases:
3.1. The street runs
It consists of making regular and frequent contact day and night without go-betweens with children in the streets in their living environment.
Educational Philosophy: In spite of the risks, the educator-monitor tries to create a bond of trust between the child and him or herself, because the child either lives in a gang or sometimes alone. We believe it is necessary to associate the child from the start with the new life plan offered to him or her.
3.2. The Centre listens
The listening Centre is a very simple house that welcomes children on a permanent basis. It is open 24/7. At the listening Centre, the monitors try to rehabilitate the children by games, socio-cultural activities (making or playing certain musical instruments, (the djembé, theatre), and socio-educational activities, such as drawing, painting, 'bogolan', making little carts. In this way, they succeed in identifying and making contact with their respective families in view of establishing a dialogue. The children are free to remain or leave, as they wish. They know they will find here the reassuring presence of an adult, an educator-monitor, who is ready to listen to them and protect them from the dangers of the street. All the children are cared for, but only the sick are given free meals.
Educational Philosophy: Maintaining the climate of confidence. Avoid creating a dependency mentality by only giving free meals to the sick and offering a mat and blanket. We do not seek to cut the child off directly from his or her living environment; that is why the child is free to come and go. Regular listening to the child establishes a bridge between him or her and the family, with the prospect of a return to the family.
NB: The listening Centre for girls is a daytime drop-in centre with two objectives: prevention by raising awareness and training girls in difficult situations. It includes the fight against the phenomenon, by identification, listening and counselling of girls at odds with their families.
3.3. Family-type homes
Currently there are two (2) family-type homes for boys at Lafiabougou and Moribabougou.The home at Lafiabougou receives children aged 6-15, whose return to family poses problems. The child comes to the home of his own free will. He stays or leaves, as he wishes. He is looked after completely, food, clothing, medical care. The children attend school or apprentice workshops. The monitor-educator represents the 'older brother'. The cook, a married woman from the neighbourhood, provides a feminine presence.
The second home is outside the town. It receives youths over 16 who are glue-sniffing or drug dependent. The aim of this home is to enable these youths to receive a genuine training in farming, (practical methods of cultivation, maintenance and repair of agricultural implements). In this way, when the youth returns home to his parents, he feels useful and can contribute to the development of his family and community.
Educational Philosophy: The home helps the children to rediscover the desire to live in family and not to substitute it for the family of origin. Therefore, inculcate the desire to live in family. The children who want to learn a trade take the steps necessary to find a trade of their choice, then inform the monitor. We want the child to discover his abilities for himself and take the first steps himself.
3.4. School monitoring
Volunteers and permanent educators provide school monitoring of the children who attend school. This step enables the maintenance of the children's desire to go to school. Reading and writing courses are given to adolescents who did not attend school, who are learning an apprenticeship in the workshops.
3.5. Professional Youth Training.
Adolescents and youths aged over 14, who have been with us, are followed up in workshops for an apprenticeship in trades of their choice, with the prospect of making them self-sufficient in their action. Those who have completed their training are maintained at a minimum rate, just enough to get themselves organised to tackle the employment market. We do not have the means to create professional training workshops within 'Action Enfants de Tous', which is why we work along with state schools and workshop owners.
CONCLUSION
In our opinion, the dislocation of traditional structures continues to affect the education of today's children in our society. The large family or extended family has split, making way for nuclear families in towns, notably Bamako. We are witnessing the gradual disappearance of the community's taking in charge of the education of children in general, and of boys in particular.
These social circumstances, harmful to children, as described above, are the results of a negative evolution in traditional institutions and mechanisms of solidarity and child protection.
The issue of street children should not be seen only in terms of finances, but also in terms of emotions. Many children wish their parents would only change their behaviour towards them and consider them as persons in their own right.
Monsieur Emmanuel Traoré.
How do we become aware?
What about you?
What could inspire you, motivate you, compel you to 'do something', to put your energies into gear?
I Firstly, change your attitude to these children…
who run the streets and live from begging. They are not thieves, delinquents or robbers. They are children. They are victims of adult exploitation, victims of poverty, of their families, of their village, of their country, of ignorance and of lack of schooling. They become delinquents by necessity.II Inspire yourself with the words of our Founder Cardinal Lavigerie:
Two excerpts from his speech given at Rome in the Church of the Gesù, 22 December 1888'Go and teach these populations that this Jesus, whose cross you will show them, died on it in order to shoulder all the world's freedoms; the freedom of souls under the yoke of evil…
'I am a human being and injustice towards other human beings makes me sick at heart. I am a human being and cruelty towards other human beings horrifies me. I am a human being and what I would like others to do in order to give me freedom, honour, the sacred bonds of family life, I want to do in order to give to the sons and daughters of this race, family, honour and freedom…' (Speech 1888)
The core of his message, the aim of his concern, the subject of his anti-slavery campaign, the living value he sought to save was humanity oppressed, in chains, humiliated, the poor who can do nothing more for themselves.
These are the living values that bind us to Cardinal Lavigerie: the men, women and children we want to set free from servitude.
III But then, how do we go about it ?We all know the famous 'see, judge and act' of the Y.C.W!
Look around you, in the streets, in the parish, are there children begging? Who would need your friendly greeting, your welcoming attitude, your help?
Ask parishioners to put you in contact with open-minded Muslims, interest other Christians and think about this questions of children's rights together.
Perhaps you could do a FM Local Radio programme or a conference-debate? Could you contact Koranic school masters? Would you do theatre? Could you start Reading and Writing courses? Do you celebrate the World Day of the Child? Take a walk in the coach station of your village or town and observe if there are not underhand goings-on, for example, in child trafficking - especially at border posts.
The vision of religions
For Imam Sheikh Hassane Cissé, Chairman of the Network of African Islamic Associations, 'African religions lend great importance to the protection of the child, without regard to gender.'
He underlined that the Prophet Mohammed recommended adults to respect the rights of children in saying, 'Out of the fear of God, look after your children.'
Moreover, he stated that Islam condemns prostitution, the use of child soldiers in armed conflict, begging by children in Koranic schools; for whoever wishes to provide Koranic teaching must provide the means to take charge of his pupils (clothing, food, healthcare and other).'
Extracts from the Regional Consultation of West and Central Africa on violence to children, held at Bamako on the 24-25 May 2005, chaired by the Ministry for Women, Children and the Family.
What does the Law say?
(Offences against human dignity on the Internet)
Exploitation of begging
For instance, let us reiterate article 225-12-5 of the French Penal Code, (18 March 2003). This offence punishes with three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros anyone who in any way:
'1° Arranges for anyone to beg in order to profit from it. 2º Profit from another's begging by sharing the benefits or receiving subsidies from a person who regularly begs; 3º Employ, lead or manipulate a person so as to direct them to beg or pressure them to beg or continue to do so; 4º Employ, lead or manipulate a person for personal gain with a view to have them practice a service on the public highway in return for a gift.'
Trafficking of human beings
(Articles 225-4-1 à 225-4-8 of the French Penal Code.)
Whoever traffics in human beings will be punished with seven years of prison and a fine of 150,000 euros. To wit: recruit a person, transport him or her or transfer, shelter or welcome them on behalf of a third party.
In conclusionWhat can we do? Let us challenge ourselves.
We would be pleased if you could share with us one or other idea on this topic. For instance, an example of involvement, or an experience, or an action that could mutually inspire us.
Poème
The Child
Child, my child,
You are life, you are divine,
And the fairest
Among all men and women!
Child of the street,
Poverty has made you leave your own folk,
Like a stranger, from afar,
Violence is your daily bread.
In a gang or alone,
At the town's parking spaces
And in the shopping high streets
You live aimlessly, stretching out your little hand.Seeing you the other day,
At two in the morning
At the airport parking lot
I wept
You looked so sad!Orphan child
40 million on African soil
Parents killed by AIDS or war ,
Deprived of bread and affection,
Your sorrow is immensely heavy.Innocent child,,
Your are exploited for sex and cash.
Mistreated child,,
How will you be able to love?
You have never known affection,
No one has shown it to you!Parents unaware,
These young people deprived of everything,
Will they not become tomorrow
Big time gangsters?Children of the world,
Your are here to grow,
To laugh and to develop.Your are fragile, defenceless beings,
Be aware that the crime of some is immense.
But who will deliver you from it,
And restore respect for your rights ?The right to eat your fill
To cover your lack of clothing
The right to education
By a father and mother
Who protect you
Like well-beloved children
Parents and children,
I implore you
Be on your guard!
There are some powerful people in this world
I can tell you,
Who are truly evil!
(July 2005 - Yves Pauwels)
Photo Jacek Rakowski.M.Afr.'In so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.'
(Matt 25: 40)
* * *
'Justice & Peace Files'
Edited by Justice and Peace Workshop of the Mali Province of the Missionaries of Africa
The Workshop consists of FathersLaurent Balas (Coordinator - Bamako), Anselm Mahwera (Gao) - Albéric Minani (Nioro-du-Sahel) - José Morales (Bamako) and Yves Pauwels (Bamako).
Contacts: Any of the members of the Workshop or: Laurent Balas - Uganda Martyrs Parish PB. 298 Bamako - Telephone: 224 27 27 or 224 35 84 laurent.balas@laposte.net
Translated by Donald MacLeod M.Afr.
