Keep Hope Alive for Senegal’s Street Children

Together, we can keep this bright light shining in a dark world

Earlier this month, we asked for your help in response to the dramatic and unexpected loss of United Nations funding for Maison de la Gare's essential programs, which offer hope and a future for talibé children in Senegal. Long-term Canadian partner Sonia LeRoy spent ten days with us during this time, and we want share with you her fresh impressions of the magic of this place, and why every one of us must do everything in our power to ensure that it can continue.

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Much has changed at Maison de la Gare since our last visit to Saint Louis. But the feeling as I stepped through the gate this morning has not: tranquility, hope, refuge, love.

Children play under the shade of the coconut trees. A few more wash their clothes in the new hygiene area. Yet several more wait for the infirmary doors to open. A stray cat who has adopted the center wanders by, stopping to stretch in front of the classrooms. Three little barefoot boys, empty begging bowls in hand, meander in then run to join their friends on the clean, warm, welcoming sand—begging bowls forgotten for now. All this feels like coming home.

And yet, the space is transformed. A new watcher at the door recorded our names. The old, leaking offices and library are replaced by a new, two-story complex with a balcony overlooking the center, including administrative offices, the microfinance program, a welcome reception area where Noel greets all the talibés who enter and records their names and daaras, a conference room, and Issa’s office. The toilets and wash area have moved, now shaded by the coconut trees and a towering date palm. The classrooms have been refurbished. A new library is being painted and furnished.

The extension of emergency dormitory now houses a school and a residence for eighteen talibés, who are joined during school hours by seven girls from the local community. This new school, Yaakar (which means "Hope" in Wolof), is a pilot project intended to demonstrate to the marabouts, the government, the inhabitants of Saint Louis, the whole world, and the talibés themselves, that these children have the same potential to learn and flourish as any other, provided they are respected, supported and guided by a community that believes in them.

Kalidou spotted me and rushed towards me with a warm welcome and a hug. Kalidou was once a talibé himself. Today, he is a teacher, a big brother, and a source of inspiration for children, showing them that they are not condemned to remain prisoners of this life. Alagie, nicknamed "American," arrived at the infirmary and began to treat the constant stream of patients who came seeking care.

My father (Rod LeRoy) and I were invited to a nearby football field to watch the tournament that Lalla organized for the talibé children. Four teams from four daaras competed in two forty-minute matches. No shoes or cleats. Some boys wore socks for a little protection. No one held back: the effort was total, and so was the glory of the winning teams. But I could see that all the children felt like winners. Lalla is much more than a sports instructor. She is a coach, a confidante, a big sister—a family for these boys separated from their own.

We returned to the center for a meeting with the leadership team. The flow of children arriving soon accelerated. Classes were in session. Then, Noël began to organize games— much needed play so kids can enjoy themselves like other children their age and leave the reality of the street behind for a time. It was glorious: joy, camaraderie, mutual support, belonging, fun. Finally, the meal was prepared. As the last light of the day began to dim, the boys lined up, and Rowan (my daughter) handed each child their dinner before they passed out of the gates and into the night, back to something so much less than this.

Issa Kouyaté’s long nurtured vision for this wonderful place is truly manifesting. It thus feels even more cruel that we have lost the United Nations funding, slashed with little warning after the United States government cancelled their financial contributions. This center for the talibé is an oasis for thousands of children living a life of neglect and abuse.

Having experienced the wonder of this place anew today, we all feel a fresh commitment to re-double our efforts to adapt, find new funding sources, and keep this bright light shining in a dark world.