A Day in the Life of Maison de la Gare

Sonia LeRoy shares her impressions of a "typical" day

There is very little action at Maison de la Gare first thing in the morning. Mame Diarra, the "house mother", prepares breakfast for the little talibé boys living in the emergency shelter, just Kalidou and Gorgui at the moment. Mamadou turns on the water and tends the garden. A neighbor notices the water is running and knocks on the still locked door, asking to fill his jug. He is invited in, as usual. Arouna organizes his books and bag for school.

Kalidou and Gorgui eventually rise and enjoy their breakfast. Then they kick the ball around, amusing themselves. After all, this is no daara where the talibés are sent out with the sunrise to beg for their breakfast as well as quotas of money.

By 10 a.m. Noël is positioned with his computer by the front door. He greets each talibé, recording his name and daara, as the boys begin to stream through the now open gate. Some entrust Noël with their begging bowls, little piles of coins collected during morning begging, and their few small treasures, so they can run off and play, hands free.

Before long the library is full of kids asking Bathe to put on a movie. And, a lively soccer match is underway in the sandy open area. One strong kick injures the already battered bougainvillea. Another, the banana tree. Mamadou winces with the next near miss of his bananas . Then he shrugs and joins the game. Before long, the ball is gone over the wall due to an over-enthusiastic kick. Someone small and light is launched up onto the roof of the classrooms. Then, he is over the wall. Back comes the soccer ball and the game resumes. A little later the boy has also made his way back around through the front gate again. Many children take advantage of the bank of showers and toilets. They watch out for each other, passing filthy clothes out to each other to watch over as they bathe.

Children present themselves throughout the morning at the infirmary, arriving in ones and twos. Awa, the nurse, tends their wounds, eases their toothaches, examines and dresses their infections and generally spreads much needed tender loving care.

At about 11 a.m. karate begins. The karate kids wait by the door to the room where the karate uniforms are sorted. Even the smallest children put on their own gi and tie their own belts. Children who a few minutes earlier were rolling in the sand, running around in rags of clothes or begging barefoot in the streets are now lined up in disciplined rows, proudly dressed in clean, white uniforms attentive and eager to learn, understanding that they are part of something special. Instruction lasts a little over an hour. The class is divided into beginner and advanced levels. Many more talibés sit alongside, watching curiously. Perhaps they, too, are considering becoming Maison de la Gare karate kids.

As the sun rises higher in the African sky, more and more kids make their way over to the library or the garden. There they play, talk, or just lounge around, enjoying doing nothing in the shade.

After a few hours the kids head back out onto the street and the doors of Maison de la Gare close. The boys have begging quotas to fill. And, in many cases they will be expected back at their daara for a little bit of Koranic instruction.

Later in the afternoon the gates of Maison de la Gare open once again. Kalidou and Gorgui have been fed and have enjoyed an afternoon nap. Mamadou probably has as well. Arouna returns from school. He has a break for a few hours, time to help out around Maison de la Gare. Arouna, a begging talibé himself until just last year, is an inspiration to so many of the kids. Some of the children who visited in the morning come back, trickling in as their begging quotas have been filled and submitted. But, there is also a different crowd. Classes are taught in the afternoon, and the children who want to learn are gathering, waiting for the teachers to arrive. Games resume. The infirmary is back in action. More children head to the showers or wash their clothes. All the while, kids are keeping an eye out for the arrival of the teachers.

When Bouri, Aida and Abdou unlock the doors to their classrooms, children begin to head over. Some of the older ones who are studying with Bouri are hoping to learn enough to begin in the public school system sometime soon. These boys are eager and diligent. Some of the littlest ones need some encouragement to set aside the ball and head to class. However, many also see this opportunity for what it is, and they stream right on in.

A short time before classes end a few kids, the "dojo talibes" leave early to train at the Sor-Karate dojo. After classes, as the night descends, a meal is handed out to each child. Then after a bit more socializing, out they go ... "Ba souba", "à demain" ... into the darkness and back to their daaras. Maison de la Gare is quiet once more.

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