News from Maison de la Gare
Covid-19 and the Talibé Children
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Maison de la Gare faces an extraordinary challenge in responding to this global pandemic
Not just one life, but a whole nation!!!
Maison de la Gare has had to make a very difficult and consequential decision, to temporarily
close its welcome center
for the talibé children. We and the children we serve are facing very serious challenges as
a totally unexpected threat is upending normal life.
The coronavirus Covid-19 made its way from Asia to Europe and America, and it is now spreading
around the world. The countries that were affected first, although rich and developed, could
not do anything to stop it other than by isolation. African countries like Senegal are not
prepared to deal with this pandemic. Senegal registered its first case on March 2nd. Three
weeks later, there are more than thirty cases. The Senegalese Head of State, Macky Sall, has
ordered the closure of schools and universities and even places of worship, as well as the
cancellation of all public gatherings.
Maison de la Gare works with talibé children who have been left stranded, along with others
of the most vulnerable
in society who are most affected by infectious diseases. The government
has made no decisions regarding the daaras. The ban on welcoming children to schools to
prevent transmission of the virus should be applied also in daaras where there is much less
hygienic protection and where children are exposed to all kinds of contagious diseases. The
danger in some daaras is very high and potentially fraught with dire consequences.
Having had to close its welcome center, Maison de la Gare’s team is now carrying out an
awareness campaign in the poorest Saint Louis daaras, doing their best to protect the most
vulnerable against the Covid-19 threat.
Among other initiatives, we are distributing hygiene kits in dozens of daaras housing more
than 2,000 talibé children who are particularly exposed to communicable or contagious
diseases. We are educating both the marabouts and the children about the threat and are
encouraging the
marabouts to keep their talibés off the streets. And we are demonstrating
to both the children and the marabouts how to wash their hands effectively and to respect
basic hygiene practices. The hygiene kits that we are distributing typically include soap,
hand sanitizer and bleach.
We sincerely hope that this scourge will soon be under control so that we will be able to
relaunch our programs for the talibé children, to help them find hope and direction in their
difficult lives.
In the meantime, we will be adapting day by day to the changing situation, doing everything
in our power to help the most vulnerable. We are grateful to everyone in the global
community who supports our work and makes it possible for us to do this.
