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“Very small projects” Upon the initiative of the Taizé brothers living in Dakar, Senegal, a reception service for refugees and immigrants (P.A.R.I.) was set up in 1995, under the auspices of Caritas-Dakar. The parishes and the religious communities of the city gave it responsibility for an activity that is becoming more and more necessary as the number of displaced persons increases in this Western horn of Africa. From the start, the P.A.R.I. has put the accent on helping these urban refugees to assume their responsibilities: it is essential that they themselves take charge of their needs and their insertion in the varied and highly developed informal sector of life in Dakar. The principal means of doing this has been through the promotion of “very small projects”. First of all the P.A.R.I. asks the refugee by what job he feels able to assure his survival, in a context where he can expect no permanent assistance from anyone. It is the refugee himself who has to find the response to this question so that he genuinely commits himself in his project. Next, he is asked to draw up a list and an estimate for the equipment, materials, and eventually the produce that he believes he needs. The P.A.R.I. examines the project, has it amended and systematically favours those that imply a profit through the work of the person concerned. Purely commercial propositions are however usually avoided. Among the most frequent projects, there is haircutting, making and repairing shoes, making doughnuts, setting up a street restaurant, working in the port or in the markets thanks to the provision of a rickshaw, etc… The projects do not exceed 30 000 Fcfa (around 45 Euros). This is a non-returnable gift. However it is never money that is handed over: it is the P.A.R.I. that purchases the material and gives it to the person concerned. Next, the P.A.R.I. supervises the setting up of the project through regular visits. Given the mobility of many of these activities, this is no easy matter. Some who have persevered and appear particularly painstaking are given an extra “hand” after one year, especially if they are responsible for a family. The success rate, around 60%, appears fairly satisfactory. It can happen that a refugee moves from one activity to another, selling the material provided by the P.A.R.I. No matter. What counts in the long run is that he takes charge of his life. The P.A.R.I. does not claim that these “very small projects” provide lasting solutions for the problems of refugees, even if some people do persevere and survive for years thanks to their project. Above all this is a means of teaching people to become responsible and a practical way of giving them a leg up. It sometimes happens that the beginning of a project coincides with a period of great difficulty for the refugee – meeting urgent needs, like food, for example – resulting in the failure of the project. Plans therefore ensure that the granting of equipment for a “very small project” is accompanied by the gift of “food support”. For people who have a family, “food support” consists of a package containing 10 KGs of rice, 1 litre of oil, 500 grams of pasta, sugar, powdered milk, and soap; to a total value of 6550 Fcfa (10 Euros). Who are the refugees who benefit? Who are these refugees scattered through the large built up area of Dakar? In the early years there were Rwandan families who had left Central Africa during troubles, after living there for several years. There were young Congolese from Brazzaville and from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who were under threat for ethnic reasons or else whose families were on the “wrong” side in the political struggle. There were numerous Liberians fleeing their country again, after trying to return under the illusion that peace was coming at last. There were also people from Sierra Leone, who were very numerous in times of trouble. Since those early years, the nationalities have become more diverse and the project helps not groups, but a scattering of individuals. Amongst these, it is more and more difficult to distinguish political refugees from “economic refugees” or even people who are simply migrants. They all claim to be refugees. In fact, very few of those who request asylum finally obtain the much coveted refugee status: on average only 6%! All the others, once the resources that bring a minimum of legal protection have been exhausted, are left without a residence permit (you need a regular job) or a passport (you need to be in touch with the embassy from which they keep their distance). Dakar is therefore the paradise of people “without identity papers”. If they keep quiet, do not wander about at night, and keep clear of traffickers, they can live for years in Dakar without much trouble from the police. One day perhaps, if caught up in a police raid, they might spend several months in preventive detention. After six months, the tribunal will condemn them to the length of time they have just spent behind bars and will ask them to leave the country… which they will certainly not do. A new deal Since 2006 things have been greatly complicated by a wave of clandestine emigration, in the many “pirogue” boats which sail towards the Canaries. This phenomenon involves mainly young Senegalese, but also some foreigners who we thought were seeking refuge in Dakar, whilst they were in fact merely “in transit”. The P.A.R.I. does not want to encourage these mad ventures which sometimes end in tragedy, and mostly result in forced repatriation. What a waste of energy and money – which, however, illustrates the disillusionment of a section of African youth who have lost all hope and cannot envisage a future in their own country. They cope very badly with the failure of their attempt, which brings shame and, often, debt. There are even young Senegalese who do not dare to go home and find themselves a kind of refugee in their own country. They join up with other “stuck” migrants; they stay in Dakar and get by as best they can – like so many other Dakar Senegalese who are not much better off. This is a new challenge for P.A.R.I. Many questions are raised by the consequences of clandestine emigration: the lot of those expelled and repatriated (who often dream only of setting off on another attempt). Would it be not be better to join forces with others, in making efforts towards education and development which could give back to young people the hope that there is, nevertheless, a future for them in Africa? At the same time, it will be essential to continue to accompany all these young defeated adventurers, who are so bitter and disillusioned. What luck to be able to live this in Dakar and not elsewhere! This city offers an exceptional welcome to strangers, especially in its poorest areas. People may have little to share, but there is a great tolerance, which has even become established as a national virtue. This is the famous “téranga” (welcome) – which is no empty word.
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«Sasvim mali projekti» Na inicijativu braće iz Taizéa koja žive u Dakaru, u Senegalu, 1995. je godine pod pokroviteljstvom dakarskog Caritasa organiziran «Prihvatni centar za izbjeglice i imigrante (P.A.R.I.)». Župe i vjerske zajednice grada povjerile su joj odgovornost za aktivnost koja postaje sve nužnijom kako raste broj raseljenih osoba u zapadnom rogu Afrike. P.A.R.I. je od početka stavio naglasak na pomaganje tim urbanim izbjeglicama kako bi ponijeli dio svoje odgovornosti: od temeljne je važnosti da se sami brinu o svojim potrebama i uključivanju u raznoliko i visoko razvijeno neformalno područje života u Dakaru. Osnovni način na koji to čini poticanje je «sasvim malih projekata». Prije svega, P.A.R.I. pita osobu kojim bi poslom mogla osigurati svoj opstanak, budući da ni od koga ne može očekivati trajnu pomoć. Izbjeglica mora na to pitanje samostalno naći odgovor kako bi se istinski posvetio svome projektu. Nadalje, od njega se traži da sastavi popis i predračun za opremu te materijal koje smatra potrebnima. P.A.R.I. zatim ispituje projekt, osigurava sredstva i podupire one koji ostvaruju dobit radom dotične osobe. Čisto se komercijalni prijedlozi, međutim, u pravilu izbjegavaju. Među najzastupljenijim projektima su šišanje, postolarstvo, pravljenje krafni, postavljanje uličnih restorana, rad u luci ili s rikšama na tržnicama, itd. Projekti ne prelaze vrijednost od 30 000 franaka CFA (oko 45 Eura). To je nepovratni dar. Ipak, nikada se ne daje novac. P.A.R.I. kupuje materijal i daje ga zainteresiranoj osobi. Projekti ne prelaze vrijednost od 30 000 franaka CFA (oko 45 Eura). To je nepovratni dar. Ipak, nikada se ne daje novac. P.A.R.I. kupuje materijal i daje ga zainteresiranoj osobi. Nakon toga, P.A.R.I. nadgleda provedbu projekta redovitim posjetima. Budući da su brojne od tih djelatnosti mobilne, to nije jednostavan zadatak. Neki koji ustraju i čine se osobito izdržljivima, nakon prve godine dobivaju dodatnu pomoć, osobito ako su odgovorni za obitelj. Uspješnost od otprilike 60% čini se prilično zadovoljavajućom. Događa se da izbjeglica zamijeni jednu aktivnost drugom, pa proda materijal koji je P.A.R.I. priskrbio. Nema veze. U konačnici je bitno da on skrbi za svoj život. P.A.R.I. ne tvrdi kako ti «sasvim mali projekti» osiguravaju trajno rješenje problema izbjeglica, čak i ako neki od njih ustraju i, zahvaljujući njihovu projektu, opstanu godinama. To je iznad svega način da ljudi nauče kako postati odgovoran i praktična potpora u tome. Početak projekta ponekada se poklapa s periodom velikih poteškoća za izbjeglicu, kada projekti često propadaju zbog hitnih potreba, poput hrane. Stoga planovi osiguravaju uz opremu za «sasvim mali projekt» i «potporu u hrani». Za one koji imaju obitelj, on se sastoji od 10 kg riže, 1 litru ulja, 500 g tjestenine, šećer, mlijeko u prahu i sapun; do ukupne vrijednosti od 6550 franaka CFA (10 Eura). Tko su izbjeglice koji dobivaju pomoć? Tko su izbjeglice razasuti širokim područjem Dakara? Ranijih godina bilo je obitelji iz Ruande koji su u vrijeme krize napustili centralnu Afriku gdje su živjeli niz godina. Bilo je i mladih iz Brazzavillea i Demokratske Republike Kongo koji su bili u opasnosti zbog etničkih razloga ili čije su obitelji bile na «krivoj» strani u političkoj borbi. Ima i puno stanovnika Liberije koji su ponovo bježali iz svoje zemlje, nakon što su se pokušali vratiti u iluziji da konačno dolazi mir. Tu su i ljudi iz Sierra Leonea, koji su bili vrlo brojni u vrijeme krize. Od tih ranih godina, narodi su postali raznolikiji, a više nemamo posla s grupama, nego s mnoštvom pojedinaca. Među njima je sve teže razlikovati političke izbjeglice od onih ekonomskih ili običnih migranata. Oni se svi deklariraju kao izbjeglice. Zapravo, vrlo malo onih koji traže azil konačno dobije toliko željen izbjeglički status: u prosjeku samo 6 %! Svi ostali, čim se iscrpe resursi koji osiguravaju minimum zakonske zaštite, ostaju bez dozvole boravka (zahtijeva se stalan posao) ili putovnice (morate biti u dodiru s veleposlanstvom matične zemlje, što većina ljudi izbjegava). Tako je Dakar raj za ljude «bez identifikacijskih isprava». Ako se drže po strani, ne lutaju noću i ne bave se ilegalnom prodajom, mogu živjeti godinama u Dakaru bez previše problema s policijom. Ako ih možda koji put uhvati policijska racija, mogu provesti nekoliko mjeseci u preventivnom pritvoru. Nakon šest mjeseci, sud će ih osuditi na kaznu od onoliko mjeseci koliko su već proveli iza rešetaka i zamoliti da napuste zemlju… što oni zacijelo neće učiniti. Nova situacija Od 2006. stanje se bitno zakompliciralo valom ilegalne emigracije u brojnim brodovima «pirogama» koje plove prema Kanarima. U ovu su pojavu uključeni uglavnom mladi Senegalci, ali i neki stranci za koje smo mislili da traže azil u Dakaru, do su oni zapravo bili «u tranzitu». P.A.R.I. ne želi ohrabrivati ove sulude pothvate koji ponekada završavaju tragično, a najviše rezultiraju prisilnom deportacijom. Kakav gubitak energije i novca koji, međutim ilustrira gubitak iluzija dijela afričke mladeži koja je izgubila svu nadu i ne može se suočiti s budućnošću u svojoj vlastitoj zemlji. Vrlo se teško nose s neuspjehom svojeg pokušaja koji im donosi sramotu i, često, dugove. Ima i mladih Senegalaca koji se ne usuđuju vratiti kući i postaju svojevrsne izbjeglice u vlastitoj zemlji. Oni se udružuju s drugim migrantima «u škripcu», ostaju u Dakaru i snalaze se najbolje što mogu – poput mnogih drugih Senegalaca iz Dakara kojima nije puno bolje. To je novi izazov za P.A.R.I. Mnoga pitanja iskrsavaju zbog ilegalne emigracije: puno je onih koji su protjerani i vraćeni u domovinu (a često samo sanjaju o novom pokušaju). Ne bi li bilo bolje udružiti snage s drugima, poduzeti korake prema obrazovanju i napretku koji bi mogao mladima vratiti nadu da za njih u Africi ipak postoji budućnost? Istovremeno, bit će nužno nastaviti potporu svim ovim mladim poraženim avanturistima koji su tako ogorčeni i obeshrabreni. Kakva je sreća da ovo možemo živjeti u Dakaru, a ne negdje drugdje! Ovaj grad nudi iznimno gostoprimstvo strancima, osobito u najsiromašnijim područjima. Ljudi možda imaju malo za podijeliti s drugima, no tu je velika tolerancija koja je već postala nacionalna vrlina. To je poznata «téranga» (dobrodošlica) – koja ovdje nije samo prazna riječ.