24-03-2023 | di COOPI

CAR. Stories from Bangui: discovering the youth centres

Mr Vianney is in charge of one of the “Maison des Jeunes”, youth centres supported by COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale in the 3rd and 5th arrondissements of Bangui, as part of the project 'Young people, hope for the Central African Republic: Masséka, békou ti Bé-Afrika', financed by the European Union's Bêkou fund.

Mr Vianney

He tells us about the crisis between the different religious groups in 2013. He explains that, given the situation in the 5th arrondissement, with a Christian majority, and its proximity to the 3rd arrondissement, with a Muslim majority, during the last year they focused their activities on social cohesion. The results were surprising:

The involvement of young people in the Maison’s activities has had a positive impact on peace and reconciliation among young people, and also on members of the whole community. Today, almost all social strata, regardless of ethnicity or religion, participate in the Centre’s activities. Social cohesion and coexistence reign supreme among these youngs”.

Rolande, a community worker who acts as the focal point between COOPI and the youth centre in the 5th arrondissement, spoke in the same way. She believes that in the past young people were unable to meet up anywhere to engage among themselves and enjoy time together. Now, however, young Muslims living on the other side of the town come to play football in the Centre. She said:

In my opinion, this project is really a strategy for creating an atmosphere between young people. Encouraging them to live together, they are forced to confront each other even if at first they didn't want to".

Rolande

This is also what happens according to Defort, a young motorbike taxi driver. He remembers in fact that some brothers from the Muslim community who had computers lent them to him and his friends, so that they could practice for the course they were attending at the Maison. Sure enough, Defort takes part in the many activities organized at the Maison des Jeunes of Castor, in Bangui's 3rd arrondissement.

These are focused on topics related to the lives of young people, such as sexual and reproductive health, civic sense and citizenship, as well as peace, national reconciliation and security. Rolande emphasizes that young people are also involved in the decision-making and implementation of the activities, are supported by the heads of the houses and COOPI staff, are responsible for the games and sports kits, and organize four times a week educational activities that were previously sporadic, such as awareness-raising sessions and debates. Finally, the Maison des Jeunes has organised 7 months of literacy courses and 3 months of computer courses, which meet a need identified by the young people and will greatly facilitate their job search. Merlin, also a beneficiary of the computer training, explains:

Today everything revolves around the computer, Internet and social networks. I had been trying to learn how to use computers for a long time, but I didn't have the means to pay the fees, which are usually between 2,000 and 3,000 FCFA per session in cybercafés. With this training, COOPI really did me a favour!”

As Rolande underlines, COOPI's support greatly strengthened the youth centres, which were not operational before the project: “The unavailability of the managers often led to their closure, whereas now they are open every day”.

Defort

COOPI has been present in the Central African Republic since 1974. Its activity is built on many years of experience in the affected areas and its approach is based on the active participation of young people and government institutions involved in the peace and reconciliation process.