The MSOLA in ALGERIA

Since 3 or 4 years the "Conferences of Thursday morning" are taking place in that Library (section of "Human Sciences" of the University Cultural Centre). Usually the third year students expose the topics of their thesis, or they give a presentation of books they have read, which is then followed by a discussion.

When I returned to Algiers, after a year on sickleave, my colleagues were very proud to show me the list of all those who gave a talk during my absence. This year it is rare that I attend these meetings, because it is too tiring for me to listen for hours to literary arabic. But the day Wassiny Laaredj came, I had to be there!

For those who do not know him, Wassiny Laaredj is a Professor of Arabic Literature at the Faculty of Letters in Algiers and at the Sorbonne in Paris. In addition, he has published about 10 novels, of which the last one is being translated by Father Marcel Bois.

Wassiny Laaredj came to talk about this last novel entitled "el Emir". It is a historical novel, which tells the story of the relationship between the Emir Abdelkader and Mgr.Dupuch. Fascinated by this encounter, Wassiny shares with us what the encounter of cultures and the dialogue between religions may signify. Among about 30 other writers, who are well known worldwide, UNESCO has chosen Wassiny Laaredj for this task, which is in the context of the dialogue between cultures. This year he is traveling a lot and gives conferences about his book. He presents the view of an arab writer about the encounter of cultures, something so important nowadays, when conflicts with the arab-moslim world are growing.

For us, MSOLA, the meeting of Cardinal Lavigerie with the Emir has become like a paradigm for our own approach with the Islam world. In the same way, Wassiny is using the testimony of Mgr. Dupuch in favour of the Emir to explain how an interfaith and intercultural encounter could exist, even when the two countries concerned were confronting each other.

Several times he stresses that it is not enough to talk to each other. We must try to understand the other. It is necessary to know him. He makes the link with the present politics: for instance in the USA there are people who are against war, who have no prejudices against Arabs. We should not generalize and be able to distinguish a person from the politics of his country. This is also true for France and the period of the colonization in Algeria.

For this meeting, the hall was not full. A twenty students, mostly young women, who are preparing for their masters, attended. They were invited to ask questions and to have a discussion. There was a good atmosphere of openess and great trust. Already beforehand, some of them had mentioned to me that they would like to take this theme for their thesis.
To be able to share and to work with these well-motivated young women is a real privilege. Thanks to this book and to the testimony of Wassiny Laaredj, the desire to know "the other" is once more at the centre of our work in this country. Thank you, Wassiny!

Sr Annemie

1700 students of arabic language and literature, philosophy, psychology, translators to be, visit the library. There are also between 20 and 30 children of the neighbourhood for the French classes.

The library opens 6 days a week. The main work is the lending of books and counseling for the students. The courses for the children are given in the afternoons.

Sister Annemie is in charge of the Library and sister Francoise Dillies gives the French classes.

The Community of El Meniaa and the handicapped children

In 1990, Christiane Baulieux arrived in El Meniaa - at the age of retirement. Parents were asking help for the handicapped children. It started as a home-based care. And to-day there are:
" a group (12 to 18 years) who come daily to our house - with Christiane Baulieu
" a group of 26 children and 4 adults are helped at their homes by sister Zawadi Barungu since 2003.
" a group of 5 deaf and mute in the morning with Teresa Ortiz
" a group of 3 young adults, who have multiple handicaps, with Teresa Ortiz in the afternoon.

The objective of the community is to help the handicapped to be integrated - to respond to the needs of the families, to give them support, especially to the mothers towards the rehabilitation of the handicapped child: physical, intellectual, speech therapy, all this in view of his/her reintegration.
Those who are able learn a skill (embroidery, sewing) or they go to the vocational training centre to learn a trade.
The demand is always very high. In total our sisters are touching a good number of people: 16 children, who come to our house with Christiane or Teresa - 27 children who are visited twice a week by Zawadi and 4 adults who are visited occasionally.
Caritas is financing what each one needs for her activities. Two small rooms of our house are available for Christiane and Teresa..
Some years ago, at the urgent request of the parents, Christiane started tuition classes in french. These classes are very well attended and there is a long waiting list, enough to start a second group.

Since the beginning, the sisters have a homecraft school at El Golea (el Meniaa). When the schools were nationalized, there was a void. And then in 1997, sister Cecile Henry started teaching young women sewing, embroidery, knitting, so that they could be self-reliant at home or find a job if they so wish. Nowadays, there is a sister and a teacher full-time and Zawadi goes there twice a week. They are a group of about 20 young women of very different ages and conditions, with little or no schooling, sometimes older ones (between 25 and 40 years), some at the request of their parents, who do not want to register them elsewhere, others who have a formation but want to improve themselves. The sale of the products helps for the upkeep of the centre.

In the community of Algiers-Palmiers, where I live, there is a Library where students come regularly. We are an international community coming from different countries: Germany, France, Rwanda, Spain, and the D. R. of Congo (Bukavu).

I am very grateful for all that I have learned about the Algerian culture and history, for "to remain with the other, one must know them… in order to understand what is unique in each one… and to pursue part of our journey together."

I am following Arabic language courses with five other women from Germany, Chile, and Argentina, and a Salesian sister from Madagascar.

I am working with a group of about 60 young Muslim boys. They welcomed me with joy and I am happy to be with them. We do theatre, music, sports, and art with the youth and we have a small photo-processing laboratory. They are dynamic and radiant and I feel happy and at ease with them.

Zawadi Barungu Namakoma,
Community of Palmiers, Algiers