“Us together with others”: toward a solidarity school

A solidarity project – Within the humanitarian campaign “the heart melts”, launched by Unicoop, an Italian supermarket chain, a new project was set off: “Us together with others”. Objective: to make Tuscany high school students aware on the topic of sharing, getting them personally involved in experiences of solidarity in poor areas. Among the chosen areas of intervention there was also Fontem, Cameroun (Africa), where Focolare Movement is present for more than 40 years. In collaboration with Tuscany and Fontem Focolare centres, some projects in favour of the Mundani tribe have been launched.

On the way – From 14th  to 24th  February, a group of 20 persons participating in the project went to visit Fontem. Among them, there was: Claudio Vanni, Unicoop Director, Massimo Toschi, Tuscany Region Councillor, Piero Taiti, Health Director of Prato Hospital, and 7 students of the Technical Institute “Dagomari” of Prato, close to Florence, accompanied by a teacher.

Continuous development – The visit to the new ward for infectious diseases of the hospital in Fontem and to the new volleyball court at the boarding school stimulated a great interest. However, the target of these young Italian visitors was Besalì village, in Mundani region, where a tribe of 8.000 persons lives. The trip to reach this place was really adventurous: 58 km track deep in the forest, crossing several water streams on makeshift bridges or across the stream bed. This was possible only because it was still dry season. But at the end of the journey, fatigue and discomfort totally disappeared as the Fon, head of the  tribe, the dignitaries and all the population of the village welcomed festively the group.

But why Besalì? Besalì was purposely chosen in order to answer to a request of help for many boys and girls who do not have the possibility to go to school. Unicoop accepted the proposal of including along with its humanitarian projects Besalì school. Already in the past, Unicoop Directors had shown their interest in Fontem experience, offering willingly their collaboration in order to complete the installation of the electrical system in the new ward for infectious diseases. Now, the construction of Besalì elementary school is underway, and it is being erected on the land offered by the Fon and some dignitaries of the village. The works which have been carried out amidst many logistic difficulties are about to be completed.