For Freedom of Movement & Fair Development!

Let's tackle redistribution practically: Supported projects 2012/2013

All work within Afrique-Europe-Interact is entirely voluntary. Therefore, all donations benefit the day-to-day (solidarity-) operations directly; that means no money is used for operating costs such as wages or office spaces. In accordance with the main objectives of Afrique-Europe-Interact (see about us), funds are mainly used for our political activities – partly in Europe, but especially in Mali, Tunisia, Togo and Morocco. The header projects gives an account of the activities and campaigns Afrique-Europe-Interact has been involved in: Noborder in Tunisia, Close Down Choucha, People’s Assemblies in Mali, Stop Land Grabbing etc. Additionally, the European section of our transnational network supports people in establishing their livelihoods and the day-to-day activism of individual groups within Afrique-Europe-Interact in Mali, Burkina Faso and Togo (usually with a grant of 1,000 euros). Economically, many activists in Sub-Saharan Africa have their backs against the wall – especially in countries such as Mali, which is (or rather: has been made) one of the poorest countries in the world. The material uncertainty inherent in such circumstances is disastrous, not just on a personal level. It paralyzes the activist work, either because important resources are missing or because activists are preoccupied fighting for their own survival. Against this background, in the following we want to provide a brief documentation of 14 projects, which have been financially supported by Afrique-Europe-Interact between March 2012 and July 2013. We are happy to provide more detailed information about the financial aspects of our work and individual projects. To request this information please contact Volker Mörchen at nolagerbremen@yahoo.de.

Meeting of Afrique-Europe-Interact (including members of the european section) with farmers in Koyan Koura in the Office du Niger who has been affected by landgrabbing

Meeting of Afrique-Europe-Interact (including members of the european section) with farmers in Koyan Koura in the Office du Niger who has been affected by landgrabbing

APEGA/Association des Planteurs et Exploitantes de Gomme Arabique (Association for the Cultivation and Utilization of Arabic Gum)

The environmental organization APEGA mainly supports the self-organization of women in rural areas. The grant of 1,000 euros funded the acquisition of a mill for the women of the village Konobougou (100 kilometres east of Bamako), as well as the women’s training in operating and maintaining the mill. The machine was handed over during a visit of a delegation of European Afrique-Europe-Interact activists. The visitors received a demonstration of the traditional manufacturing of Shea butter soap. The mill assists with the grinding of the Shea nuts – a process which is physically extremely strenuous when done manually. During a second visit in March 2013, two representatives of the village reported that despite the social crisis in Mali, the initial operations of the mill have been successful. By now, even women from neighboring villages would take advantage of the machine.

Association des veuves et orphelins de Koulikoro (Association of Widows and Orphans from Koulikoro)

The 1,000 euros have been used to purchase numerous tools for the work in the collective gardens. The video on this site has been made in March 2012 during a visit of a delegation of European activists. The chairwoman of the association describes the living conditions of the association’s members.

French with german subtitles

UACDDDD/Union des Associations et des Coordinations d'Association pour le Développement et la Défence des Droits des Démunies (Union of Associations and Coordination for the Development and Vindication of the Rights of Destitutes)

The union is one of the best-known grassroots organizations in Mali. It represents the interests of people in rural or urban areas that have been expelled from their land and properties without any compensation. The 1,000 euros financed three things: first, the acquisition of a public address system; second, chairs for the meeting space; and third, the repair of a corrugated iron roof under which the weekly gatherings of delegates from the individual committees take place.

Pressconference of the Union in March 2013

Pressconference of the Union in March 2013

FAM/Fédération des Associations de Migrants de Mali (Federation of Migrant Associations of Mali)

FAM is the parent organization of all migrant associations in Mali. However, the term migrant organisation refers to Malians overseas, people who have returned, deportees and civil war refugees from the Ivory Coast. Initially, it was planned to use the 1,000 euros to open a take-away restaurant in Bamako. Because of the economic depression that has been caused by the multiple crisis in Mali early 2012, this plan could not be implemented. Instead, the funds were used to rent a new meetings space, because the location of the former space was too isolated and also too expensive (initial furnishings, computer, bond and five advance rent payments).

ADEM/L’Association pour la Défense des Emigrés Maliens (Association for the Defense of Malian Migrants)

The work of the association has three focus areas. In Bamako, it supports wives of missing migrants in their communal efforts to cultivate fallow pieces of land in the outskirts of the city. Also, the association offers counselling for deportees. Finally, every fortnight it broadcasts a popular radio program, in which migrants via phone talk about their – often precarious – situations during their journey or at their destinations (Europe at al.). The 1,000 euros were used to finance the equipment of an office and meeting space including a computer and reserve funds for rental payments.

Meeting in front of the ADEM-Office (March 2013)

Meeting in front of the ADEM-Office (March 2013)

AJE/Association des Jeunes Expulsés (Association of Young Deportees)

This is another project were the initial objectives have changes with the circumstances. The AJE has been given the opportunity to work in the rooms of the FAM. Therefore, half of the grant has been used to set up a small-scale chicken farm on a property 30 km south of Bamako. The other half of the money has been redistributed to another group which is active within the Afrique-Europe-Interact network: the AFIRMÀCY which will be described in the following:

AFIRMÀCY/Association des Femmes et Enfants Repatrie et Migrants de la Côte d´Ivoire (Association of Women and Children, repatriated from the Ivory Coast)

AFIRMÀCY is an association of civil war refugees from the Ivory Coast, which between 2003 and 2011 have repeatedly been expelled under the pretense that their parents originally had migrated from Mali. De facto, the association is engaged in agriculture and one of its operations is the production of soap. In order to expand the production, several pieces of equipment and materials had to be purchased. This was possible thanks to the redistributed funds from the AJE.

ECK/Association Espoir de Cachan Kalifa (Association of Hope of Cachan Kalifa)

ECK is an association that was founded by deportees from Paris in order to create job opportunities for young people and deportees in the manual and agricultural sector. This project also had to change plans because of crisis caused by the civil war in Mali. The plan used to be the setting up of an office in Bamako. Instead, the funds were used to start up a garden project on the property of the association. The gardening project is close to Kita, 150 km west of Bamako.

ECK-education project for young people in Bamako (March 2012)

ECK-education project for young people in Bamako (March 2012)

Le collective des artisans et travailleurs culturels (The Collective of Craftspeople and Cultural Workers)

The group founded initially under this title consisted of several craftspeople; among others the group Fasokele, which mainly works in the artisan craftwork but also stages musical and theater performances. At the beginning of the current crisis, Fasokele resettled to Burkina Faso, where two of its members were originally from. Therefore, the money could merely be distributed between two tailor workshops, which utilized the 500 euros to partly finance the purchase of new machines. Fasokele were additionally supported with 350 euros for the furnishing of their new house in Burkina Faso.

New sewing machine for an old activist of Afrique-Europe-Interact in Bamako

New sewing machine for an old activist of Afrique-Europe-Interact in Bamako

MSV/Mouvement des Sans Voix (Movement of the People Without a Voice)

The MSV is a grassroots movement that was founded in 2005. The focus of their work is the support of people who have been driven from their land respective their ground. Therefore it is no coincidence that the MSV played an important role in the process of the formation of the above mentioned UACDDDD. With the money the MSV has already in March 2012 rented an office of their own, including a new computer and access to internet. (It has to be added that the MSV has been strongly weakened in the past 2 years because of the departure of some of their members.)

AJRECY/Association des jeunes refoules de l´espagne de la commune Yanfolila (Association of young Deportees deported from Spain in the Yanfolila area)

The association that was founded in 2005 by deportees deported from Ceuta and Mellilais utilized the grant for the provision of an insurance-like solidarity fund for medical emergencies, funerals, baptisms and the likes. The video documented here was made in March 2012 during a visit of a European delegation of activists from our network. One of the things it depicts is visits to the mayor, the district councillor and the prefect.

Association Direi Ben & Association des Pecheurs Tiengal Niomni

Up to the beginning of the crisis caused by the civil war in Mali the association in the north of Mali has supported deportees als well as (transit-)migrants on their way to the north. Unfortunately the members of Direi Ben had to leave Gao in the course of the fighting in the north of the country. It is still not clear, if they are coming back. On reason for this is that Gao is at the moment no longer situated on the common routs of migration. Against this background the money was held back and then, in the summer 2013 placed at the disposal of the Association des Pecheurs Tiengal Niomni – a group of fishers in Bamako, who have begun to set up an ecological fish farm on the edge of the Niger with the money.

Association Togolaise des Expulsés (ATE) – die Togolesische Association of Deportees

The Togolese Association of Deportees is also a member of Afrique-Europe-Interact. It is anchored in Sokodé in the north of Togo and is mainly composed of deportees from Germany. The 1000 Euro were used to set up a small farming project in Mai 2013. We also want to refer to the both videos following, in which members of the ATE in a very impressive way talk about how it came to their deportation and how their life has continued afterwards.

Support of civil war refugees in Segou

In October 2012 the malian section of Afrique-Europe-Interact together with the non-profit sawasya gGmbH has handed over two tonnes of rice and 160 litres of edible oil with a total value of 1.150 euro to a group of refugees from the north of the country in the city of Segou (235 kilometres north east from Bamako). A total of 306 persons from 40 households has benefitted from this donation. The Regional directorate for social development and solidary economy had accompagnied the distribution on the day itself and provided a so-called distribution team.

Activists of the malian section of Afrique-Europe-Interact during the handover of the food donation in Segou

Activists of the malian section of Afrique-Europe-Interact during the handover of the food donation in Segou