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The following report was drawn up by Dr. Carmen Seidel during their
mission of eight days in the Ivory Coast.
Friday, March 22nd
In the evening, we arrive in Abidjan, the economic capital of
the Ivory Coast, with about 100 kilos of medicines, the
 electrocardiograph
donated by Marco Maglione of the firm Esaote and various bags
containing toys and teaching equipment for the children of Songon.
We are received by some members of the Valtur staff that upon the
recommendation of its President Comm. Carmelo Patti, member of the
Board of Governors of AEREC, and of our Academic Dr. Maria Concetta
Patti, CEO of the company, would have assisted us in many
circumstances. The control and customs formalities are attended
quickly thanks to the recommendation of the Ivorian embassy in Italy.
Outside we meet a very hot and humid climate.
Saturday, March
23rd
This day is dedicated to the organization and scheduling of the week.
It is very difficult to find and hire a chauffeur-driven car.
Sunday, March
24th
Palm Sunday in Songon. In the morning at seven o’clock we meet our
chauffeur Moumouni, who reveals himself immediately punctual,
trustworthy and solicitous and a very active assistant and mediator.
To reach Songon we have to face a two hours and a half journey on
busy and dangerous roads – a sacrifice we will make twice a day,
everyday.
9.30am. The whole village is waiting for us together with the
priests ready to bless the palms; this very solemn ceremony is
followed by the procession to the church traditionally accompanied
by typical songs and dances. The open-air High Mass goes on for two
hours and half with a very numerous and joyous participation. All of
them, hold palms in their hands and someone is even able to twist
them into a cross. At the end of the mass, the priest and the
chieftain, the deputy Barthelémy Ahoulé, present us to the crowd
thanking God (they came in the name of the Lord) and blessing us.
After having embraced our friends, we already met during our last
journey, and distributed several packs of candies among the children,
we move to the construction site for our first inspection. A big
bill at the entrance testifies that our so desired medication is
being built and we are deeply moved. The workers have already
completed the foundations and have started the manufacture of the
sand bricks which are drying up in the sun.
At lunch we are guests at the house of our friend Barthelémy who
receives us with warmth and hospitality and with a sumptuously laid
table full of delicious specialities prepared carefully by the women
of the village. Immediately, we notice that a crowd has gathered
downstairs not only to say hello but also because the rumour, that
we would have started to visit the sick this very afternoon, has
spread. As they are so many, we are bound to decide to visit only
the elderly persons and to put off the visits of the children to the
day after at school.
At the end of the day, we are extremely tired but deeply satisfied.
Monday, March
25th
When we arrive at school, many mothers with their children are
already waiting for us. We realize that great part of them suffer
from chronic bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, otitis and skin-diseases
that manifest themselves as sores on the small bodies and heads and
are the result of insect and tick bites, mycosis and, above all,
lack of hygiene. Thanks god that we brought so many paediatric
antibiotics with us so that we were able to cure them all. We also
diagnose malformations, tuberculosis, AIDS, poliomyelitis and in
almost all cases avitaminosis. We are perfectly assisted by our
friend Pascal, suffering from poliomyelitis too, who makes notes for
us, writes down the names of our patients and explains the mothers
in their native tongue the directions of the medicines. During these
visits, we take the opportunity to distribute among the children
candies, chewing-gums and pens they accept with a grateful heart as
if they were gold.
At the end, we leave the bags containing toys and school equipment
to the teacher with the intention to distribute them personally on
the next days – unfortunately there will be no time to do so.
After lunch at Barthelémy’s house, we continue to visit women and
the elderly persons passing some moments of panic on account of the
great quantity of persons that pushe against us taking away air and
space in the small room of our improvised surgery. Today we diagnose
above all cases of high pressure, tachycardia, thyroid dysfunction,
rheumatism, arthritis (due to the high humidity), lumbago, gastritis,
as well as lack of vitamins and minerals and above all of hygiene.
There are also cases of tuberculosis and AIDS.
Tuesday, March
26th
This day is dedicated to meetings and interviews with the
authorities of the country.
At ten o’clock, we have the first appointment with the Chief
Secretary of the Italian embassy in the Ivory Coast, Dr. Luigi
Scotto, who represents the Ambassador being in Italy in these days.
We expound him our project in Songon and our perplexity concerning
future dispatch of material and medicines. He assures us the
complete assistance and support from behalf of the embassy. We
inform him also that some members of AEREC are interested in
economic and commercial exchange with local operators. He stresses
the importance of cultural exchange between the countries and
invites us not look only at the poverty and the difficulties of the
country but also at the beauty and the many resources.
We move to the Institute of S. Mary Consoler meeting sister
Fiordalisa just got back from a visit to the missions in Burkina
Faso, sister Rita, former of the novices, sister Lilia and the
novices. Sister Rita having a good command of the French language,
makes some phone calls for us in order to fix and confirm further
appointments. They prepare an Italian lunch and afterwards we use
the only hour at our personal disposal to visit a typical market.
At 3pm, we have an appointment with Mrs. Tania Amani, representative
of Promexa. This association, constituted in 1995 by private
operators in the field of non traditional agriculture and
agroindustry, has the purpose to develop exportation. We meet great
interest in a cooperation with our Academy and she engages herself
to make up contacts.
At 3.45pm, we meet the administrative and financial manager of
Apex-Ci, Mr. Ahuié Kouakou. This association has the objective to
develop the exportation capacity of Ivorian enterprises granting
practical, technical and informative as well as financial assistance
in order to promote the products made in the Ivory Coast in the
world. In addition it offers an information centre for local and
foreign entrepreneurs.
At 4.30pm, CEPICI, centre of investment development cooperating with
the office of the Prime Minister. We are received by the Director
General Godé Pierre Dagbo who explains us how difficult it is for
the Ivorian companies to expand on account of the lack of financing.
The still colonial local banks do not grant loans and the relation
with them is very difficult (for example: two months are needed to
get a chequebook, while a credit card is merely impossible). The
Ivory Coast, the gate of Africa, suffers from many grave lacks, such
as paper, they have to import from Canada, and pharmaceutical
industries. There are many opportunities in the sector of tourism,
industry and manufacture, public construction and real estate. His
collaboration will be certainly precious in consideration that he
works in close contact with the Prime Minister of the Ivory Coast.
Wednesday, March 27th
One more day dedicated to the visits of the sick in Songon.
When we packed the 100 kilos of medicines to take with us, we were
sure that they would be enough or on the contrary would be in excess.
But we were wrong, they are running out. In many cases, we have to
write down the name of the patient and his malady in order to
forward them after having got back to Italy. There are still a lot
of people in the queue so that we have to decide to visit only the
most serious cases. But our request is in vain: everyone of them
insists to be cured. After eight hours of an uninterrupted work, we
are really exhausted and have to stop. Who hasn’t got the
opportunity to be visited shows openly a great disappointment and
annoyance. In fact, we should come oftener.
Thursday, March
28th
Again in Abidjan. We have so many appointments that we fear not to
be able to respect our schedule.
At nine o’clock, we meet the bishop Mgr. Laurent Akran Manjo. He
shows great enthusiasm for our humanitarian project but arrives late
so that we will have some problem in meeting punctually the
following engagements.
In fact, at 9.30, the Minister for Health awaits us but we arrive at
10 o’clock when he has to leave the Ministry for another appointment.
However, we manage to meet the whole ministerial staff included the
head of the staff, Daniel Komet. The officials describe us the
difficult sanitary situation of the country on account of the
chronic lack of funds and show appreciation and admiration for our
project. They explain us that all the visits and medications are
against payment and that the Ministry established that any kind of
medicine costs about € 15. In addition, they show deep appreciation
for our women’s development project.
On account of our accumulated delay, we are not able to see the
Minister for Solidarity and Social Affairs, Mme. Clotilde Ohouochi,
we already became acquainted with on occasion of her participation
in our last Academic Convocation in Rome. Unfortunately, a common
institutional engagement has provoked the unexpected and unforeseen
absence of some ministers; nevertheless, each of them delegated one
of their closest collaborators.
We move to the residency of the President Gbagbo where we say hello
to his wife and have a meeting with her sister Mme Ehivet Marie
Victoire, close collaborator of the First Lady and very active in
solidarity and social affairs. I personally discuss with her my
project I am developing in favour of the African woman which
provides for the formation and assistance of the Ivorian women in
order to develop their social and economic emancipation. She shows
evident appreciation and is happy to have found a collaborator. We
promise to keep contact with each other via e-mail.
At 12.30, we leave for Songon to see the Prefect Mme Ida N. Alloh
Aoussi we already met during our last journey. The encounter is very
cordial and affable characterised by a mutual pleasure of having
seen each other again. She, too, promises her collaboration and
commitment to my women’s project. We will keep contact with each
other.
After having stopped off at the commune to say hello to the Mayor,
we continue on our way to the construction site where we realize
with enthusiasm that the works are going on incessantly. We meet
some women that are coming back from the lagoon with basins on their
heads containing water necessary to the cement. A very heavy and
tiring work they carry out with joy and patience for they feel
useful in an initiative which is important for them, their family
and the whole community. We exchange some words with the foreman who
assures us his control, precision and rapidity in the works while he
stresses the importance of a regular and punctual money transfer. We
leave them our last packs of cigarettes and chewing-gums they accept
gratefully.
This is our last day in Songon, and we move to Barthelémy’s house
for our last lunch and to say goodbye to the children and to the
people of the village distributing our last candies. These are very
touching moments as we grew fond of each of them. Their eyes express
hope and gratefulness and we promise to come back as soon as
possible. The women give me as a present some typical products they
know I appreciate very much, such as pigments (hot pepper) and
Attiéké (the local couscous).
We move to the house of our friend the missionary Abbé Ackwadan, who
organised and accompanied us in many of the above-cited appointments,
to say goodbye to his family hoping to pass a leisure hour by the
lagoonside. But even there, numerous persons have already gathered
hoping to be visited. We do our duty.
On the way back via Abidjan we first stop to meet the delegate of
the Minister for Solidarity and Social Affairs, the head of the
ministerial staff Jean-Paul Monne and
then we reach the Institute of S. Mary Consoler to say goodbye to
the sisters and to leave them the small rest of the medicines they
are the only able to distribute as the directions are in Italian
language.
Friday, March 29th
Day of departure. We have some hours at our disposal to pack our
thinks and to admire the natural beauties of this country which are
remarkable. However, we will be able to appreciate them easilier
only when the poverty and the dramatic diseases will be eradicated.
Carmen Seidel
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