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1_A CHURCH ACROSS BORDERS Born in December 2001, Mongos Apostolic Vicariate is a circumscription of the Catholic Church which encompasses the largely Islamized regions of Northern and Eastern Chad, across 540.000 km2, bordering Libya, Sudan and the Central African Republic. Our brand new church comes, then, to join the other 7 Southern and Western dioceses, where populations are chiefly Christian. Owing to its geographical situation and the characteristics of its settlers, Mongos Apostolic Vicariate is a Church that crosses several borders: between the desert and the plains, the nomads and sedentary populations; between Arabic and black-African ethnic groups; between Islam, Animism and Christianity; between Northern and Southern Christians. That explains our penchant for approaching the other. This way, we wish to support the Catholic minorities accounting for less than 1 % scattered across this vast territory while at the same time keeping close links with Muslims, the remaining 95%, through our presence, testimony and service. We are a Church engaged in the dialoge of life which also teams up with others to face common challenges as regards water, food safety, health, peace or school. In addition to the active commitment for the regions

development, the Apostolic Vicariate, neighbour to Darfur, is likewise concerned about refugees and displaced populations. Our church project endeavours to respond to our religious and political context. We are a church across borders both at home (1% Christians compared to 95% Muslims) and abroad (we share borders with two big Islamic States), and hence, we aim to find common ground between the Christian-Islamic worlds by means of testimony and service. 1- Concerning TESTIMONY, we must train Christian communities so that they will be truly committed to their faith. We do this through catechesis, biblical and liturgical translations and sacrament services, youth and lay leaders Christian training, etc. promote a mutual enrichment of the two main constituent groups of our church: the native mountain-dwellers (Hadjerays) and the Christians from Southern Chad so as to bring about, step by step, the communion of the whole of the Church of Chad, well beyond all social gaps. It is our task to further Christian communities without thereby sidelining Islam. This is in order to serve social and inter-religious peace, but also, in essence, this task is in agreement with our faiths core value, which is first and foremost the importance of dialogue. 2- The communities thus trained can enhance CROSS-CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS and DIALOGUE in and through the manifold services provided by our church - in close collaboration with our Muslim neighbours- in the fields of education, health, rural development and craftsmanship. Would you like to check up on our Church or get information about our region? Would you like to keep updated about our actions or get involved? Dont hesitate to come to our site: its just a click away from you. 2_ THE SERVICES The activities of our Church are supported by a diocesan and economic administration under the bishops supervision. The Bursars office manages the Churchs finances and backs up financially the institutions and initiatives which depend upon it. It is made up of a chief bursar aided by an accountant and a cashier business officer. The diocesan Secretariat handles ongoing administrative tasks. In addition, the secretariat is in charge of the communications service of the diocese, which includes two subdivisions: the quarterly diocesan bulletin named LEcho de Mongo and the website.

Furthermore, our diocese helps the local population by means of: The Aura, which deals with development activities.

The Justice and Peace Committee, which advocates for the enhancement of citizenship, justice and peace. 3_THE TEAM Mongos Apostolic Prefecture is made up of living stones and it stands on the hard work, faith and resolve of 580 local lay leaders. These ones are trained and supported by a team of 9 priests, 18 religious men and women and 7 international volunteers. Msgr. Henri Coudray was chosen in 2001 to become the minister of the newly created Apostolic Prefecture. He is a French Jesuit born in 1942 who, having arrived to Chad for the first time in 1964, has since 1974 settled here. As an Arabic and Islam scholar, he has always worked in Muslim-dominated regions (Abech, NDjamena and Mongo). He taught Arabic at the Lyce dEtat dAbech for ten years and he then became the parish priest of the Gura region, after which he was appointed Promoter for the Dialogue between Christians and Muslims in the archdiocese of NDjamena. This journey to the borders among Muslim and Christian communities, accounts, no doubt, for his being chosen as the pastor of this new circumscription. 04_HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF CHAD AND OF THE A.V. The Catholic Church of Chad is the youngest of African churches: although the first catholic missionary entered the South-Westernmost part of the country in 1929, it wasnt until 1946 that evangelisation truly kicked off all over the territory. In 1951, Rome divided Chads regions among the Capuchins (Moundous diocese), the Oblates (Pala) and the Jesuits (in both Fort Lamy and Fort Archambault) [For further information, refer back to the Church in Tchad in Resources]. In the South conversions took a fast pace. The National Population and Home Inventory of 1993 supplied the following data: - 20,3% claim to be Catholic - 14,4% claim to be Protestant - 53,9% claim to belong to Islam - 7,4% claim to belong to African religions In 2008, having into account the huge growth rate of both Catholic and Protestant churches, it is safe to say -despite the randomness of the records-, that nowadays, the percentage of those who claim to be Christian is around 40%. The Catholic Church in Chad is today made up of eight dioceses, three of which are run by Chadian bishops. It also has more than 110 Chadian priests, nearly one hundred Chadian nuns and around 120 seminarists. From the Archdiocese of NDjamena to Mongos Apostolic Vicariate: In 2001, the archdiocese of NDjamena, with 5/6 of the surface of Chad, accounted for half of the countrys population. On the other hand, the other six dioceses, which encompassed the remaining1/6, were in charge of the other half. The archdiocese grouped the vast majority of the Islamic-believer population (91% compared to7% Christians) whereas the six other Southern dioceses took in mostly the Christian population (64, 8 compared to 14, 3 Muslims). This social-religious background laid the foundations for NDjamenas twofold undertaking: to enhance, on the one hand, Christian life for a Catholic minority while at

the same time bearing witness of the gospel within the Muslim world. Now, due to the unprecedented growth in the number of Catholics coming from the South, by the end of the 90s, the archdiocese of NDjamena gradually came to the realization that most of its forces were devoted to meet the capitals pastoral needs. On the other hand, the remoteness of the eastern and northern communities meant that they hardly had the chance to see their minister. Furthermore, the pastoral in Muslim areas was utterly neglected. Indeed, no new missionary establishment in Muslim-populated zones had been carried out for more than 30 years. The origin of the Apostolic Vicariate of Mongo: In the face of this situation, Chads bishops requested from Rome the creation of a new church circumscription encompassing the archdioceses eastern pocket and the Salamat (north-east from Sahrs diocese). The goal of this initiative was to support scattered Catholic minorities all over this huge territory through establishing their presence, testimony, service works and eventually, announcement. The new circumscription, set up by the Pope on the 1st December 2001, encloses the whole eastern section of the diocese (the regions of Guera, Batha, Ouadda, Wadi Fira, Ennedi and Salamat). This new jurisdiction which was first instituted as an Apostolic Prefecture possesses all the legal requirements of a diocese (since its independent from all structures other than Romes patronage), which basically means that it has to be supported at the level of material and staff until it can become an autonomous diocese. 05_ CHAD The countrys name comes from the Kanouri word tad which means large stretch of water. It has around 9 million inhabitants over an expanse of 1.284.000 m. km, which amounts to less than 7% inhabitants per km. This density ranges from 0,2 in the BET to 74.3 in West Logone. Three climatic areas stack up as follows (from north to south). 1. The Saharan area which accounts for 47% of the surface area for 2% of the population. 2. The Sahelian area which accounts for 43% of the surface area for 48% of the population. 3. The Sudanese area, which accounts for 10% of the surface area for 50% of the population. The first two areas make up what we know as NORTH, which is a geopolitical concept; in these two areas most of the population is Muslim. The third area is commonly called, in the same geopolitical vein, SOUTH, and its inhabited by Christian and Animist populations. The staple economic activities are stockbreeding (dromedaries and bovines), millet, peanuts and sesame farming, cotton, fishing and rubber-picking. Since 2002, petrol exportations have shifted the economic distribution. There is a striking ethnic and linguistic diversity: out of the 12 main groups, only the SARA (27, 7%) and ARABIC (12, 3%) stand out numerically. There are more than 130 recorded languages, although only18 of them are spoken by more than 50.000 people. The official languages are French and Arabic. French having been adopted during the independence (1960) and, in 1982, at the outset of Hissne Habrs regime, Arabic was declared the second official language. 58_Chad suite

History: the North of the country was characterized by the flourishing of centralizing societies (sultanates of Kanem, Baguirmi and Ouadda), which became progressively Islamized and used Arabic as the language of the clerkship and as a diplomatic tool. Slave trade and commerce of ivory and ostrich feathers were some of the economic activities. On the other hand, the South sheltered non-centralizing societies. These were organized in autonomous village chieftainships, although they very often joined in federations to regulate initiation rites and the social religious life. The South always had to guard itself against the slavery razzias from the neighbouring North. A series of successive clashes are the most striking feature of the countrys recent history. The French colonization, from 1900 to 1960, was marked by the refusal of schooling in the North and the (relative) boom of the French school in the South. The Independence, in 1960, which was characterized by the Southern rule and the breakout of rebellion in the North in 1965 (establishment of the Frolinat National Liberation Front of Chad) in 1966. February 1979: civil war spread all over the country. Rule of Hissne Habr (1982-1990) and Idriss Dby (from 1990 to date): power shifts to the North. Flow of Sudanese refugees from January 2004 and negative impact of the Darfur crisis in Eastern Chad. To delve further into this complex socio-economic reality (North and South, ethnic diversity, linguistic problems, oil management, etc) refer to: Tchad Conflict North-South: mythe ou realit? Spia- Centre Al Mouna, 1996 Tchad: vers le retour de la guerre? International Crisis Group, 1 juin 2006 Tchad : contentieux linguistique arabe-franais. Langue, religion, identit, pouvoir, Al-Mouna, NDjamna, 1998 Larabe tchadien. Emergence dune langue vhiculaire, P. Jullien de Pommerol, Karthala, 1997 Chrtiens et musulmans au Tchad, Henry Coudray, Islamochristiana n 18 (1992) p. 175-234 Le peuple tchadien. Ses racines et sa vie quotidienne, Jean Chapelle, LHarmattan, 1986

06_OUR ENVIRONMENT

GEOGRAPHY Mongos Apostolic Vicariate covers 540.000km. It has borders, from North to South, with Libya, Sudan and the Central African Republic and encompasses, successively, the Saharan (Gouro, Fada), the Sahelian (Abch and Mongo) and Sudanese (Am Timan) areas. There are 1, 7 million inhabitants, which roughly means an average density of 3, 1 inhabitant/ km. The nomads (Arabs or Zaghawa) move to summer pastures with their dromedaries or bovines. They are chiefly farmers and they produce millet, sorghum, peanuts and sesame while practicing at the same time sedentary stockbreeding. HISTORY From the Sultanate of Ouadda to the independence The Muslim sultanate of Ouadda came into being at the beginning of the XVIIth century within a region ruled by animist chieftainships. Although these have continued to exist until our times, -whether autonomously or within a Muslim or Christian environment- they have steadily been replaced by Islam. Thus, Abch, capital city since 1850, became, in the wake of the independence, the countrys Arabo-Islamic hub, notwithstanding the raids carried out against its southern neighbours: Gustav Nachtigal, who lived in Abch in 1873 claims that Ouadda exports consist of slaves, ostrich feathers and ivory. Thats why their neighbours, especially in the Gura, have, up to today, cast a very dim view on them. The Ouadda is the only power to have been able to push away the French, this resistance being firstly military: Abch wasnt taken until 1909 and in spite of this, the Massalits still defeated the colonial troops after the pacification (Doroth combat in 1910). This resistance translated next as a refusal of French schooling which broadened the gulf between North and South at the time of the independence. Lastly, resistance ended up in the attempt at a French non-commissioned officer which was followed by a brutal repression: 25 Ulamas were beheaded and several local leaders and their families murdered. From the independence to our times The rebellion, which has for so long shattered the whole country, broke out in the Gura in 1965. All areas belonging to the Vicariate suffered its impact and Church life was deeply affected; for one thing, it was impossible to get out from cities in Ouadda from the late 60s onwards, the rural parishes of Dadouar and Baro in the Gura had to be evacuated and the Islamist put pressure on Christian minorities. Elsewhere, as well as in the Dar Sila or Biltine the baleful alternation rebellion-repression has been so merciless and long-lasting that locals have ever since been greatly disturbed. So much so that all the conflicts aggravated by the Darfur crisis have found a most favourable terrain for all kinds of excesses: refugees, displaced populations, militia and local communities are interwoven in a hardly comprehensible and deadly game. CULTURE Ethnic phenomena, stockbreeders-farmers, linguistic mosaicCouldnt we just talk a little bit about that for those are not very clued-up on African matters? 07_OUR RELIGIOUS CONTEXT ISLAM

As we can see in the opposite map, Islam, with a rate of 95, 7% followers, is the predominant religion in the diocese. However, in spite of the leading role of Ouadda as regards the regions Islamicization, we should not forget that Islam didnt really penetrate until the beginning of the XVIIth century. And even later on, Gustav Nachtigal reported that Toubou populations from the BET, at Ouaddas eastern border, had preserved their animist beliefs at the end of the XIXth century. As for the Muslim ethnic groups of the Gura, except for the Dadjo, their Islamicization doesnt even go back to World War II. All this notwithstanding, Islam is solidly rooted in Eastern Chad and, with Abch, city of Ulamas and medersas, it plays a very strong symbolic role. Within the context of the power clashes between the traditional Muslim Brotherhood and the Wahhabite reforming wave, the former remains largely influential. However, current trends in the medersas point to a very likely reconfiguration of the Islamic landscape in the region. ANIMISM According to the 1993 survey, 4% of the dioceses inhabitants claim to be animists. They are concentrated in the Gura region but there is a strong presence -most often in an unavowed way- in what is called pre-Islamic survivals right in the heart of areas considered as 100% Muslim. Hence, even three centuries after Ouaddas foundation, in 1898, official sources reported that, since the sultan took over, heavy animist rituals had been observed in the old capital city of Ouara: the night meeting of the sovereign with the totemic Great Snake and the crossing of the bodies of seven young people whose throat had been previously slit according to ritual. In the Gura, where 5, 2 % of the Hadjeray population claimed to be animists, according to the 1993 survey, the margay cult still remains greatly alive nowadays. Islam, then, just as well as Christianity faces the challenge of traditional religion: a twofold challenge that calls for an open mind, as befits enculturation, and sharp discernment when it comes to the heathen deviations of certain margay practices. CHRISTIANITY The percentage of Christians is 1, 1% (according to the 1993 survey: 10.507 Catholics and 7.374 Protestants). Bearing in mind the nature our Church here, these figures have stayed the same for 15 years. However, statistics concerning Catholics must be interpreted as follows: the figures elicited through the survey make reference not only to christened people but also sympathizers. It is advisable, then, to consider only half of the resulting figures to obtain the real data, without thereby downplaying the pertinence of this sort of wild attachment to the Catholic Church! The composite nature of the Catholic population in our diocese can be clearly seen in the religious map: In the Gura region, green crosshatching makes reference to the 3, 2% of native Christians (1, 8 Catholics and 1, 4 Protestants, 1993 survey), made up by Hadjeray rural populations. Elsewhere, points in the same colour which correspond to towns-, point out to non-indigenous Christian communities: civil servants and soldiers who come from the south to work temporarily in the north. These dispersed communities,

as we call them, are slightly more than 90, and their number varies greatly: from more than 800 (Abch) to less than 20 (as in Ounianga Kebir) 08_ THE PARISHES Our diocese has six parishes with contrasted characteristics: Bitkine (Gura region) Dadouar (Gura region) Mongo (Gura and Batha regions) Baro (Gura region) Am Timan (Salamat region) Abch (Ouadda, Wadi Fira and Ennedi regions) The four parishes of the Gura deanery. The parishes of Bitkine, Dadouar, Mongo and Baro are characterized by the relative density of native Christian communities and by their proximity. These four parishes include 7 of the 9 priests of the diocese and 4 out of 5 religious communities. Mongos dispersed communities (crosshatched in green on the map) are part of the dispersed communities pastoral. The parishes of Am Timan and Abch Both parishes are highly spread out: 63.000 km in the case of Am Timan and 330.090 as regards Abch, whose furthermost communities are separated by 1.500 kilometres of virtually impassable roads. These non-native communities are made up of civil servants and soldiers from the South living in a completely Muslim environment. They are made and unmade as their job postings require. These communities are the best sample of the challenge which typifies our church: that of supporting these Christians who come for variable periods so that they can fit smoothly within the surrounding Muslim society, without any complexes or shame due to their scant number. Equally, we help them stick to their missionary calling by the practice of their testimony as serving and praying communities. Once back in their communities, these Christians will become the leaven of missionary spirit within Southern churches. All the parishes in our diocese are distributed into grassroots ecclesial communities and they lead catechetical activities in order to train Christian communities so that they will become truly committed to their faith. There are several movements headed by young people and lay leaders. Moreover, in the Gueras rural parishes we can find translation services which deal with biblical and liturgical texts in local languages. Lastly, a whole host of development activities make of our parishes real testimony and service communities. 09_ EDUCATION AND CULTURE Chads school system, ruined by 20 years of war, is not doing well. In spite of petrol revenues, the government hasnt been able to supply staple infrastructures, and underpaid teachers are almost every year on strike. Young population keeps increasing and Chadian education, modelled on the Western system, cannot cope with the growing need for literacy. According to a Unesco report from 2004, the rate of illiterate people in Chad is 86, 5% with a significant gap between men (77%) and women (94%). Even

more worrying, far from getting better, the education level has plummeted over the last few years in the whole country due to repeated strikes, overcrowded classes, untrained teachers, inadequacy of school programmes with the socio-economic reality and the purchase of diplomas. If access to schooling is difficult, access to Culture is even more so. In our towns and villages with no television or electricity, libraries are sparse and the arts barely encouraged. Hence, the moment a local artist, almost as a miracle, comes forward, we make every effort to further them. To learn more, read the testimony of painter Idriss Bakaye. Our activities Having into account this lack, our Church has made of education and culture one of its great priorities. Our action focuses on 4 axes: Primary education: Ten Associated Catholic Schools operating all over the diocese. Thirty-eight community schools built in the Gura 20 of which benefit from pedagogical monitoring Creation of Foi et Joie, a popular education movement which works with community schools. Secondary education: A girls middle school in Bitkine. Two boarding schools which provide tutoring in Mongo and a third one is underway in Bitkine Cultural coordination: Three cultural centres in Bitkine, Mongo and Abch Thirty rural libraries Ongoing adult training: Catechesis in Bitkine, Mongo and Bandaro Development techniques (nomadic training sessions on the construction of dams and sun ovens, granite carving, management of foodgrains banks, etc.) in partnership with local associations. 10_ HEALTH The context In the Gura, the public health system is inefficient. A great many reasons make it difficult to get medical attention: the distance between the villages and the health centre can be of more than 30 km, rustic means of transportation (donkeys, carts, camels,), dilapidated or inexistent dispensaries, high cost of medical care, lack of staff training. As a consequence, people keep having recourse to traditional medicine. Evidence is overwhelming: maternal and infant death hasnt regressed for 20 years and illnesses such as polio, meningitis, tos ferina, measles, malaria, diarrhoea, tetanus and malnutrition are still widespread. Here in the Gura, there are 4 district hospitals which means a hospital per 76 750 inhabitants and 25 health centres, thats to say, a centre for 12 280 inhabitants. Our

diocese, through the AURA, runs three of them, while at the same time carrying out joint work with the regional health authority which oversees national immunization days and sets long-term guidelines. Set up around 1965 by Catholic missionaries and put up by the villagers themselves, these three dispensaries have been, from the outset, taken care of by the Church while also being operated by management and health committees made up of members chosen by the local population. These committees act as mediators between the Centre and the villagers and manage ordinary receipts and disbursements (medicine purchase, centre upkeep, payment of the warden and nursing assistants). The health Project The health Project started in 2005 and was funded by Misereor and Dr. Ostuni through Mano Amica. This project seeks to improve the health situation in the catchment area of our three health Centres. These Centres serve a population of 59 000 inhabitants, distributed around the towns of Bardangal, Baro and Dadouar. They are respectively located at a distance of 55 km, 65 km and 23 km from Mongos hospital and of our coordination office. To face this situation we have taken certain measures. First of all, we have improved the hygienic conditions and general state of the dispensaries so that users can be treated in a way respectful of their dignity by: - repearing unstable pieces of furniture, - providing new furniture and adapted materials - a regular upkeep of wards and equipment - making available drinking water for both patients and staff - a regular and steady supply of medicines - raising awareness of a population for the most part unaware of the consequences of bad health habits (lack of clean water, lack of hygiene and means) These consciousness-raising schemes are a drawn-out job for the Health Centres staff, that must be trained to pass on their knowledge and raise peoples awareness so that the can live in good health and prevent illnesses. They must become a role model and a key resource for the population! Another challenge lies in wait: how to ensure the individual respect of each patient, the respect for their privacy and the respect of medical secret: each patient must be received on his/ her own and treated in privacy. We seek to provide adequate care for each of them, to meet the needs of the population by paying attention to the respect of each persons dignity, the comprehensive assistance of the patients and the concern for their education and illness prevention. We, healers and healed, are all solidarity agents for a life in good health! 11_ Water and Environment Context Most of our dioceses territory is located in the Saharan and Sahelian areas, where water resources are scarce and water a crucial issue. Due to its mountainous relief, the region faces, moreover, another specific problem: during the rainy season, turbulent masses of water from mountain streams, which arent slowed down by any obstacle, scatter

around towards far-off marshes, after having caused serious damage to the ecosystem, by ruining crops and impoverishing the soil. That basically means dry wells and thirst for people and beasts alike. To this predicament must be added the mounting desertification, caused by the global warming and the indiscriminate fell of trees for domestic use and for enormous brick fours. From 2000 onwards, several local associations have been created to solve these problems. Together with them, with the AURA and various Christian communities, we undertake many activities to fight desertification. These activities are financed by Misereor, Mr. Imbert, Magis and other particular donors. Our activities Building of more than a hundred wells with ALSADER Construction of 104 dykes and dams with Am Tine, Sila and ALSADER. Stone dams are built in valleys so as to hold the force of the water and to make it enter the subsoil to fill the wells. Earth dykes are built in the plains to turn water courses towards cultivated land to water the fields. Reforesting in Mongo, Ati, Melfi and several other towns in the Gura where we have community schools. Technical innovation: in order to fight deforestation, many technical innovations are being put into action so as to find alternatives to using wood as a combustible. To meet domestic needs, ACDAR operates a workshop which builds sun ovens. As for wood- consuming bricks, they are being replaced by hard and solid bricks made by means of a brick-press which doesnt need any baking. And, for two years, the parish of Dadouar has benefited from a group of Italian stone carvers dubbed Scalpellini who come to show local volunteers how to carve granite. Their technique is simple and efficient, and it opens up new horizons in building in the region: building in stone is from now on building solidly, sustainably and ecologically. 12_ FOOD SECURITY Most of our dioceses territory is located in a desert or semi desert area, which is a drawback in terms of food security. Most of the population live on agriculture and are at the mercy of climatic whims, loan-sharks and millet-eating birds. To fight these plagues we have created foodgrain banks and undertaken the controlled hunting of millet-eating birds. Foodgrain banks, a loan-sharks nightmare As far as villagers can remember, loan-sharks (wealthy stockbreeders or traders) have been always around, criss-crossing the Gura in the lean season, when millet becomes scarce, to lend money to their friends in distress. But that help is far from being free of charge and the peasant in debt will have to pay back with an interest rate of 400% at harvest time. In order to do so, peasants will have to neglect their own crops, which will throw them right into the mouth of the loan-sharks. Unlessunless all the villagers in solidarity with their plight, start teaming up to creating foodgrain banks. And this has been the case since 2001 all over our dioceses territory where they currently make more than 140.

A request of the villagers to our diocese is at the origin of these banks. We, then, through the AURA, contact donors such as Misereor, Mr. Imbert and several private donors. They offer the villagers the first stock of millet on one condition: its strictly forbidden to take it prior to the dry season and villagers are to restock it as of the first yields, with 25% interest so that it can increase. Villagers then, are to run the bank through a board chosen, supervised, and supported by ALSADER coordinators. The latter arrive as of the installation of the bank to monitor activities and are in charge of peasant leaders training. These coordinators are well-read volunteer farmers who, persuaded that every single person must make an effort for the communitys development, journey unceasingly around their sector on bikes. There are currently two of them in Melfi, two in Bitkine and five in Mongo. At the head of this dynamic team, Mumin Djimet passes on his vigorous savoir-faire. And that is so because the smooth operation of a foodgrain bank hinges on its restocking and hence, on repayment. Concerning that issue, compromising is out of the question: at the bottom of the contract signed by each bank member, theres the following clause: If I dont respect the terms of the contract Ill be liable to prosecution. This dissuasive clause has allowed them to obtain almost 100% refund in the whole of the banks. The method has paid off handsomely: granaries are full and bellies too, and in four years, the stock has nearly doubled in the banks where the scheme first started. Villages now face two choices: either they keep raising stocks so that loans can go up, or they can put them on the market to fund village activities like paying community teachers, building wells, small trade Hunting of millet-eating birds: profitable and tasty Foodgrain banks allow peasants to manage crops, to put up dykes and dams and it favours millet crops. The crop protection picture wouldnt be complete unless we take into account the problem of millet-eating birds. They are responsible for huge losses (ranging from 20% up to 100% of the harvest) and their ravages force all the children to watch over at the start of school. In 2006 Barlos Signbolingo group applied to our diocese for a loan to start its birdcapture operations. The money was granted and the operation was a tremendous hit: this group of 30 trappers has not only been able to refund its loan after only one-season hunting campaign, but they have also tripled the original amount by selling 113 bagfuls of birds. As a result, the Signbolingo group has been able to triple its members with the support of John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel, so that the impact of this activity can multiply across the region. 13_ Refugees and displaced people, the JRS At the east of the diocese more than 400.000 people live in extremely precarious conditions (Sudanese refugees and internally displaced people). These uprooted people depend entirely on national and international solidarity. That just comes to show how serious the humanitarian situation is and the challenge it poses to the diocese.

Sudanese refugees from Darfur add up to 230.000. During the first 9 months of exile in 2003, they were in a very precarious situation, more or less put up by native Chadian populations. For 4 years and a half now, they have lived in 12 camps in a 600 km strip along the Sudanese border. These camps are located in semi-desert and desert areas (except for the 2 southernmost camps). Many men (fathers and older brothers) have been lost to village raids or have joined the rebellion. Some of them were able to take with them their donkeys and livestock but the lack of water and pastures caused heavy mortality among them. The UNHCR supported by the WFP and UNICEF- coordinates the actions in the camps with the aid of a host of NGOs. After 3 years we can say that the staple needs are covered: shelter, food, water (although this is a thorny issue due to the dryness of the area), health and education. As for security, Chads government provides a minimum but theres a high risk when venturing out of the camp in search of wood or grass especially for women, who can be raped by gunmen. On the other hand, its not an uncommon practice for Sudanese rebels allied to the Chadian government to force refugees into their ranks. There are livelihood schemes provided for refugees so that they can get ready for their future return to their villages of origin (gardening, stockbreeding, craftsmanship and so on). One should not leave aside displaced people: 172.000 of them (figures from April 08) fled their towns as of Mars 2006 owing to attacks, massacres and systematic destructions aimed at these populations. Between mars 2006 and mars 2007 an estimate of two thirds of the Dar Sila inhabitants (region to the South of the Abeche-Adre strip bordering Sudan) had to flee their towns. Bereft of the entitlements accorded to refugees, they are the worst-off in terms of security and living conditions whereas Sudanese refugees, often belonging to the same ethnic group, are protected by international law. They are distributed in more than 10 sites in the Dar Sila. Political reasons: Darfur refugees are black African Muslims. They are sedentary cattleraisers and horticulturists. Except for the Fur, who are exclusively Sudanese, the rest belong to ethnic groups living halfway between the two borders (Zaghawa, Massalit, Dadjo, etc.). The political reasons which forced them to flee their villages can be thus summarized: Darfurs political and economic marginalization carried out by Khartoums regime caused a growing unrest among local populations. Political agreements and the sharing out of petrol revenues with the South aggravated the feeling of marginalization, all the more so since Darfur inhabitants had thoroughly supported the djihad against the South. Conflict emerged in 2003, violently put down by the central government. To extend the scope of this repression, the regime has -very cunningly and cynically- taken advantage of Arabs pastoralists, always in search of water and pastures especially after the drought-stricken late 80s. As for internal displacement, two factors have converged: a) Eastern Chad has been hard-hit by the Djandjawid phenomenon and the fact that Khartoum-armed Arab militias, who raid West Sudan, belong to tribes as much Chadian as Sudanese has made it all too easy. b) The hardening of traditional conflicts between stockbreeders and farmers together with weapon distribution and a divide to win government policy. 14- Female promotion

Women carry out a great deal of work both at home and in the fields. Yet, even if theres considerable room for womens decision-making within the household, they are still second-class citizens in a society where polygamy is, moreover, quite widespread. Young girls marry early (16-17 years-old), even prematurely (12-13 years-old) depending on the ethnic group and only 30% in the whole country go to school. Their schooling rates are sensibly lower than boys (33% in the first year of primary school and 17% in the final year, CM 2). They take an average of 9 years to finish the primary cycle. In certain regions of our diocese girls quit school during the 4th year of primary school and only rarely do they complete the cycle. In other areas they remain longer, even until the age of 16 or 17. The causes that prevent girls from schooling are of a socio-cultural nature (early marriage and the belief that modern schools dont prepare girls to fulfil their traditional role; the level of education doesnt increase the dowry and many parents think that educated girls have a hard time getting a husband), of a socioeconomic nature (high cost of school fees and stationery, use of female labour to do the housework, to supply water for the family, to mind younger brothers and sisters). Moreover, married women have many children (ranging from 6 to 12) but scant incomes and access to decision-making spaces. They have started therefore to get organized and many of them have joined different kinds of associations. Our activities We work to further womens lives in terms of: Education. Girls schooling has been a long-sought goal in our diocese. Within a context in which women cant express themselves openly in the presence of men and where schools are co-educational, we have then decided to create female primary schools (Mongo, Bitkine and Abeches Associated Catholic Schools) and to open a girls middle school in Bitkine. Theres also a hall of residence for village girls in Mongo that allows them to study at the local high school. In all these institutions we seek to provide girls with quality education and a space for personal development and fulfilment. Embroidery workshops In Baro as well as in Abeche, the first missionaries sought to commercialize cotton to create a livelihood for women. In Baro, the use of cotton was restricted to make fabrics employed to envelope corpses. The workshop made possible the creation of a real embroidery and weaving lab. The women have created their own prints taken from geometric shapes and prehistoric frescoes found in the Chadian desert. They also depict the stylized shapes of camels, giraffes and elephants on tablecloths, cushions, towels, bags and cotton clothes. In Abeche the embroiderers have chosen a fine cotton and high-quality thread. Their embroidery is fine and skilful with a penchant for floral prints or beautiful birds. We are currently seeking a stable partner to market these products on which 200 women and their families live. Support to women associations Lately, several women associations from 100% Muslim towns have appealed to us for supporting their projects. At Oum Hadjer we have backed a women

group wanting to create a foodgrain bank and have helped a teacher build a school for blacksmiths children, a marginalized social group. Likewise, at Mangalme we are helping an association to set up an operating fund by supporting their stockbreeding and small trade activities. This fund pays the literacy instructor who trains the associations women. All these endeavours are supervised by volunteers from the dispersed Christian communities. 15 _ The Justice and Peace Commission. Mongos Justice and Peace Commission was officially born on the 2nd September 2006 and its part of the national Justice and Peace board which comprises Chads 8 dioceses and which works for human promotion. Its staffed by 8 Catholics, 6 Muslims and 6 Evangelicals. We have chosen to associate Muslims and Evangelicals to this Commission so that it can itself become a lab for peace building with an influence over local authorities and associations. The Commission delivers trainings in different fields: justice, farmers/ breeders conflict, the Social Doctrine of the Church, as well as awareness-raising schemes through audiovisual means and messages, fieldwork, conferences on inter-religious dialogue, citizenry). The Commissions strategy basically consists of: seeing, assessing, acting. Even if the board of directors is based on Mongo, the Commissions scope stretches all over the dioceses territory through local mixed commissions. These local networks are being set up in Bitkine, Am-Timan, Oum Hadjer, Abeche, Ati, Mangalme and Mongo. In all instances, the Commission acts as a human rights association without resorting to denunciation as its main instrument. When faced to human rights violations it listens to the victim or victims and to the offender prior to getting them together. Ultimately, it favours dialogue. Lets also make clear that even if the Commission stands on the Social Doctrine of the Church, its actions are in the service of each human and all Humanity. Further readings: Lettre de mission de lvque la Commission Justice et Paix Echo de Mongo N 2 16_PARTNER DIOCESES In addition to the necessary communion among local churches, our yet small diocese cant do without the solidarity of other dioceses worldwide. Chadian dioceses: Mongos Apostolic Prefecture, having been born out of the decision of splitting the diocese of Ndjamna, profits every year of the benefits of the Foundation created before the scission for the upkeep of the clergy and its auxiliaries. Furthermore, for 6 years, the archbishop of Ndjamena has sent a fidei donum priest to our diocese to give a boost to our local clergy. In the same vein, efforts have been made to further exchanges between Southern dioceses and Mongos, not only to elicit collaborations but also to strengthen the socio-religious unity between North and South.

African dioceses: We have, from the outset, turned towards the Egyptian Church to find associates. Two missionary laywomen (a Chaldean Catholic and an Orthodox Coptic both from the diocese of Cairo have come to bolster our team in terms of pastoral action and educational coordination. Since they are both native Arabic speakers they stand as a strong link between Catholic and Muslim communities. On top of that, we seek to keep a close-knit collaboration with Sudanese dioceses. Hence, some Chadian priests and laypersons have travelled twice to Khartums diocese. Yet, the Darfur crisis has all but severed our relations. We are also in touch with our neighbour diocese of El Obeid on which Darfur depends- with which we share the same concerns regarding refugees. As for other African dioceses, after having established some contacts here and there, we have recently turned towards the Church of Burkina Faso to request the support of two fidei donum priests. We, then, hope to strengthen our team with the help of this Sister church. European dioceses Our main ally is the German Church. Some dioceses (Cologne, Rottenburg Stuttgart) help us fund development and pastoral projects. Yet, increasing support comes from organizations belonging to the German Episcopal Conference (Kirche in Not, Misereor, Missio, Kindermissionswerk). Another kind of partnership with German dioceses takes the shape of pastoral or socio-political exchanges between Southern and Northern Churches. Thus, our bishop, Msgr. Coudray, has taken part in - The press conference held in Bonn with Cardinal Lehman in September 2005 on the Darfur conflict. - The International Freising (Mnchen) congress on the universal mission in May 2006 - The Missionary Month on the subject of Darfur refugees held in Magdeburg in October 2008. The Italian Church also helps us in many different ways, chiefly through the initiatives and resourcefulness of Christians in some sort linked to Catholic-inspired parishes or associations. The diocese of Vittorio Veneto has afforded us a fidei donum priest (who died in Mongo on the 31th May 2007 in a road accident). We have also received diverse subsidies from the diocese of Milan. The Italian Episcopal Conference is likewise a strong support. As for the associations, it would be too long to cite them here: Fraternita Missionaria, Mano Amica, Magis, Missionland, etc. without forgetting private donors (Dr. Ostuni for the health project) and the original and fruitful collaboration between the scalpellini from the Piedmont plain and some stone carvers in the Guera in order to improve carving techniques. The Church of France contributes as well: the dioceses of Annecy, Avignon, Tours, Strasbourg grant us different subsidies. As for the diocese of Nantes, it has provided us with a much needed fidei donum priest. The DCC (The Dlgation Catholique la Cooperation, a volunteer-sending organization depending on the French Episcopal Conference), regularly sends us volunteers. The Aide aux Eglises dAfrique Aid to African Churches (Frances Pontifical Missionary Works) allows us to benefit from the solidarity of Frances dioceses. Paris St. Louis Gonzague Middle School also contributes every now and then.

We have also the occasional support of the Belgian and Austrian Churches. The CLC or Christian Life Communities from the Walloon area have funded Harazes church. A parish from Liege regularly sends us either money or material for little rural projects. BrusselsSt. Ignatius Community has hosted for two years a priest of our diocese carrying out special studies, and a parish from Salzburg has contributed to pay the expenses of a water bore-hole for the Diocesan Centre. 17_ LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS Aware as we are of the scarcity in pastoral agents and concerned with the lack of functionality of big structures, we have chosen from the very beginning to do development work in partnership with several local associations. This partnership can take different shapes: supporting the creation of the association itself, counselling to already existing associations, funding certain activities, mediating between the association and a possible sponsor, supporting members training by providing qualified trainers on an occasional basis, etc. By and large, the local associations themselves do the fieldwork. This embedding in the local society entails a twofold advantage: on the one hand, it fulfils the populations expectations while allowing their self-agency in terms of development. The other advantage being that of not linking the success or failure of one project with the success or failure of another within the same organization. Currently, our diocese works with the following associations: o ALSADER: works in the field of water (wells and dams), food safety (storehouses and foodgrains banks) and awareness-raising campaigns on the importance of school (in partnership with Foi et Joie). o Moustagbal: fights against handicap and exclusion (through raising awareness, vocational training, economic reintegration) and through village organization (foodgrain banks, wells). o Am Tine: works in the water sector (dykes and dams) and village organization o ACDAR: fights desertification by planting trees and through technical innovations o The Braille school: works for blind children education 18_Volunteer-sending organizations Every year, some ten international volunteers work in our diocese. They are sent by the following organizations: Dlgation Catholique pour la Cooperation (DCC) is a service of the Church of France which sends volunteers for one or two year-placements to work in development projects carried out by Southern Churches in more than 700 countries. www.ladcc.org Jeunes Volontaires Internationaux (JVI), this Young International Volunteers service is offered by the Jesuits of France who, in partnership with the DCC, send volunteers to Jesuit projects. Once on site, the volunteer lives in community (either within a religious community or with other volunteers) and benefits from human and spiritual assistance.

www.jeunesvolontairesinternationaux.com Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is a service of the Society of Jesus seeking to give support to refugees worldwide. Qualified volunteers are hired to carry out humanitarian assignments from one to two years. In Chad, the DCC works in partnership with the JRS. www.jrs.net Volontaires Pedro Arrupe (Volpa) are a service of the Spanish NGO Entreculturas. This ONG is part of the Fe y Alegria International Federation, which operates in 17 Latin American countries and in Chad. Volpa volunteers come to work for one or two years in Foi et Joies popular education projects. www.entreculturas.org/voluntariado Association pour la Cooperation au Developpement (AGEH). The Association for Development Cooperation is a specialist agency of Germanys Catholic Church for international cooperation. It sends qualified staff for two years or more to work in development projects run by Church organizations in Africa, Latin America and Asia. www.ageh.de 19_ Donors Organizations ACRA Rural Cooperation Association for Africa and Latin America, Italian organization assisting rural development initiatives.

AIDE AUX EGLISES DAFRIQUE Its an organization of the Church of France. It redistributes the collections carried out in France. www.aea.cef.fr ALBOAN Jesuit Spanish NGO working for solidarity among peoples. www.alboan.org

FRENCH EMBASSY It intervenes through the FSD (Development Social Fund in French) SOCIETY OF HELPERS OF THE SOULS OF PURGATORY Female Ignatian institution. They founded the Church of the Guera together with the Jesuits. They help us with donations on an occasional basis. IEC The Italian Episcopal Conference intervenes in the fields of rural, health and educational development.

CHIAROSCURO

Italian association from Grosseto, it pays special attention to fairtrade promotion COR UNUM is a Vatican office depending directly on the Pope, it coordinates national Caritas while also directly intervening in support of particular Churches. ENTRECULTURAS Its a development ONG promoted by the Spanish Jesuits. Born in the South, its premised on the tenet that education is key in development, transformation, social change and intercultural dialogue. www.entreculturas.org FACSI Society of Jesus Aid and Development Funds: cooperation organization within the Society of Jesus.

JP 2 FOUNDATION FOR THE SAHEL It was founded by Pope Jean Paul II in 1984 at Ouagadougou, its current headquarters. It aims at becoming a comprehensive development tool for the Sahel. FRIOULE (REGION Italy) Communications organization of the Friuli region. INSTITUT DE PRESSE MISSIONAIRE The Missionary Press Institute is a French Catholic organization which helps projects in the field of Catholic media: translations, prints, dissemination (5, rue Monsieur 75343 Paris Cedex 07) JESUITES DE FRANCE The Society of Jesus in France supports our actions, either directly or by means of the International Jesuit Service, KINDERMISSIONWERK German organization for child aid (Aachen), its a local branch of the Missionary Childhood apostolate run by the Pontifical Missionary Works. KIRCHE IN NOT (Aid to the Church in Distress), organization based on Knigstein, Germany: it helps the most deprived and fragile Christian communities. It operates in the fields of evangelization and education. THE LITTLE WAY ASSOCIATION Catholic organization for poverty-stricken Christian communities as well as for refugees (London). LOMBARDY (REGION Italy) Communication organization of this region.

MAGIS

Missionary cooperation service from the Jesuit Province of Milan

MANO AMICA Italian association from Camposampiero, next to Padua. MANOS UNIDAS MISEREOR German cooperation organization, its a development agent of the Church of Germany also linked to the Federal Government. MISSIO PMW German Church organization for the aid and support of missionary activities (based on Aachen and Munich) (Pontificial Missionary Works): solidarity organization of the Churches dependent on the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Roman office on which new Churches depend (Piazza dItalia, Rome)

EUROPEAN UNION It operates through the Micro-Realization Project, a threefold cooperation system involving the local communities, the Chadian Ministry of Planning and the European Union. The Dioceses of COLOGNE and ROTTENBURG as well as those of ANNECY, AVIGNON, NANTES and TOURS in FRANCE and the ones of MILAN and VITTORIO VENETO in Italy help us in many different ways either with money or human resources. The Parishes (Annecy, Bruxelles, Fribourg, Salzburg, Strasbourg, etc. ) are also among our supporters, as well as diverse Catholic institutions such as the CLC- Belgium, middle schools (St. Louis de Gonzague in Paris,) and the Notre-Dame de Vie Institute. 25_ Photo Album If you want To have a sample of the geographic and human diversity of our Church To discover the day-to-day life of its people To have an insight of some of our pastoral and social activities To have a glimpse of the exile of internal displaced and Darfur refugees. See our photo album 1. Contrasts: 8 snapshot theme books Landscapes ( Sahara, Sahel, Mountains, Sudanese zone (Zakouma) Seasons ( dry season rainy season) Mens faces Womens faces Childrens faces

Nomads and sedentary peoples Islam and Christianity Town and country

2. Everyday life: 8 snapshot theme books Fauna Flora Agriculture Stockbreeding Habitat Meals Transports Family At work At school At the dispensary Leisure Military/ war 3. Our diocese: little theme books The bishoprics team The priests Religious people Volunteers Dispersed communities Sacraments The health project Education (Middle School, halls, Foi et Joie) Rural development Technologic innovations (brick press, sun ovens, scalpellini) 4. Arts and crafts Embroidery collections Paintings by Idriss Bakaye Humour and caricatures 5. Darfur refugees 6. Along the roads of the Gura 7. AV presentation 26_ Contact us Postal address: Vicariat Apostolic de Mongo BP 456 NDJAMENA TCHAD contact@eglisemongo.org

GET INVOLVED If you wish to support our work you can:

Make a donation to
(by Cheque) (by transfer)

OMCFAA : uvre des Missions Catholiques Franaises dAsie et dAfrique (Designated as a public-interest organization, this foundation is entitled to receive donations and bequests) 42 rue de Grenelle 75343 PARIS Cedex 07 FRANCE ----------payable to : O.M.C.F.A.A. (without number) A tax deduction receipt will be sent to you For further information contact : servimissiosj@jesuites.com Banque Saint Olive BSO 84 rue Duguesclin 69006 Lyon FRANCE ----------Account holder : DIOCESE DE MONGO Acount n : 00000303382 IBAN : FR76 1357 9000 0100 0003 0338 279 For further information: economat@eglisemongo.org

Contact us if you are interested in: o Working as a volunteer in one of our projects o Giving on-line technical support (producing technical or educational material, translations, architectural plans, etc.)

27_Links Volunteer-sending organizations Dlgation Catholique pour la Cooperation (DCC) www.ladcc.org Jeunes Volontaires Internationaux (JVI), International Young Volunteers www.jeunesvolontairesinternationaux.com Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) www.jrs.net Pedro Arrupe Volunteers (Volpa) www.entreculturas.org/voluntariado Association for Development Cooperation (AGEH) www.ageh.de

Religious communities The Sisters of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem: http://soeursstecroixdejerusalem.cef.fr Jesuits of the West-Africa Province: http://www.jesuitespao.com

Society of the Helpers http://auxifrance.cef.fr

of

the

Holy

Souls

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Purgatory:

30_ VOLUNTEERS Our international volunteers are laymen and women of different ages, single or married, who come to the Apostolic Prefecture to give support to specific projects for periods ranging from one to three (renewable) years. Accommodation is provided either in town or in one of the dioceses houses. Volunteers are generally sent by a volunteer sending organization or by a partner church. Currently, there are 11 volunteers working in three of the Prefectures parishes. Mongo: Nancy Gerland is a 29-year-old Frenchwoman who works as a secretary to the Apostolic Prefect. She also performs teaching duties at the girls residence hall. Annie Grunenberg is a 59-year-old nurse in charge of three diocesan health centres. Diamantina de Campos is a 29-year-old Spanish social worker. She is a member of Foi et Joies consciousness-raising team. Brunhilde Roman is a 33-year-old linguist and anthropologist also from Spain. She is a member of Foi et Joies pedagogy team. Lydia Guirguis is a 42-year-old Egyptian pedagogue and coordinator of Foi et Joies pedagogy team. Martin Alexander Hilgers, is 30 years old and comes from Germany. He works as a manager and administrator (bursar) for the Apostolic Prefecture. Abech: Frederic Pinto is 33 years old and comes from France. Hes a cultural coordinator at the youth Centre. The Jesuit Refugee Service recruits several volunteers for different assignments in Abech and Goz Beida: Ferran Puig, Catherine Lemare, Fabien Lapougue and Elise Joisel. Bitkine: There are currently no volunteers to take up this position but for the last three years three volunteers have worked as teachers at the Girls Middle School. For further information you can read Christelle Gaborieaus account. 31_ THE PRIESTS The scant number of priests is one of the most striking traits of our church. Only nine among them do effectively work for the church, the Apostolic Vicar being the tenth. Two others are engaged full time for the JRS, and can only provide limited support. Another priest, an old French missionary incardinated in the Prefecture, is currently performing his duties at the diocese of NDjamena.

Therefore, its fair to say that the Apostolic vicariate is a laypeoples church. Five out of the nine priests who do carry out pastoral work are Chadian and four are expatriates. To them we must add these two working for JRS. Chadian priests at Mongos Apostolic Prefecture (in order of seniority) o 4 priests incardinated in the AP (they are all native to the Gura region) 1. Philippe ABBO, 46 years old, ordained in 98 2. Jean-Pierre ABDULAYE, 43 years old, ordained in 98 3. Issaka HAMIT Rigobert, 34 years, ordained in 03 4. Romain Mahamat DABA, 30 years old, ordained in 07 o Priest from another diocese serving as a Fidei donum at the AP: 1. Jean Syng Youle AGDE, 40 years old, ordained in 02 (archdiocese of NDjamena)

o Priest of the AP serving as a Fidei Donum at Ndjamena: 1. Pierre BOUZY, 76 years old, ordained in 63 (French) o Expatriated priests: o 3 Jesuits from the West Africa Province. 1. Jol ROUMEAS, 74 years old, ordained in 66 (French) 2. Franco MARTELLOZZO, 70 years old, ordained in 69 (Italian) 3. Alfredo VIZCARRA, 48 years old, ordained in 94 (Peruvian) [Henri COUDRAY, 66 years old, ordained in 73 (French) Apostolic Prefect] o A Fidei Donum priest from the diocese of Nantes 1. Philippe RIO, 39 years old, ordained in 99 (French) These priests work in four teams: 1. Three Chadian priests serve at the Parish of BITKINE, which is the largest parish in terms of native Christians and the most active as regards catechumenal communities. At the same time, it is here where the future core of our local church is being forged. 2. Two priests serve the parish of MONGO. 3. Three priests, currently staying at the Diocesan Centre, serve the parishes of DADOUAR, BARO et AM TIMAN, as well as the DISPERSION parish, which is dependant to Mongos. They also perform different administrative tasks within the Prefecture. 4. One single priest serves, despite its immensity, the parish of ABECHE, occasionally assisted by the Jesuits from JRS. To a varying degree, they all carry out simultaneously both parish pastoral duties within the Christian communities (catechesis, sacraments, translations, training, movements, etc.) and social pastoral tasks in the fields of education, health and rural development. 32_LAY LEADERS In spite of the scant number of Christians, the vastness of our church 90 grass-root ecclesiastic communities known as CEB over 540.000 square kms - makes it impossible to keep it operational without the support of our lay leaders. These may come either from spontaneous applications or may be appointed. There are in total 580 lay leaders

(150 of which have received some kind of training) in the whole Vicariate, which makes an average of 6 leaders for each community for an overall of 90 CEB. Trained leaders - mostly catechists have, in the main, been trained at the following Training Centres: Diamra, 250 km south NDjamena, next to Bousso, provided for two years full time training in catechesis as well as in agriculture, the spouses had also the chance to be actively involved. Bitkine, in the Gura region: the Catechists Centre has offered for several years some training along the same lines as Diamra but in a three-month span over three successive years; nowadays, training sessions are shorter and more frequent. Silo, in the suburbs of NDjamena runs every year especially for facilitators (who often come from far-off, dispersed communities) two-month summer training sessions. As for the untrained leaders, on-the-job teaching is also available: liturgy and Bible translating sessions for Bitkine and Dadouar, sessions of Eucharist animation in absence of priests, known as ADAP, run once or twice a year in Mongo; Biblical lessons in each parish, brief sessions made available by the lay-training mobile team, custom-made programmes for youth, chorals, liturgy leaders, etc. These laymen and women are the real backbone of our church. This set up allows the church to keep on, and oftentimes to grow, even in the absence of priests. We generally dub them incorrectly as catechists. As a matter of fact, they are a perfect showcase of all the diversity of lay ministries: advisors, real catechists, facilitators of different sorts (liturgy, choral, etc.), children and women group leaders, heads of community logistics (treasurers, librarians, etc.). A crowd that most often lacks only some training to match its faith and stamina. 33_RELIGIOUS CONGREGATIONS For more than 40 years four congregations have been working in our diocese. Their wish is to be joined by others willing to share our commitment as a church across borders. The Jesuits founded our first parish in Baro in 1948 and are nowadays based in Mongo and Abech. The Sisters of the Saint Cross of Jerusalem were in Baro from 1955 to 1968 and are currently in Bitkine since 2002. The Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary are in Abech since 1964. The Sisters of the Society of Helpers of the Souls of Purgatory are in Mongo since 1967 and in Bitkine since 1984. 35_ The Residence halls and cultural centres The term foyer is regularly used to designate a haunt for young people. This denomination can both mean cultural centre and boarding school.

Abeches Youth Centre is a place where young Chadians, both Christian and Muslim, can meet and work together in sporting and cultural activities. In this 100% Muslim town, the parish centre caters for all young people and goes far beyond the parishionerscircle. It aims at being a centre for religious and ethnic exchange, by meeting and sharing while carrying out cultural activities and learning. Currently, the Centre includes a French library, an Arabic library, a school library and a university library as well as a journal room. Furthermore, the centre boasts studying spaces utilized by some hundred users, a sports ground and audiovisual equipment. Bitkines Cultural Centre seeks to boost reading, training and culture promotion in a small town deeply marked by oral culture. The centre boasts a library and provides tuition as well as sewing lessons and cinema sessions. Mongos Saint Ignatius Residence Hall was created by the Jesuits on the eve of independence (1958) to board country boys studying at Mongos high school. Today, it keeps providing services, tuition and cultural activities for all high school students in town. It strives to train hard-working, skilled men and women to help build a new society based on justice and freedom. The Girls Residence Hall was created in Mongo in 1984 by the Helpers of the Holy Souls. It seeks to allow young country girls to pursue studies in the best conditions: with no housework and with adapted educational means. Likewise, it aims at the girls spiritual and human fulfilment through community life while at the same time learning to manage their future household. They are encouraged to develop a critical understanding and to take initiatives. It also promotes womens agency within the Chadian society. These residence halls and cultural centres are run thanks to the support of Kirche in Not, the French embassy, Paris St. Louis de Gonzague Middle School, the John Paul II foundation and of several private donors. The DCC offers its support by sending volunteers on a regular basis. 36 _ Foi et Joie Fe y Alegria was born in Venezuela in 1955 out of the certitude that education is instrumental in improving living conditions and that all social actors must commit (students and teachers as well as families and neighbourhoods). This way, the first school was created by the inhabitants of a deprived neighbourhood helped by a group of students and their Jesuit chaplain. From then on, Fe y Alegria has regarded itself as an educational movement which takes a stand in favour of the most disadvantaged so as to entitle them to quality education. Fe y Alegria, which is currently present in 17 Latin American countries, promotes quality education based on the studentsown capabilities and the values of their culture. This education seeks to make possible for the beneficiaries to become transformation and development agents through access to knowledge and adapted techniques. The movement stands on the principle of equality for women and men alike, in all spheres of life, and it makes a strong case for an education based on the respect for every person and for the person as a whole. Nowadays, Fe y Alegria is making its way in Africa through a pioneering experience in Mongo. In November 07, Mr. Ahmat Terap, a school inspector and Father Alfredo Vizcarra, sj, journeyed to Latin America invited by the Fe y Alegria International Federation. They took part in their yearly congress which ended with the official

admission of Chad as a full member of the Federation. This membership filled with enthusiasm the whole of the assembly. Fe y Alegria was born in Chad on the 28th November 07 with the name of Foi et Joie (Iman wa Farah). The movement takes its strength from the work with community schools carried out for nearly 20 years by our Church and its local partners. Its action plan stretches over a time period of 5 years and seeks to progressively integrate 17 schools distributed into 3 axes: Baro, Bardangal and Delep. The first beneficiaries are the schools of Dougoul, Bardangal and Bawangue where the team undertakes community teachers training and awareness-raising activities on Fe y Alegrias identity. At the same time the movement is focused on setting up, installing and running the head office. At Mongo, Foi et Joie wishes to put into practice a kind of education which prepares for living. To do so the movement seeks to: Improve community schools teachers and directors training. Raise parents awareness of the import of schooling so that they may become partners in the educational process. Coordinate parents, teachers and authorities so as to favour a learning and cooperation environment for the benefit of the pupils. Make a linkage between knowledge acquisition and societys development. Foi et Joie Tchad is supported by Entreculturas which provides funds and staff through the Volpa volunteer programme. 37 - The Associated Catholic Schools The ECA (Ecoles catholiques Associes in French) began to operate back in 1947, out of our Churchs certitude that school is instrumental in helping youth to build physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual capabilities. Given the countrys pluralistic religious and cultural background, a Catholic School must become a place where all children can learn to live together. Thats why the Church of chad has chosen to associate itself with students parents, regardless of religious confessions, as well as with the nonconfessional Government. A convention was signed in 1990 between Church, Government and parent-teacher associations. It states that: - The government provides teaching staff at the Churchs request - The Church is in charge of infrastructures and runs school life - The parent-teachers associations finance current expenses On the national level, the National Board for Catholic Education (Direction Nationale de lEnseignement Catholique) is in charge of coordinating the whole of the Catholic establishments and theres also a diocesan school inspection in each diocese. The one of the Apostolic Vicariate began in 2002 and its made up of a school inspector and a human resources manager under the responsibility of the AURA. Our inspection comprises 10 schools, 3 of them being girls schools so as to afford an opportunity for female schooling in a Muslim environment that is afraid of coeducation. The schools cater for 2771 pupils, of which 1770 are girls and 1001 boys. Of these pupils, 2030 are Muslim, 537 are Catholic, 191 Protestant and 13 belong to different confessions. Our ECA have grown thanks to the support of the Italian Episcopal Conference and the Pontifical Missionary Works.

The Prefectures ECA: a dynamic history The first school was located in Baro in 1942, the second, in Barlo, in 1958, the third in Dadouar, and the fourth, that of Sara-Kenga, in 1960.These are bush schools where, besides the regular curriculum, students learn farming techniques, draft animal power in agriculture and gardening, together with several environmental protection means. To help pay community teachers the schools farm land. No long thereafter, in 1962, a girls school run by the sisters of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary was created in Abech. In 1989 it was the turn of Mongos La Fraternit girls school run by a nun of the Society of Helpers of the Holy Souls, and then, in 1994, Bitkines Sainte Thrse girls school, which was equally run by a Helper, was created. In 2004, two more ECA were created, Atis Ecole de la paix and Mongos Saint Benot boys school. The latest born was Am Timans Josephine Bakhita school, created in 2005 in Salamat. THE JOSEPHINE BAKITA MIDDLE SCHOOL Opening up an all girls school its quite a feat in an environment which gives scarce or no value whatsoever to women early marriages are all too frequent-, in a region poleaxed by the comings and goings of the armed forces rebels and the national armyand where agriculture, cattle breeding and trade are the staple resources. Furthermore, on the national level, corruption and plummeting performance levels wreak havoc. Our brand new Vicariate took up the challenge: the middle school opened on the 1st October 2003 under the responsibility of the sisters of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem assisted by Chadian staff recruited locally. Josephine Bakhita, a former Sudanese slave, canonized by John Paul II in 2000, is a model of courage and faith for the girls. To bring every young person to their highest degree of human value (father J. Sevin j.s.). The sisters of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, following the pedagogical intuitions of father Sevin, their founder, try to bring the 135 students to a place of self-growth. Regular testing allows the girls to monitor their progress. The students learn about team life and are in charge of bringing water and cleaning. Morning groupings give the chance to meet with one another and to have a briefing. At the end of each term results are given for all the effort, behaviour and work. Games and singing complete the academic training. A Christian training course is provided for Christian girls and a human training course to all of them. From the fourth grade onwards sewing and dactylographic lessons are offered together with an initiation to hygiene and first aida modest opening to work life. Building and furnishing the premises and classrooms has been possible thanks to the generous support of the European Union, the French embassy, The PMW and private donors from France and Italy. The main hurdle remains the running and the payment of salaries. Due to the regions poverty and lack of motivation concerning girls education, the sisters of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem unlike the schools of Ndjamena or other big hubs- cant demand high registration fees. The fees cover nearly of the current expenses. The sisters, therefore, do a great deal of networking to obtain sponsorship. Dont hesitate to send a donationit will always be welcome. Thanks! Soeurs de la sainte croix de Jrusalem (Collge Josphine Bakhita) Le prieur F 6080 BORAN S/ OISE scjboran@aol.com

54_THE JESUITS The Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus is a religious community made up of brothers and priests in the service of the Church. It was founded by St. Ignatius Loyola and legitimated by Pope Paul III in 1540. The Society of Jesus is a multifarious body involved in a variety of ministries at a crossroads of cultural, social, economic and religious issues in places which allow them to carry the Gospel all over the world. The Jesuit is a man who follows Jesus footsteps. He owns up to his sins but has also heard the calling to become one of Jesus companions. By means of the spiritual exercises, source of his vocation, and his unswerving loyalty to Him, hes most apt to accomplish his mission. West Africa Province The West Africa Province was founded by mandate of the Superior General Pedro Arrupe on the 31st July 1973. At the time it consisted of 130 members and assembled several implantations with different degrees of ancianity. Those Jesuits who, from 1947, worked in two dioceses of Chad constituted the most numerous group among them. There were 92 Fathers and Brothers. The other 38 were distributed in Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Senegal. Thus, this administrative unification would allow them to develop brotherly exchanges and would give birth and continuity to their mission. Afterwards, the Province has spread over other Western Africa countries: Burkina Faso (1974), Congo Brazzaville (1976), Benin (1985), Central African Republic (1998), Togo and Guinea (2001). Jesuits in Chad There are 37 Jesuits in Chad: 18 priests, 5 brothers and 14 scholastic students. They work at the Lyce Collge Charles Louwanga, the Centre Spirituel Les Rniers in Sahr, the parish of St. Pierre Claver in Kyab; a hospital in Goundi, a parish in Bekamba, the parish of St Mathias Mulumba and at Le bon Samaritain hospital. A number of Jesuits work also at CEFOD (social centre), at the Centre Culturel Universitaire, at the Centre Emmanuel and in various services at the diocese of NDjamena. The Jesuits have been in Mongo for 60 years, well before the establishment of the Apostolic Vicariate. Its them who have founded Mongos church. The first to arrive was Father Raisson with the scholastic Andr Meynier, in December. Some months after this, in February 1946 he officially opened the Catholic Mission, first in Mongo, and afterwards right in the middle of the mountain massif with the Diongor in DuramBaro. After him Father Mathieu arrived and thereafter many more Jesuits coming from different countries have taken over. From the outset, they founded parishes and created schools as well as health centres in Baro, Dadouar, Bitkine and Mongo. Ever since the Vicariate was brought into being, they have been based on Mongo, from where their apostolic influence has expanded just as far as Abech, their headquarters being the presbytery of the parish of St. Ignatius. The community members are: Father Jol Roumeas, French, parish priest at the parish of Saint Therese in Abech. Fathers Joaqun Ciervide (Spanish) and Maurice Joyeux (French), both working for JRS in Abech. Brother Bernard Sni, Chadian, is in charge of putting up buildings for the diocese.

Brother Apollinaire Radji, Chadien, is in charge of arborizing the diocese Scholastic Clment Kouassi, from the Ivory Coast works at the bursars office of the diocese. Scholastic Juan Carlos Pallardel, Peruvian, is a projects manager at Foi et Joie. Father franco Martellozzo, Italian, Vicar General and parish priest for the dispersed Christian communities of the diocese. Father Alfredo Vizcarra, Peruvian, communitys superior, parish priest of the parish of St. Ignatius in Mongo and head of Foi et Joie. 34_AURA

What else can we find at the Apostolic Vicariate? A.U.R.A. (Association-Union-Reflection-Action) is the name of our diocesan charity. It came into being in November 2005 but several of its activities (such as the health centres and dams) are older than that. The reason behind the name is that ours is the easternmost diocese in Chad (and hence, turned towards the Levant) but it is also the youngest so it therefore symbolises a new daybreak behind our regions beautiful mountains. Our association is made up of 22 members, all local Catholics, each of whom performs a specific function while working as part-time volunteers for the association. Our scope of action covers roughly 380 km from east to west and some 400 km from north to south. We intervene in three sectors, namely health, education and social issues. Health: is the chief concern of the population since the lack of health structures is sorely felt, even when it comes to epidemiological prevention, the fight against child mortality and firs aids. Currently, we operate three health centres which are the busiest and the best equipped in the region. Education: is the main challenge for a country whose rate of illiteracy is more than 80% (according to UNESCO). We run 10 Associated Catholic Schools in which the State is just in charge of the teachers placements and payment. All other issues involved in the management of the school are under our responsibility. Here, again, our schools are the busiest and the most efficient. Social issues: Chads population and particularly that of the Vicariates lives mainly on agriculture and is entirely dependent on weather conditions. Thereby, we have supported the creation of 217 cereal banks in as many villages in order to fight famine and usury. We are also involved in the construction of dams since water is a rare commodity in this region (104 dams to this day), in the building of open-air wells (more than one hundred) and of community schools (38 built in stone) by those villages forgotten by the State.

53_Society of The Helpers of the Holy Souls of Purgatory

The woman at the origin of the institution was Eugnie Smet, who became its founder under the name of Marie de la Providence, a name which accurately reflects the main trait of the God she believed in. She wished to aid everybody, no matter who they were, to find God. Eugnie Smet strove to work in the service of those most neglected in this world and in the other and believed in the mysterious solidarity that binds the living and the dead. On the 19th January 1856, she founded the Auxiliaries of the Souls of Purgatory having in mind a universal mission for which she adopted St. Ignatius Loyolas spirituality. The 19th century is a period marked to a great extent by the devotion to the souls of purgatory. Marie de la Providence became familiar from an early age with this devotion. She conceived the mystery of Purgatory as an experience of Gods love that transforms mans inner life through a series of purification stages. In this vein, she encouraged the sisters not to attach themselves to any specific task and to go beyond all kinds of boundaries. Nowadays the sisters auxiliaries are based on 22 countries where they focus on those most in need: we are chiefly concerned about those who have been forgotten, who have been hurt in their human dignity, and who are most in need to hear the Gospel. Our apostolic actions seek to give an answer to the most universal, urgent appeals, striking a fair balance between risk-taking and realism. Their mission in Chad began in NDjamena in 1959, then in Mongo in 1967 and lastly in Bitkine in 1984. The sisters auxiliaries have chosen as their working field the Gura, one of the most poverty-stricken regions, and have above all emphasized the advancement of women. The sisters live in the inner towns, leading a simple life within the locals. Their communities in Chad are characterized by their cultural diversity (Chad, Mexico, Japan, France, Rwanda). In Mongo, the sisters deal mainly with the education of young women and work at the parish. - A sister runs the Associated Catholic School la fraternit. - A sister is in charge of the girls residence hall which accommodates 24 girls in their final years of primary education. - The sisters work at the parish, with the youth or with couples and deal with catechesis, In Bitkine the sisters focus primarily on the promotion of women. - A sister works in a health centre as a midwife. She is in charge of prenatal consultations three days a week. She sensitizes women on such topics as hygiene, under nourishment prevention and the importance of vaccines and prenatal consultations so as to avoid mortality hazards. She also carries out thorough medical follow-ups. - Another sister runs the Associated Catholic School Sainte Therese. - Another one raises awareness about the advancement of village women. - The sisters work at the parish, with the youth, and take care of the catechesis 56_SISTERS OF THE HOLY CROSS OF JERUSALEM

Origin and charisma After having existed for 10 yeas as a spiritual circle, this religious, contemplative and missionary congregation came into being on the 15th January 1944. Four leaders grouped together around one of them, Jacqueline Brire, in order to carry out this project which father Sevin s.j. (founder of the catholic scout movement and co-founder of the scouts of France) had so cherished ever since the scout movement was created. The little group formed a live-in community which nurtured on Ignatius Loyola, Thrse of Avila, Thrse of Lisieux, without relinquishing its origins. Although in principle we dont reject any spiritual ministry, we concentrate on youth evangelization and education. Location We work in three different places in France: - A boarding middle and high school (La Maison Franaise) next to Pierrefonds (60) - A centre for trouble children (Home Jacques Sevin) in Boran (60) - A students hall of residence (lAlauda) in Lyons The headquarters is in Boran (60) and the training house in Chantilly (60). In the world, In Chile, since 1997, we have closely worked with the scouts (pastoral activities) and with street children (we run a youth day centre) while at the same time giving religion lessons at a primary school. In the Holy Land we have two communities: one in Jerusalem and the other in Taybeh, within the Palestinian territory. There we provide accommodation to pilgrims and work with young Palestinians at school and with the scouts. In 1955 the congregation first went to the Gura region so as to settle in Baro. In 1968, the rebellion forced the community to withdraw to NDjamena and then, in 1979, we had to leave for France due to the civil war. In November 2002 we resumed work in the region with the opening of the Josphine Bakhita middle school.

In Chad, -

59_RURAL LIBRARIES Besides the traditional libraries linked to our halls of residence and cultural centres, our diocese has been able to set up 30 back country libraries thanks to the support of Misereor and Manos Unidas. These libraries serve almost all the secondary education establishments of the region and an increasing number of primary schools. Other libraries are run by the dispersed Christian communities, usually located in places far-off from parish centres. Those rural libraries play a twofold role of great import both for the region and for our Church: they are ferments of culture and development and also of unity.

 Ferment of culture and development For the last few years, to face the decline of the public sector, we have helped local villages build and furnish thirty community primary schools. These schools have little by little become the driving force of village development through well-digging and the creation of gardens and community farm fields for the school. The schools have fuelled the villages headway process and have afforded an environment of unity and reflection for parents. The libraries are the staple equipment of village groups and schools. They have become cultural hubs and meeting points. However, beyond their purely cultural facet which is not to be dismissed in isolated areas where theres no television or electricity- these libraries are becoming real information and training spaces for the whole village. They allow students and peasants alike to access those documents they need in order to establish and diversify their development undertakings. For the last two years, a pedagogue and two trainers have worked full-time to oversee the set up of the libraries and to train community teachers. From now on, some twenty of these rural libraries are going to be taken in by the popular education movement Foi et Joie, which, for the next 8 years, aims at carrying out a vast programme promoting education and awareness about books and reading. Ferment of unity

Likewise, these rural libraries play a key role in the inclusion of dispersion Christian communities, made up of civil servants from other regions. Thus, the libraries are, at the same time, a service rendered to the community and a much needed meeting point in a country where ethnic belonging is the chief yardstick to build social relations. Origin of CEBs. Brazil-born Grassroots Ecclesial Communities (CEBs in French), were, in 1968, just an embryonic experiment but have since them multiplied in Latin America and in the world. Here, in close association with the bishop, they have become evangelization nuclei and a driving force behind the regions development. At the time of the Bishops Synod for Africa, in 1994, the CEBs were regarded as an important element in order to strengthen the Church in Africa. It became plain, after Vatican II, that the pastoral renewal had to be carried out through taking the renewal of community life as a starting point. The CEBs can, thereby, address the fundamental issue of the gulf between the ecclesiastic institution and common peoples everyday lives so that they be coherent with their faith. Our diocese currently has 90 CEBs. They are truly the ones who give life to the Christian community, since very often there are no priests available. The ideal CEB The ideal CEB is an associative community consisting of roughly 30 people as diverse as their environment in terms of sex, age, culture, race or ethnic group. They are formed freely and spontaneously on the basis of territorial closeness. The ideal CEB is furthermore a human community where every individuals authenticity and lifestyle are respected. Its a community of dialogue and brotherhood where its members share their lives, joys, plights, hopes and

projects. The CEB is aware of its historical reality which it analyzes with a critical consciousness and it is also deeply involved in its transformation for the benefit of its members. Here, each one puts at everybodys disposal their cultural, professional and economic assets as well as their time and capabilities. The ideal CEB is, ultimately, a community of faith where the members can experience new interpersonal relationships which stand not on social or ethnic adherences but on a common faith in Jesus Christ. In this community everyone delves deep into Gods word, participates in Eucharist and develops a great involvement in justice. In these communities we celebrate every days events as signs of Gods presence in regarding Eucharist as the root and summit of brotherly life. The CEB thus contributes to build up the kingdom and to materialize peoples hopes. 61_ COMMUNITY SCHOOLS The area covered by our diocese has for a long time refused schooling. Most of the population being Muslim, they viewed school as an atheist structure and didnt want it for their children. Today, thanks to a long effort to raise consciousness, villagers demand more and more schooling. They create parentteacher associations and make all the arrangements to build schools and pay community teachers. These ones are often local farmers who have completed a primary cycle at school. A real challenge lies in the attempt for these schools to offer quality education. In 1994 our Church first started to team up with a local association which aimed at encouraging parents to send their children to school. In talking with the villagers it turned out that building permanent structures was imperative to favour an effective beginning of the school year and to allow the children to really focus on the lessons. The team then pointed out that they were ready to finance the works on the condition that the locals would contribute with labour, sand and gravel. With the locals agreement, the building sites soon turned into laboratories for the creation of unprecedented social links. Indeed, through this collective work, a shift in the locals mindset was operated. Age-old quarrels were forgotten and new perspectives for development were open up by the villagers for the village. It would have been impossible to carry out this work but for the backup team which assisted the village through the process. This team has thenceforth constituted an association named ALSADER. In our diocese, the first experiences have caught on and 38 schools have been built thanks to the backing of Misereor, ACRA and many private donors. Subsequently, several villages have followed the same process: the schools having been built, they became aware of the need to pay and give teachers further training. Then, school fields were created to ensure the teachers salary which amounts to 10 000 francs per month. To raise the yields, the parents asked for a pair of oxen and a plough which are managed by the school. A teachers training project then started and, as from September 2006, a seasoned, bilingual Egyptian pedagogue has been responsible for setting it in motion, with the support of the local team of pedagogy counsellors from the ministry of education. This training encompasses 20 community schools from the Gura

region which are now integrated into the popular education movement Foi et Joie. 62_THE BRAILLE SCHOOL The driving force behind Mongos Braille school is Jean Ratou Abdoulaye, a blind pastor who had followed some Braille training from a European missionary, Ms. Barbaza. The school, which was born in 1971 with only two students, takes in now 17 of them each school year. Since its creation, 45 students, both girls and boys from different regions of the country have been admitted. The schools goal is the effective literacy of young blind and visually impaired people so that they can attain a greater social insertion. To do so, it enrols students and takes care of their accommodation in its own boarding school and that of the Protestant mission. At school, students are taught all through the primary education cycle in accordance with the National Education programme and they are helped to continue schooling. The school also provides handicraft training for those who are interested, pays the childrens ophthalmologic fees and grants educator-adapted pedagogy training. The school has proven to have attained its goal since those children who have completed the primary cycle there, have pursued their studies at the local high school. There, they benefit from a special follow-through scheme operated by the Braille School. This method has paid off and nowadays several of the children have successfully finished high school. Furthermore, most of them belong to the local branch of Chads National Association for the Visually Impaired, which is a place that provides mutual assistance and solidarity for the blind and their families. 64_JRS AND SECADEV Services rendered by the Church to refugees and displaced people: The JRS (Jesuit Refugee Service), upon request of Mongos diocese, runs 3 programmes supervised by UNICEF: The whole teacher training and follow-through scheme for primary education in the twelve refugee camps (that comprises more than a thousand teachers). The organization of the primary education programme in the displaced sites and in the neighbouring villages, within the Dar Sila and Goz Beida regions, and in association with the local agents from the Ministry of Education. The child soldiers recuperation scheme. Currently, the JRS team is made up of 6 permanent expatriates, two Jesuits and four laypeople and thirteen Chadian partners in two bases: Abch (for the refugees) and Goz Beida (for the displaced).

The SECADEV(Catholic Development and Aid), a charity of the archdiocese of NDjamena, is a camp manager of three camps: its in charge of the camps global management (which adds up to 60.000 refugees) in close collaboration with other international organizations. 65_CREDITS Contributions to the making of this site: - Conception: o Msgr. Henry Coudray o MS. Anne-France Mordant o Mr. Guillaume Fery Technical management: o Mr. Guillaume Fery o Father Philippe Rio Features: o Msgr. Henri Coudray o Ms. Anne-France Mordant o Father Issaka Hamit Rigobert o Father Alfredo Vizcarra o Father Jean Agd o Father Jean-Pierre Abdoulaye o Father Philippe Abbo o Father Franco Martellozzo o Sister Claire Chaux o Sister Isabelle Briais o Sister Anne-Laurence Pelletier o Ms. Annie Grunenberger o Mr. Adjibane Akouna Djimet o Mr. Kinde Sindikna o Ms. Geeske Zijp o Mr. Hamit Moussa o M. Abdoulaye Bayne o Ms. Alkoubra Ahmat Ibdou Photographs: o Mr. Thibault Mayaud o Mr. Guillaume Fery o Mr. Wolfgang o Idriss Bakaye (illustrations) Cartography: o Mr. Guillaume Fery o The CNAR

38 _ St. Ignatius Parish - Mongo The town of Mongo Mongo belongs to the Gura region which is located right in the middle of the country. The regions population was 306 653 at the time of the last census, in 1993, of which 263 843 were sedentary (219 884 rural; 43 953 urban), and 42 810 were nomads. The main ethno- linguistic groups are the Hadjeray (66, 18%) and the Arabs (21, 11%). The town was created by the colonial administration on the grounds of its strategic location. Mongo is indeed a crossroads which links the North and South, the West and East of the country. Because of that, Mongos population, which nowadays amounts to more than 20 000 inhabitants, has, from the very beginning, been made up of people coming from all over the country. The parish of Mongo The parish of St. Ignatius came into being in the 50s with the arrival of the Jesuits to the region. Since Mongo is a regional hub, the number of parishioners is continually shifting but on average there is an estimated 350 people. They are in the main civil servants and students. The latter come to study at Mongos high school or at the Education School to become teachers. Since September 2007 figures have increased as a result of the creation of Mongos Technical College. Lastly, we can also find a great deal of military. Within this motley crew theres a hard-core made up of native inhabitants to the region mostly farmers- and a huge number of Southerners. This last feature entails lots of difficulties in terms of parish life and its pastoral tasks. The biggest challenge remains for people to feel they belong in this community so that they take charge of it and community life can become a reality. Parishioners know theres great richness in this diversity but theyre also aware there are hindrances to overcome for the whole community to benefit from this richness. For two years now, parish members have decided to take as their yearly topic community life. From then on, we have been trying to consolidate this dimension in all four Grassroots Ecclesial Communities, youth movements (JEC and Kemkogui) and parish services through recollections, retreats, activities as well as by taking in charge the management of the parish. 40_ BITKINES ST. PETER AND ST. PAULS PARISH 1. ORIGIN AND FOUNDATION St. Peter and St. Pauls parish is 460 kilometres east of NDjamena and 60 kilometres before reaching Mongo. It was founded in 1959 by the Jesuits of the Lyon Province in France. The first priest was Gabriel Rey, who stayed for only 18 months and was replaced by Father Charles Vandame who lived there for more than 6 years. Father Vandame devoted his time to study the environment and the Kenga language above all. Thus he paved the way for evangelization. After he had become archbishop of NDjamena he reminisced: it was my first contact. My work meant chiefly keeping a presence beside villagersnow I think the soil is ready, its time to sow. The first christenings took place in 1964 at Sara-Kenga. In 1965 Father Mathieu made build the first residence for the priests at Bitkine, base of the small parish that had started at SaraKenga. Fathers Desportes and Cavoret succeeded him. The latter was repatriated at the time of the war in spite of his courage and his attachment to the people. When the

situation calmed down, the Society of the Helpers of the Holy Souls started several activities in Bitkine before settling definitely there in 1991. The grain has been fruitful and we continue reaping. After these first christenings in 1964 and the first sacerdotal ordination in 1990 at Bitkine, nowadays the records of christenings chart more than 900 christened people and a new sacerdotal ordination in November 2007. 2. THE PARISH ORGANISATION AND STRUCTURE

a) the apostolic team. It is made up of 3 priests working full time on sacrament and predication pastoral. They are all locals. Together with them, there are two religious communities: the sisters of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem who are devoted to education and the Society of Helpers of the Holy Souls who work according with the charisma of each of them. b) Parish structure. The parish has 25 communities divided into four sectors unequally distributed around Bitkines centre. These communities are composed of villagers, mostly farmers, from the Dadjo, Dangaleat and Kenga ethnic groups. These native Christians are a minority but they represent the future of our Church and contain the biggest number of catechumenal communities. Sectors 1 and 2 comprise both 6 villages. Sector 3, south-west of Bitkine, has 9 villages. Sector four, the farthest one encompasses two communities: Sim and Melfi. Bitkines centre is an entity in itself and takes in 4 Grassroots Ecclesial Communities (CEB in French). Each community has at least a catechist in charge of teaching catechesis and of Sunday reading of the Holy Word. Each sector has a head catechist called sector catechist. These deal with pastoral activities such as catechesis, Sunday readings, sector councils, celebrating the first sign of marriage for catechumens and funerals. This catechist works in close collaboration with the parish priest and the rest of the priests. 41_DADOUAR The parish of Dadouar is halfway through between Mongo and Bitkine. The major ethnic groups are Dadjo and Dangaleat. The first contact was established in 1954 by a missionary Jesuit named Joseph CAVORET, who died in July 2008. Well before his coming, these two ethnic groups worshipped the Margay, divinity to which they offered animal sacrifices on the top of mountains (this religion is still practised today). When he first came, locals wouldnt host him, taking him for a sorcerer thrown out by his own kinfolk. Since he was quite bald some even argued that rain would stop if he were to remain among them. Having been thus rebuffed several times, he was eventually allowed to stay at Dadouar albeit isolated from the population. There, he quickly opened a dispensary to take care of the ill and also a school with nine pupils. In this way he began to be gradually trusted by the locals. It was not until much later that he started preaching. The first Christian was baptised in 1956 and to date, the parish records 1158 christened people, three diocesan priests, two Jesuit brothers and a nun. The Christian faith has gained a footing in the locality and nowadays there are eleven Grassroots Ecclesial Communities. Religious fraternity prevails over ethnic belonging: Christians live together; they organize catechesis and liturgy themselves. Sunday services are offered in four different points, on roll call. Even if the priest is absent, trained catechists direct the Sunday mass in the communities. What is more, in addition to Sunday praying, each community gets together at least once a month to share their

particulars; each of them farms a community field to meet the Churchs expenses and, to top it all, a parish Association for development has been in operation since 1998 which deals chiefly with dams, reforestation and foodgrain banks to fight the famine and thirst that threaten the population every year. Christian communities make a great difference through their presence and commitment wherever they are active. 42_THE DISPERSED COMMUNITIES Dispersion is an uncommon term. It refers to Catholic Christians native to the largely Christianized south, the west and the capital city, who come to our Muslim-dominated territory to work as civil servants and in the army. They form small Christian communities in towns far-off from parish centres. There are dispersed communities in the parishes of Mongo, Am Timam, Bitkine and Abech. Their parish priests visit these communities at lapses ranging from a month to three years and even more. So, these communities have to run themselves and rely on their own forces, which arent always that grand. Indeed, parishioners come and go as their assignments dictate. This frailty is all the more blatant since these communities are essentially composed by soldiers coming to relaunch garrisons in these towns. Communities of soldiers and humanitarian staff Dispersed communities dependent from Am Timan and Abech parishes are basically made up of soldiers and humanitarian staff (Chadians recruited by NGOs working with refugees and displaced people) although we can also find some civil servants. Their life conditions are extremely hard due to the proximity to the armed conflict and they just remain for short periods. However fragile they might be, these communities seek to meet their own spiritual, financial and material needs. They run weekly meetings to share the Gospel and prepare Sunday praying with a bunch of baptized and confirmed Christians, often trained to become catechists. Likewise, they set up community committees, with a person in charge, a bursar and spokesperson and save to gather together for the big liturgical celebrations (Easter, Christmas) which, short of priests, take place without communion. Some of them have even saved to buy a terrain for a chapel. They are frequently assisted by their parishes as well as by foreign donors: Missio, PMW, partner dioceses and parishes, private donors and so forth. Communities of civil servants Dispersed communities depending on Bitkine (1) and Mongo (3) are communities of civil servants. They are more stable and better set up but they run the risk of becoming self-absorbed. Since they are alien to the regions ethnic groups and the Muslim religion, Christian families often experience this environment as hostile. In order to avoid this isolation, our diocese encourages dialogue of life through the services rendered by the small Christian community to the whole population. These services stand on the altruistic work of dispersed Christians supported by a mobile team made up of a priest and two trainers. The outcome: tree-planting, the ACS open to all races and religions, the construction of wells and primary education schools, libraries, the setting up of foodgrain banks and the support to local association. All these achievements account for the high regard towards the local Catholic church. 43_ Parish of St - Xavier

The parish of St. Xavier is located in the sub prefecture of Baro, some sixty kilometres away from the Apostolic Vicariate. The Sub prefecture of Baro Located east of Mongo, inside the Aboutelfane mountain range, the Sub prefecture has 40 268 inhabitants distributed into 38 villages within a single canton, the migami canton. The ethnic landscape is made up of Migami, Dogangues, Gamiy, Koukaamdina, Ouaddai, black and dark Arabs, Misserie Arab smiths, and Massalats. Each of these ethnic groups has its own language. Baro boasts 28 schools, three of which are bilingual, a high school, and a middle school. Furthermore, there are five health centres and five savings banks. The religions which make up the religious landscape are: Muslim, Marga, Christian and animist. Eighteen mosques cater for the Muslim population and 2 churches serve Protestants and Catholics. The inhabitants live on agriculture, breeding, trade, picking and pottery. The parish of St Xavier The parish of St. Xavier was founded in 1947 by a Jesuit, Father Resson who came to town on horseback plus a donkey to carry his luggage. In 1950 Father Mathieu came along dressed in a soldiers uniform with a khaki car to match and engaged five students from Baro to become his translators and monitors. Father Mathieu himself took their training in charge. Thats the origin of the catechesis carried out in French and translated into the native language. Mess is celebrated in Latin. In 1956 it was the turn of the Sisters of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem (currently based on Bitkine), who founded a girls school in 1967. From 1947 up to 2006 the parish was run by the Jesuits. It was not until 2006 that a diocesan priest, Abbe Jean Agd took pastoral activities over. The parish records 636 baptisms. A beautiful church was built in 1962. Besides the traditional parish activities our parish focuses on children from the age of 3 onwards. These kids, who are dubbed Aboutelfane stars, get together every Sunday to follow religious instruction and to learn to pray and sing. Its only when collection takes place that they join the rest of the community inside the church. Our parish also stands out by its social activities: the foodgrain bank, the Am Tine association for wells and dams building and the womens embroidery workshop. Moreover, there is a library with 1247 books, an Associated Catholic School with 503 pupils and a dispensary which caters for 12 580 patients each year, thats to say, some forty people a day. On top of that, the parish boasts a peanut field encompassing more than two hectares. The yields range from 18 to 54 sacks of peanuts depending on the years pluviometry. That output allows parishioners to help the diocese and to sell part of the yields to fund parish activities: retreats, recollections, sessions and to settle certain welfare cases. 44_ THE PARISH OF ABECHE The town of Abch

The town of Abch is the administrative centre of the OUARA (OUADDA) department as well as the ancient capital of the famous namesake kingdom founded at the dawn of the XVIIth century. Located 175 km away from the Sudanese border, it is also the countrys Arabo-Islamic capital, renowned by its Koranic Schools and its Ulamas. It was also the chosen place to set up the first medersa in the late 40s. Ever since the French settled here, a silent competition between French and Arabic cultures has been unfolding in this Northern microcosm. Abech, having for a long time been the countrys second most important town as well as the Northern hub, is also the traditional seat of an important military garrison which, together with the towns intense territorial administration, has caused a great inflow of soldiers and civil servants from the South, many of whom are Christians. Abech is thus a significant religious and ethnic melting pot. Today the estimated population nearly reaches 100.000 inhabitants. Demographically, it has been through a major shift over the past 5 years with the setting up of a university and a Technical School, which means a sharp increase of students from the whole country. We must add to this the arrival of a great many relief workers coming to provide assistance in the Darfur crisis. Likewise, a garrison of 200 French soldiers has been in operation for a long time and the Eufor troops have just set up here. Apart from that, Abeche is a trading hub and boasts and important agro pastoral market (mangoes, potatoes, onions) and a well-known cattle market. 1.2. The Church of Abeche Founded as a stable parish by the late 50s, the Church of Abeche is a Church of crosscultural encounter and dialogue. Although the native population is 100% Muslim, theres a community of some 1.000 Christians who gather every Sunday at the parish. Besides, many dispersed Christian communities are spread all over this region. The parish priest, who is the only priest of the region (since the two JRS Jesuits are thoroughly committed to aid refugees), pays them a visit two or three times a year covering a span of up to 500 km. The regions Arabo-Islamic identity alongside the need to serve the important Christian communities has greatly impinged on the pastoral work. Indeed, this work was marked from the outset by the need to engage in dialogue with the Muslim community, so much so that it has become the parishs missionary hallmark. The most instrumental fact has been that the Jesuits who have taken over have all been specialists in Arabic culture and that, from the early 60s, they have turned to a community of Syrian and Lebanese Sisters of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary. This trait has been so pervasive that besides the regular parish work (locally and at the level of dispersed communities), theres a strong emphasis on dialogue of work and dialogue of life through: The youth Centre, a place to meet and work together in sporting and cultural activities for young Christians and Muslims. Theres also an adjacent kindergarden Feminine promotion within the framework of the social centre as well as the embroidery centre. In spite of the war and its sequels of massacre and repression, the dialogue-capital gathered along the last decade remains unscathed. The Islamo Christian team currently at work in Abeche has largely drawn upon it for many years. 45 _ PARISH OF ST-ETIENNE IN AM TIMAM

The Salamat region The Salamat region has a surface of 63000 km2. In 2007 the population was of 184.403 inhabitants. The dominant languages are Arabic and Kibete. The region is extremely isolated. Other than the road built between AM Timan and NDjamna, theres a huge problem in terms of infrastructures. There are no roads and the villagers products cant reach town markets. Cohabitation runs seamlessly except for the 2007 clashes between the two ethnic groups (Arabs and Kibetes) which caused human loses coupled with the displacement of certain populations. Government watch and the relief work of several NGOs have contrived to restore the calm between the two groups. Parish of St Etienne in Am Timan The parish of St-Etienne is 20 km away from Mongo and comprises the Abu Deia, Haraze and Am Timan communities. This parish being at first dependent on the diocese of Sahr, was linked to Mongo as from the setting up of the Apostolic Vicariate. The oldest record of the parish, which opened on the 27th February 1963, starts off with the first christening by father Robert Lange. Several priests were to come visit the community up until the 24th December 1974, date of the arrival of father Augustin Mathieu. Once war broke out, there was a ten-year gap with no priestly visits. That forced Catholic parishioners to get together with the Baptists for the Sunday service until April 1986. From 1987 to 2004 numerous priests toed and froed until the appointment of father Tarsicio Bertacco as the permanent parish priest in 2004. Between 1963 and 2007 there have been an overall 594 christenings and the parish has nowadays 600 worshippers. Most of them are Southern civil servants but some Hadjerays and inhabitants of the Central African Republic can also be found. There is a parish council with 11 members and its this council which has run the meetings after the death of father Tarcisio Bertacco until the appointment of the new parish priest: abb Jean Agd. Furthermore, its this very council that runs all the other parish activities. As for liturgical activities, at central Am Timan we pray every morning at 5h 30 and every evening at 17h 30 we hold rosary prayer. Every Sunday morning the service is celebrated in turns by Nambengar Antoine, Awada Assane and Djimet Sambo Florent. On Sunday evenings we gather for the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Theres a whole range of movements within the community: Marys legion, Rewnodji, the students group, the altar boys, the sides-persons, security, catechists, Kemkogui. Furthermore, at central Am Timan there are three CEB which hold meetings every Tuesday to listen to the Word. Anybody can then take the floor to address different topics such as: forgiveness, Jesus-like cross bearing, commitment, the contribution to parish costs, the mission of baptized people, the praying for the missions, etc. 47_ CATECHESIS Our catechesis We have adopted the National Catechesis model which involves a 4 years training in which catechumens tackle The New Testament, The Old Testament, the sacraments and the universal Church. Catechesis has met with uneven success. In towns where there is a

resident pastoral team, catechumens attendance is high as theres a good preparation with deployment of educative methods (catechetical games, songs, images, praying sessions). During catechesis, the catechist helps catechumens to integrate the Word of God into their lives. Retreats greatly foster this faith life linkage. In contrast, national catechesis is difficult for dispersed and rural communities. Within dispersed communities, the high degree of mobility ( civil servants and service members are continuously relocated) and the lack of permanent pastoral agents make it hard to have regular catechetic monitoring: we try to meet these challenges through a mobilemultipurpose apostolic team (with a priest and two Chadian laymen), that travels to these dispersed communities to stay with them for periods ranging from three consecutive days up to a week. In rural communities, the main hurdles are the language and the different pace of life. Most of catechists command of French is not enough to read texts and translate them into the local languages. In addition, the pace of the work in the fields and the seasonal migrations to big towns prevents them from having a regular schedule. It is only at the prospect of such events as Christmas, Easter and All Saints Day that peasants agree to hold meetings (retreats, training sessions) which, on the other hand correspond to the traditional mindset (feast of the dead, of harvest, reconciliation and purification. We are currently working to deal with these issues in more effective ways. The catechists All the catechists in our diocese are volunteers. Of them, 150 have received some training; besides, there are 430 assistants, team-leaders and ministers who benefit from ongoing monitoring but who cant be considered as trained catechists. Yet, its them who, within the 90 dispersed communities spread around the whole diocese, do such a remarkable job of tutoring and events coordination. This is indeed both the strength and the drawback of our Church: the outstanding mobilisation of Christians (with generosity and inventiveness) to take charge of their church, short of priests, and the massive education gaps due to the dispersion of the communities as well as to the small number of resident priests. Bandaros training centre An incipient response to that lack of training has been the opening of Bandaros allpurpose training centre. It will feature a threefold programme. The first component of that programme - spiritual training- is already underway through two types of retreat. Silent retreats with personal support (of the Ignatian type) or introduction to praying retreats (for the Christian elites we want to train). The second component deals with training of coordinators and other Christian communities leaders to lead in prayer during Sunday Assemblies in the absence of a Priest. The third component is the training of socio-cultural coordinators for the development of rural and low-income urban communities. 49_ALSADER History The Lay Association for the Safeguarding of Development Activities (ALSADER in French) is an association created by the former coordinators of the Association of Rural Cooperation in Africa and Latin America (ACRA), all native to the region. With a ten-

year experience in community work backed by the Apostolic Prefecture, the young association has undertaken a new venture along the lines of endogenous development. For that reason, it has chosen a participative approach based on negotiation and listening. They aim at: - Reducing urgency levels - Complementing public policies - Enhancing the traditional development framework through ongoing effort to achieve right livelihood for the rural population. ALSADER came into being on 11th November 2006 and its a lay, humanitarian, apolitical and non-profit association composed by 20 members. 10 facilitators, the backbone of the association, in charge of monitoring foodgrain banks 4 development agents 6 councillors skilled in rural development issues Goals ALSADER endeavours to safeguard, encourage and reinforce projects within the region under the auspices of the Apostolic Vicariate, ACRA and other donors. Likewise, the association champions for the sustainable development of rural communities while enhancing self-agency. They raise awareness and offer training on: - Education in rural settings by means of girls instruction together with the building of infrastructures, training of community teachers and farming of community fields so that the yields can go back to the population. - The quality of local development by putting high on the agenda food issues such as security and reduction of extreme poverty and hunger, which is one of the Millennium Goals for development. Grass-root practices by underpinning traditional know-how and skills - Building and restoration of dams, dykes and open wells to hold rain water to meet the water needs of rural populations. Achievements: Monitoring of 121 foodgrain banks Monitoring 20 primary schools Building of 18 village wells Building of 11 village granaries Building and restoring of12 micro-dams and dykes Setting up of12 new foodgrains banks

50_ Moustagbal The association, whose name in Arabic means the future, was born out of the need to bolster the agency of the destitute: physical handicapped people, former leprosy victims, the deprived and their offspring, orphans, widows, street children and the blind. The association was created by 21 good-willed people at Mongo on the 28th August 1998 and was officially recognised on the 1st February 1999. Today, the association has 67 members from Mongo and the neighbouring villages and is at the heart of a thriving local network. They advocate for:

Cutting down poverty levels and reintegrating marginalized people back to a normal and sustainable social life. Break the vicious circle of begging through capacity-building schemes Creating livelihood opportunities for orphans and poor children. Giving the chance for the beneficiaries to boost their revenues. Furthering the education of orphans and the needy. Fostering the reintegration of former leprosy victims

Activities The association currently operates in the Sub-prefectures of Baro, Bitkine, Mongo and Niergui in the following areas: Education: by organising after-school tutoring, payment of school fees and health and food expenses for neglected children, handicapped or orphans. Vocational training: by training drop-out or unschooled teenagers on market gardening and carpentry followed by an certificate, a tool kit and a start-up allowance. Social and economic reintegration: through awareness-raising and livelihood activities (small trade) for individual or collective (handicapped, indigents) reintegration. Food security: by setting up cereal stocks, building granaries, supporting the creation and making-up of peasant organisations. Health: by raising-awareness about the fight against leprosy, tuberculosis and AIDS; by encouraging parental education ( CPN, vaccinations, using health centres) Thus, for some ten years Moustagbal has been promoting a better organized rural world with decreasing levels of social exclusion. Read the poem where Moustagbal shares its hopes: 51_Am Tine Water is a critical issue in the Guera due to the mountainous relief of the region. In the aftermath of the great famine of 1984, initiatives had been put forward to build dams in Baro but they had been written off afterwards out of sheer negligence. The first ones to take a stand were the prospective baptisands for Easter 2000, who, to provide evidence of their commitment started to mend a dam which had caved in. This exploit mobilised the whole Catholic community into creating an association to repair old dams. Hence, Am Tine (our water in the Migami language) was created on the 1st July 2000. Even if it was the Catholic faith that first spurred the association, once in operation, it quickly subsumed the whole population. Next, the neighbouring villages joined the association and now we cant say that its just a Catholic thing, since there are 3175 members from 24 villages and the whole of the Catholic population barely adds up to 200 people. Functioning Every village has a branch with its own structure and activities. Those who want to become members must join the local branch and contribute to the tasks and fees. Each branch must collect 5.000 franc a year. This contribution is used to finance the training

for the building of dams and gabions (woven-wire meshes which hold together the stones of the dam so that they wont be swept away by heavy water currents). Thanks to the contribution, the association has also bought three bikes and created a foodgrain bank. Some organizations have also backed the initiative: Acra has provided such equipment as wheelbarrows, shovels, picks and spud-bars The WFP has granted supplies for the workers and lately equipment for the building site. Baros Catholic church has made available for Am Tine a large meeting room and storehouses. Accomplishments Am Tine has built 50 dams and dykes since 2000 in the Baro region. The action has gathered momentum and spread across the Gura. The parish of Dadouar has then set up its own association, SILA, which has put up 27 dams. Am Tine has subsequently expanded into Bitkine (6 dams), Melfi ( 7 dams) and Niergui (9 dams), and they keep at it. 52_ ACDAR The association ACDAR means green in the local Arabic. The association was created in 2000 by a group of young people wishing to put an end to the deforestation that rages throughout the region. They appointed Hamid Moussa Ibedou as secretary-general and created two tree nurseries right away. They focus on reforestation and above all on raising awareness about indiscriminate wood chopping and the need to chase commercial wood-cutters, often protected by forest rangers. Village committees were then created and the association quickly reached some hundred members. Some private Italian donors contributed to build its headquarters in Mongo, and from then on, the association demanded of its members a high degree of involvement in the building works: those who didnt show up were fined. That brought about many desertions among these who couldnt or didnt want to fulfil these demands. The founding members were not in the least discouraged and nowadays activities go on with a major innovation: a workshop to produce wheelbarrows, ploughs and carts as well as sun ovens and brick presses for compact bricks. These two latter are creative solutions to fight desertification and have been made possible thanks to the help of Brother Pietro Rusconi sj who comes every year for three months to train workers. The sun ovens They are made of a silvery aluminium parabola assembled on site which permits to heath the content of a pan located at its centre as fast as with wood fire. Women can thus save on wood. Although the appliance is easy to handle, its use demands a real cultural shift on the part of the family and especially of women. That is a long term goal which needs thorough monitoring. On the other hand, Acdar is currently in touch with the UNHCR, which is considering the possibility of the wholesale employment of sun ovens in refugee camps. Presses They are built-on-site manual presses which can compact laterite (or any other appropriately dosed blend) and make bricks with little concrete. The goal is to gradually eliminate wood fuelled, environmental unfriendly, brick ovens. A school has already been built with these bricks and its smooth and red surface has greatly appealed the

population. Pretty soon, a big storehouse will also be built by Mongos foodgrain bank association right next to the Apostolic Vicariate.