France - Departed from Cameroon, Théophile now at the service of Lyon's poorest

06 July 2017

(ANS - Lyon) - Théophile comes from Cameroon. At age 15 he was alone and out of  school. Today he is in Lyon, France, where he helps the needy. "I try to give them solutions so they can be hosted." His is an exemplary journey.

Where are you from, Théophile?

I am from Cameroon. I will be 20 years old in March. I decided to leave Cameroon with the hope of a better life and to help my mother, alone with my brothers, because we had nothing and I was in danger.

How was your trip?

Really hard. I crossed Nigeria, Niger, Algeria, Morocco and Spain, and finally reached France. It took me four years. In Niger I was stuck for two months. I keep seeing scenes of migrant traffic - a young woman from Cameroon who had been charged with a price she could not pay for, and so she was forced to marry a trafficker. The passage to Tamanrasset, Algeria, was also very tough. In Morocco, I spent a year and a half in the woods; some friends were raped, other died ... I tried several times to cross the border with Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish enclaves in Moroccan territory, without success. In the end, I managed to get in. I was welcomed by the Red Cross in a refugee camp. Then I was taken to Spain, picked up by an NGO, and finally I came to Lyon by bus.

How was the reception in France?

I was taken into custody and housed in a hotel. I had an appointment with a social worker. I asked him: how can I be useful? I am currently attending a training center with a view to obtaining a vocational diploma.

Do you also have time for other activities?

I have joined several groups: I have accompanied candidates for Confirmation; I help the homeless, try to give them solutions so that they can be housed, and now I am part of a group dealing with young foreigners. For me it's not about seeing them as a threat; we have to give them a chance. Before dealing with papers, it has to do with a person, a human being.

Is there any question you ask yourself now?

The question I ask is: what do I do for myself and for others? I want to be useful. One day or another, I will die. What will I do, what will I have given to the world?

Source: Don Bosco Aujourd’hui 

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