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Mission report : Dynamo in Tunisia

Field accompaniment of social workers carried out by Philippon Toussaint (manager of Dynamo asbl) at Sfax and Edwin de Boevé (manager NGO Dynamo International) at Mellassine in January and February 2009.

Established since the early years 2000, social street work is gradually finding its place on the Tunisian field. The Ministry for Social Affairs, for Solidarity and Expatriate Tunisians (MASSTE) develops since several years a supporting and consolidating program for projects relating to social street work in order to prevent the emergence in Tunisia if a phenomenon of street children, but also in order to create a better solution to the problem of children at risk.

The object of this mission in Tunisia is to coach the social street workers of the Centres for the Defence and Social Integration (CDIS), in Mellassine and Sfax during 6 days and to grasp with them (as well as with their managers and authorities) the different lessons of this coaching. This mission is supported by UNICEF and is the follow-up of another mission carried out in 2008.

The CDIS has as global object the prevention and the fight against the marginalization of the family and the protection of its members against the phenomena of failure, deviation and the various local painful occurrences.
Since 1993, 11 CDIS were created in Tunisia.

Interview of Edwin de Boevé :

1. What was your perception of the district and the problems of the street children ?

I have been impressed for there were quite a lot of youngsters and children in the streets, even during school hours, which goes to show to what extent school truancy is important in the area. After having met a few youngsters, I was able to verify that quite a number of them were faced with heavy problems such as drug addiction, school truancy, mental diseases, …
On the other hand, I also said to myself that this was the ideal district : all conditions were present to realize a work of quality in the streets. The target public, i.e. the youngster, were very present, as well as the general public and numerous shops, schools, markets. Moreover, the district is very poor but at the same time close to the Medina and the tourists. This made me think I was in the middle of a local micro society. Hence I could use it as a worthwhile basis to carry out street work.

2. What was your perception of the implication of the local politicians ?

In Tunisia, the Government has a ministry of social defence which is very present through the CDIS. The work carried out is very interesting, they are in earnest regarding accompaniment and social assistance. The Tunisian governments are well developed in this respect, besides Tunisia is one of the Maghreb countries where the possibilities of social accompaniment are the most numerous. But all the same, they are generally only present until 6 p.m.and only in 11 cities. The social stakes and social sets of problems on the fields remain therefore numerous. The commitments and the development of the CDIS in the Tunisian districts could be considered as examples for other countries wishing to invest in social street work.

3. What impressions ? What images are you keeping in mind about Tunisia ?

The fact to coordinate the network at international level does not always allow me to be on the field , hence there I had a real opportunity to be there again. In Tunisia hospitality is really important, I have been warmly welcomed. I consider of great importance the friendship links I have had, both with the street workers and educators, as well as with the people in charge. The experience has really been rewarding from a human and personal point of view.

Interview of Philippon Toussaint

1. What is already being done in terms of youth accompaniment in this area ?

Since already 4/5 years street work is being organised in 4 different neighbourhoods of Sfax. And in each one of them the street workers develop different methodological approaches. Therefore the results are very diverse and the efficiency more or less high.
For instance, one of the female workers invests a lot in the contacts with the general population, the children and the parents. Moreover, she works a lot with the prostitutes, this activity is probably even heavier to lead there as compared to here.
There is also some “outreach” work : i.e. they go to fetch the youth out of the street to take him to the institution. This is obviously not what is expected.
But in general, street work carried out is more or less in conformity with Dynamo’s work : there are rounds in the area considered as being on duty.

2. After the mission, what will be done concretely ?

This mission in Sfax is already the third one in Tunisia, hence one stagnates a bit. In fact, to progress now the street workers should assert their professional identity. And this can be achieved with the help of Dynamo International.
Indeed, they have a potential, a good structure but to improve they have to overcome administrative, institutional, … obstacles.
The next step will therefore be to help them create a Tunisian workshop and to show their professional identity to the authorities. The rest will follow logically!

3. What impressions ? What images will you keep in mind about Tunisia ?

I only know Tunisia among the Maghreb countries. I have been very much aware that here one is in a Muslim country where the woman occupies a different place from the one
she holds in Belgium. But the persons I was mainly in touch with professionally were women (the manageress of the centre, the person in charge of Unicef Tunisia, …). So women do have professional activities, but on the other hand if you go for a drink in a pub, you will only see men. I have also noticed that behind the tourist façade of Tunisia, there is a lot of misery. But the contact with the children in the street is always very quick, be it here or there, notwithstanding the language barrier. They all have the same hopes, the same wish to laugh and to play, … It is not difficult to establish contact with children !

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