In Mayotte, the situation remains precarious. At the end of the week, a dozen young people broke into a high school in Sada, in the west of the island, creating a movement of panic among the students. On Friday, rival bands from two villages south of Mamoudzou clashed, for unknown reasons. Rivalry between gangs, lack of prospects, precariousness, massive immigration, the violence is multifactorial, but several actors on the ground and residents are mobilizing to change this.
With our correspondent in Mamoudzou, Lola Fourmy
We are in Doujani, a district of Mamoudzou, where a young man was killed with a machete in November. Amadi, aged 20, recounts how he arrived from the Comoros 18 years ago, he did all his schooling here before finding himself stranded: “ I already have the BTS but I don’t have my papers. So I can’t move, I can’t get out of here, it’s a hassle… »
This year in the town of Mamoudzou, capital of Mayotte, some 1,000 children are out of school due to lack of space. To fight against idleness and dissociability, the Espoir et Réussite association has launched several actions in the district. ” We cannot talk about the fight against delinquency when we have not even tackled the question of prevention, we explains Ahmed Idam, director of the association. This is why we have set up a reception system for those who have not attended school so that they can maintain a minimum level of schooling. »
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Create new schools and mentor out-of-school youth
Ismaeli comes home from work. After years of dealing drugs, he quit when his son was born. He tries to dissuade the youngest whom they see sinking: When I talk to them, they tell me: you’re fine, you have a job… Whereas in fact I’m in the same situation, but with a little job. It’s so sad. »
Here, 60% of the population is under 25 years old. Youth care seems unavoidable and urgent. The mayor of Mamoudzou proposes to release 400 million euros over 10 years to create new schools.
The Hope and Success association, which supports 100 young people with the out-of-school system, has also opened a social center and a parents’ house where they can come and learn the language free of charge. Several mediators are working on the ground to try to appease the tensions.
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