Children
"Centre Fiers et Forts" is a centre for street-children' in Tamesloth, a small town located in the Marrakech area. The Centre was established in 2003 by Mrs Dorine Eijkman; a Dutch citizen who -accompanied by her family- moved to Maroc in 1964. There are approximately 600 street-children residing in and around the village Tamesloth. Living in great poverty and attracted by the radiance of the metropolitan, they moved to Marrakech together with their parents in order to improve their way of life. As a result of various circumstances, they turned into street-children;
The poverty and helplessness of their parents, appears to be the main reason for the abandonment of these children. Only occasionally alcoholism and (parental) substance abuse is to blame. Each child has their own story.
Madou, i.e. the name of Dorine in Maroc, was touched by the plight of the Tamesloth street-children and opened "Centre Fiers et Forts" in an old garage. A few moths after start-up, she rented a building and moved the project. Children started to come from far away as the good news spread about the help on offer.
At this very moment, the Centre provides living accommodation, education and work for 99 street-children. On a daily basis, the Centre provides classes in mathematics in Arab and French (both written and verbal form). In the afternoon, sports and arts (music and drama) are taught. The four eldest children (all sixteen year olds) are in vocational training and will soon obtain their license as gardenersThe future is bright for both the Centre as weil as the for the children.