In a region where the Muslim faith shapes daily life, a long-sensitive issue has risen to the forefront of the debate: the future of talibé children. The Gabú Multifunctional Youth Center hosted the first regional forum dedicated to their protection, organized by the Platform of Civil Society Organizations of the region (PONGAB), in partnership with IMPACT GB and funded by the European Union, according to information reported by the newspaper O Democrata.

 

Strong recommendations for the future

 

Gathered in large numbers, Quranic teachers, imams, village chiefs, and civil society representatives, the participants formulated concrete proposals. These included integrating Quranic education into the official school curriculum, supporting Quranic teachers with agricultural and logistical resources, and involving imams and community leaders in the community council responsible for monitoring Quranic schools.

PONGAB President Saico Embaló called for unity: "We want to build bridges so that everyone feels responsible for the child."

 

He clarified that the ongoing mapping of Koranic schools aims to identify real needs, including actual needs for food and logistics, in order to propose appropriate solutions, and not to control teaching methods.

 

The voice of religious leaders

 

Representing the imams, Tcherno Iunussa Djaló, urged the state to support Quranic teachers: "The most effective way to prevent children from being sent to beg is through state support for Quranic schools."

Beyond the recommendations, the forum highlighted the need to raise awareness in villages and strengthen the role of women, particularly through CAMUCA-Gabú, as mediators between agricultural needs and child protection.

 

This first forum marks a decisive step: in Gabú, a land of faith and history, local actors want to transform the vulnerability of talibé children into hope, by placing their protection at the heart of regional priorities.