Healing of Memories in francophone Africa: Preparations continue

Healing of Memories Luxembourg’s Africa Group is stepping up its preparatory work, in cooperation with the IHOM, for the facilitator training programme for francophone Africa, which is due to begin in July 2022, involving 26 participants from 7 countries.

From 25 November to 9 December 2021, two members of the Africa Group, Patrick Byrne and Javier Garcia Alves, travelled to Togo and Bénin to meet the candidates from these countries and work with the ACAT-Benin team, which will host the Cotonou session.

Pre-training session in Togo 

In Togo, 6 participants attended a day of pre-training in Lomé, introducing them to the healing of memories methodology.

In Benin, a week later, 12 participants, from Cotonou, Porto Novo and Parakou, attended a similar day’s pre-training. In addition to preparing candidates for the July session, these meetings helped to build a team spirit among the participants who will carry forward the healing of memories project in their respective countries.

Pre-training session in Benin

The trip also provided an opportunity to visit the training programme venues (accommodation, training rooms, excursions …) with members of the host team in Benin.

Setting off to the Walk of Remembrance with South African Ambassador Robina Marks

Patrick and Javier had meetings with three prominent figures who have agreed to be patrons of the July 2022 session, namely the South African Ambassador to Benin and Togo, the Archbishop of Cotonou and the National Ombudsman (Médiateur de la République) of Benin. On 1 December, they took part in a Walk of Remembrance, organised by the Ambassador, on the Slaves’ Road, in Ouidah, to mark the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in South Africa.

Participants in Benin participate in a healing of memories workshop

(Africa Group: Patrick Byrne, Esméralda Chupin, Javier Garcia Alves, Christian Kashemwa, Valdemar Santos)