Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tolon (Agenzia Fides) - “Here in France, I work with the Rom (gypsies). I know it seems a bit ironic to think of an African student from Benin going to Europe to help Europeans who live in situations of discrimination.” These are the words of Fernand Koko, and African from Benin who is studying in Tolon (France) and who has placed his time and efforts at the service of the one of the most marginalized groups on the European continent, the Rom. A model student with a high level of culture, Fernand describes his experience: “Making Rom and French live together in harmony is not easy. In Africa, there is no distinction among French, Italian, Polish...for us, they're all white people. The language is what gives us the clue as to where they are from. I used to think that the Africans were the most portrayed as criminals, and I didn't think that there were other communities like the Rom. When people hear that I work with the Rom, they all say: 'Wow, you are so brave!' The Rom are described as robbers, two-faced...everything negative in this life is attributed to the Rom. Even the volunteer I work with did not trust the Rom, but then he changed his opinion when he saw their positive response. They have told me of all they suffered under Communism. I asked one of them: 'If you are suffering so much in your life here in France, where people want nothing to do with the Rom, why don't you go back to Romania?' And he replied: 'No, Fernand, how could we go back there when here at least we can find food in the trash cans!' (Anticipation for the television program “The Suitcase Tied with a String”: 4 episodes of a study on world immigration to be aired on the RAI beginning June 29) (Agenzia Fides 5/6/2009)
