They were threatened with expulsion, and their place of residence with destruction. But, after three postponements of the deliberations during municipal councils in Rouen (Seine-Maritime) and a meeting with the socialist mayor of the city, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, the residents of Senegalese and Mauritanian origin of Foyer Moïse, supported by the Associations Échelle Unknown and Solidarity of Residents and Protection of Migrant Homes (Soresfom) obtained a suspension of the permit to demolish the home, which would have been replaced by a social residence.
These residents still feel pressure from the manager, Coallia, who “after years of abandoning the site, continues its desire to evict the residents,” explains Julie Davainne, member of Échelle Unknown. The group “puts red crosses on the doors like trees to be cut down and brutally condemns the doors. So the residents wanted to mobilize to show that they still live here. That they are at home. » Thus, this Saturday, November 30, around fifty residents, former tenants, their families and friends came to participate in the “Prevention, first aid and life-saving actions” operation.
This is the first stage of a larger rehabilitation project, which was presented to the mayor of Rouen during their meeting. “Already, the mayor has recognized that it did not cost more than demolition/construction, but only that financing was more difficult to find,” rejoices Yann Mouton, member of Soresfom. “After three hours, he decided to suspend the decision to demolish. He told us that he was not for one or the other option, but that we had to objectify all of this. So, with the associations, we are going to set up a co-construction project on the financial, architectural and management levels. We offer rooms and a third place. And it won't be bulldozers! »
Thus, for a whole day, the fifty volunteers were active in the refectory, on the landings, the literacy and meeting rooms as well as in the kitchen “during symbolic rehabilitation workshops”, admits Yann Mouton, who insists: “One day of cleaning will not be able to compensate for 15 years of abandonment by the manager. »
However, hope could be seen on the faces of the participants, like delegate Moussa Dia, one of those who was present at the meeting with the mayor. “We have been asking for repairs and hygiene for years,” he emphasizes. “We were abandoned and there young people answered the call to help us. This operation shows that we can take care of the home. We even received the support of a young self-employed cleaning entrepreneur, the nephew of international Ousmane Dembélé. He came from Gaillon (Your) with his team, his equipment and offered us the products. This is solidarity! »
