Red, green, blue, yellow, around forty tents litter the cold tiles, some placed on mattresses. We are in Bagnolet, in an emergency accommodation center where around a hundred people spent Christmas, including Samira* and her two children aged 10 and 13. It is 10 o'clock, the sun invades the room with a warm, white light and Marouane, who manages the place on behalf of the Utopia 56 association, makes the introductions. The oldest of Samira's teenagers is still sleeping, taking advantage of the respite granted by the presence of a journalist – here, everyone normally has to leave around 9:30 a.m. – while the youngest watches a film in Arabic on her cell phone. mother.
Samira and her children arrived in France in September 2021. They left from Zarzis, in Tunisia, and first took the boat to Italy, in the midst of a health crisis. The family remained in quarantine for twenty-four hours then paid a smuggler to bring them to France. “There was no work in Tunisia. My father is dead, my mother has no pension, my brother who lives in Rochefort (Charente-Maritime) sent me help,” says the thirty-year-old. The trio first slept with the brother for more than two years, then with a sister in Ulis (Essonne), before being forced to leave. This is where they landed in Bagnolet.
A little music and presents for Christmas
For Christmas, as all day reception centers were closed, the empty offices that house them at night kept their doors open a little longer, until 4:30 p.m. Beneficiaries who did not find a place via the emergency accommodation number, 115, were able to return at 8:30 p.m. The association distributed gifts for the children and put on some music to create a festive atmosphere. “Christmas is important because I like gifts. There were no big gifts, I would have liked a box of makeup. I had a notebook with pencils. I danced,” says Sophia*, who at 10 years old, already displays a strong character and clear preferences.
Samira, for her part, feels tired. “My son and daughter had a great time with the other kids here. For my part, whether during Christmas or Muslim holidays, I feel sad because I am homeless. » Despite this, Christmas is not necessarily the harshest period for people who do not have a roof over their heads, recalls Marouane: “In summer there are almost as many deaths and less solidarity. » The co-founder of Utopia 56, Yann Manzi, believes the situation has been a little less difficult in recent weeks, particularly since the release of 250 million for emergency accommodation in November.
“We are always left to right”
The fact remains that living on top of each other in Bagnolet is not the most comfortable, especially since there is no heating and no showers. The center operates with a budget of 15,000 euros to pay employees who take turns monitoring the premises. “It would take 22,000 euros per month to afford more comfort,” estimates Marouane, who nevertheless judges that it is “the cleanest place” that the association has ever had. The local population also welcomed the initiative. A support network has been established with local bakeries in particular.
It's also not easy to start from scratch every evening, since the place sorts through the population every day and only keeps the highest priority ones, like all emergency accommodation centers. “We are always left and right. Once, our suitcase was stolen,” says Sophia. Utopia 56 also welcomes families in even more difficult conditions, such as a family with a 4-year-old child and a three-month-old baby, who could not find accommodation by calling 115.
In stages, Samira and her children hope to get out of it. Sophia and her brother have been enrolled in school for the last two weeks, which will give their mother more time to find a housing solution and perhaps an undeclared job, the only way out and hope. ultimately get some papers. As for the center, it should theoretically close its doors at the end of April. Until then, they will need to find another generous donor who can open their empty premises.
*First names have been changed.
