An exhibition and sale of handicrafts was offered in Rémire-Montjoly this Thursday. At the origin of the creations, beneficiaries of the Kairos association, mostly former prisoners or people who have had dealings with the law. Encounter.
Their names are Earl, Kevin, Jacob, Rodney, Fernand, Sony, Patrick… Some have been in prison, or seemed about to go there. Everyone gathered this Thursday in Rémire-Montjoly to present, on different stands, objects they created: bags, supports filled with green plants, purses, clothes, decoration…
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Earl and the others are all beneficiaries of the Kairos association created in 2020, but imagined in 2015, at the initiative of Gueda Gadio, doctoral student in sociology, graduate in criminology and now director of the structure. “Kairos takes care of the integration of people who are called “forgotten by the radar”, that is to say those who receive little or no support from other structures. »
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These people, released from prison or facing justice, make up two thirds of the people followed by Kairos. The association offers, among other things, day care, assistance with administrative procedures, accommodation, fixed-term integration contracts, etc. Kairos also participates once a month in exit committees at the Guyana penitentiary center and distributes hygiene kits for outgoing people. With a particularity : these kits including brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap etc., are provided in bags made by people on integration contracts within the association.
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Bags like these were presented this Thursday, alongside other creations. With pride. « I was mainly responsible for the logos on the t-shirts. » says Earl, 22. « It’s not very complicated, it’s done with the embroiderer”. The young man will even take the time to demonstrate the machine.
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Not far from him, Kevin, 31 years old, Jacob, 24 years old and Rodney, 20 years old. They worked with bamboo. After picking it up, they made the cuts, drew and painted. « It requires patience… If you ever cut the bamboo incorrectly, you have to start again ! » Sony, 20 years old, chose a tembé-inspired design. Not easy on the convex surface of a bamboo…
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With Fernand, 31, he presents the final result to which a plant was added following training in partnership with the CFPPA (Professional Training and Agricultural Promotion Center) of Matiti.
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Navigating between the stands, stopping here and there to welcome a customer or respond to a request from a beneficiary, Gueda Gadio emphasizes one point : « ici, no one talks about their prison problem. There is no pride in having gone to prison, nor shame either. »
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Future social workers, training with the IRDTS, Travis, Marlène and Cindy spent a month in Kairos. They are the ones who helped set up today's exhibition-sale project.
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« We helped them with the creations and in the technical aspect, says Cindy. They have a lot of potential and know-how that are not highlighted enough. »
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Some people dream of buying a sewing machine.
Guided by Maguette Ly, all the beneficiaries learned to use the machines. “No one came with needle threading experience » jokes the designer. « For some, it was complicated, there was sometimes a problem of illiteracy. But today, there are some who dream of buying a sewing machine. ! »
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Soon a place to the market?
Creating objects together allows group cohesion, but also enhances each person individually. « We work on self-esteem, says Gueda Gadio. But after a while, I told them that you can't sew just for self-esteem. » The group thought about it then wrote to the town hall to ask for a stand at the market.
In the meantime, the public will be able to find their creations on 1is December at the Roura Christmas Village.
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