First Stone Launches Pointe-Noire Orphanage
On 8 December, children’s songs drifted above the Emery Patrice Lumumba district as officials watched Sylvestre Lempoua lower a ceremonial brick. The secretary-general of Pointe-Noire’s prefecture launched construction of a new orphanage and dispensary.
Municipal councillors and members of the Association Paris Pointe-Noire applauded as the first shovel of concrete sealed a promise. Lempoua hailed “solidarity owed to the youngest”, while cameras flashed and neighbours cheered.
Design of the 1 300 m² Complex
The future complex will rise on a 1 300-square-metre city plot granted by the municipality. Architectural plans show a modern, two-storey orphanage occupying 200 m², with administration on the ground floor and dormitories overlooking the mango trees from the upper level.
Behind the main block, builders will add an 83 m² residence for nurses, three airy bedrooms ready to host night staff, and an 85 m² fitness room where children can play and recover. A dispensary, linked by a covered corridor, will provide first-line care.
Niska Turns Childhood Dream to Reality
Congolese-French rapper Niska, a founding member of the association, could not hide his emotion. “This turns a childhood dream into reality,” he told the crowd, promising that the site “is only the first of many we want to raise in this city”.
Locals recognise Niska for chart-topping singles; fewer knew his long-running charities. By funding earthworks and equipment, he hopes to inspire other artists to invest at home. “Music gave me a voice; Pointe-Noire gave me roots,” he added, wiping sweat in the coastal heat.
City Hall Places Care in Town Center
Lawyer Mourad Battikh, another driving force behind the initiative, underlined the decisive role of city hall. The mayor, Evelyne Tchitchelle, not only cleared paperwork but insisted the orphanage be built “in the very heart of town so that no child feels hidden”.
Donating land in the first arrondissement also simplifies transport for social workers and health teams. “We wanted the children to grow up near schools, sports grounds and the port’s economic dynamism,” Battikh explained, noting that proximity reduces operating costs over the long term.
French Consul Highlights Child Protection
Standing beneath tricolour pennants, Anne Boulo, Consul General of France in Pointe-Noire, framed the ground-breaking as “another brick in the friendship between our peoples”. For the diplomat, child protection forms a central pillar of France’s consular network worldwide.
“By coordinating with judges, social agents and the police, the orphanage team will secure every child’s rights in line with Congolese law,” she said. Observers noted the comment as a clear commitment to combine humanitarian care and rigorous legal safeguards.
Expected Benefits for Vulnerable Youth
Mayor Tchitchelle reminded residents that nearly one thousand vulnerable minors are registered in her commune, many orphaned by disease or informal migration. “Every bed we add is a chance to rebuild a life,” she remarked, applauding the association’s “courage and consistency”.
Beyond lodging, the dispensary should ease pressure on the overcrowded Tié-Tie district clinic. Routine vaccinations, minor surgeries and mental-health counselling could be offered on site, limiting long journeys for carers who often cannot afford transport fees.
Social workers project that, once fully operational, the centre will accommodate sixty children aged two to sixteen. The sports hall will host afternoon football sessions and physiotherapy, encouraging inclusion with neighbouring schools that already asked to share the equipment.
Local Jobs and Transparent Funding
Funding combines private donations from the Congolese diaspora, ticket sales from Niska’s last tour and contributions of small businesses in the port. Bricklayers, electricians and gardeners have been recruited locally, a choice the project leaders say will keep wages circulating inside Pointe-Noire.
Operating costs are estimated at 45 million CFA francs per year. Association Paris Pointe-Noire plans sponsorship schemes where households can fund meals or school supplies. “Transparency will be absolute,” Battikh promised, citing quarterly audits open to the public and city council.
Timeline Toward Opening in 2025
If the rainy season cooperates, foundations should be completed by the end of March. Walls are scheduled to rise before the June dry spell, with roofing and interior fittings delivered in November. The ribbon-cutting ceremony is pencilled in for early 2025.
Until then, the association intends to organise community clean-ups and cultural afternoons on the plot, so future residents already feel at home. In the words of Niska, “A house is bricks; a family is people. Let’s build both, step by step.”
