Short Abstract:

Director: Aron Marty and Maria Bänziger 2021 | 22 mins

Long Abstract:

After staying in Switzerland for fifteen years, earning a living in construction, Babacar ‘Bouba’ Camara, 51, returns to his motherland Senegal. In Béne Barack, a socially and economical marginalised neighbourhood of Senegal’s capital Dakar, Bouba has founded a private elementary school. As Bouba was not able to finish his own school career and fulfil his vision of becoming a lawyer or a doctor, he wants to give the kids in this poor neighbourhood the opportunity to attend a decent school that is not hopelessly overcrowded like the public schools. His aim is to give every kid in the neighbourhood a chance “like all the other kids in Senegal and in the world”. While the parents get the opportunity to send their kids to an affordable school, Bouba is permanently struggling with the school’s budget: Since many parents can’t even pay the low fee and Bouba does not want to expel any pupils because of lacking payments he is forced to return to Switzerland from time to time to earn some money to keep his school going.

Accepted paper:

Session 1 Friday 28 June, 2024, 14:30-16:00

Suñu Ekool  

2021 | 22'

Film Short Abstract:

After staying in Switzerland for fifteen years, earning a living in construction, Babacar ‘Bouba’ Camara, 51, returns to his motherland Senegal.

Abstract:

In Béne Barack, a socially and economical marginalised neighbourhood of Senegal’s capital Dakar, Bouba has founded a private elementary school. As Bouba was not able to finish his own school career and fulfil his vision of becoming a lawyer or a doctor, he wants to give the kids in this poor neighbourhood the opportunity to attend a decent school that is not hopelessly overcrowded like the public schools. His aim is to give every kid in the neighbourhood a chance “like all the other kids in Senegal and in the world”. While the parents get the opportunity to send their kids to an affordable school, Bouba is permanently struggling with the school’s budget: Since many parents can’t even pay the low fee and Bouba does not want to expel any pupils because of lacking payments he is forced to return to Switzerland from time to time to earn some money to keep his school going.

Directors:

Aron Marty and Maria Bänziger