Republic of Congo
 Father
Joachim Lelo-Bouindji is the National Director of AOS in the
Republic of Congo and also Port Chaplain in the port of
Pointe Noire. Here he tells us about the work of AOS in his
country.
"Regimes change, lifestyles evolve, but the sea and the
port are always there. Humans continue to cross the sea, to
live from it and often to die there. As for the Church, she
has also sought to be close to the lives of seafarers.
Our port of Pointe Noire was created in 1934 as a point
of access to the territories of Middle Congo, Gabon, the
Obangui Chari and Chad. The port now serves 70 million
people and is called “the Ocean Port of Central Africa”.
 AOS
began serving in Pointe Noire in 1978 when Father André
Birraux, a Son of Charity, opened a Stella Maris Centre in
the heart of the port. Today, AOS Pointe Noire comprises a
chaplain and lay people who work together regardless of race
or religious faith, according to the spirit of ICMA.
On 30 August 2003 at the Bishop’s House, the AOS team
established the National Committee for the Welfare of
Seafarers in the Congo. The committee includes employees
from maritime, oil tanker, and port associations. These work
together with the AOS team to defend the moral and material
interests of the People of the Sea.
2005, a new seafarers’ centre
The ITF Seafarers’ Trust has given us valuable support.
In August 2005, we received a grant of US$113,442 in order
to construct a really first class seafarers’ centre.
Construction began on 15 October 2005 when the government
minister responsible laid the first stone. All of the port
and municipal authorities of the city attended the ceremony.
The building work is now finished. Services available to
seafarers include hospitality, Internet access, a café,
medical assistance, postal services and religious services.
 Ship
visiting
In May 2006, the ITF again gave us another grant, this
time of US$25,000 to buy a minibus. We use this for our ship
visiting programme and to provide transport for seafarers
according to their various needs.
Since then, regular ship visits have been made by the
chaplain and personnel from AOS and the Welfare Committee.
This partnership of the port authorities and AOS is a
powerful movement at the service of the seafarers of the
Congo. We warmly congratulate our port authorities for the
open co-operation.
Artisanal fishers
In September 2006 we began visiting artisanal sea
fishers. In the fishing village, the majority are fishers of
different countries including Togo, Benin, Cameroon and
Nigeria."
Photographs: (1) Father Lelo, second right, makes a
ship visit. Pictured with him are the ship's captain, right,
seafarers and port workers. (2) Father Lelo shows the site
of the seafarers' centre to the minister and visiting
dignitaries. (3) Artisanal fishing boats. |