In the hangar, the volunteers work as if nothing had happened: breast milk, baby food, hygiene products, nappies… Every week, 500 packages are prepared in this 1,200 square meter space made available free of charge. of the MaMaMa association, for two years.
70,000 single mothers supported for two years
This association was launched in March 2020, in full confinement, by four young Ile-de-France women, in particular nurses, who realized in the midst of a health crisis that single mothers had difficulty feeding their babies, some used rice water. to replace breast milk that they could no longer afford. So the co-founders knocked on the doors of stores, associations and potential sponsors to collect food and deliver it to health centres, PMIs and other structures that welcome these women in distress.
The approach is quickly spotted and welcomed by the public authorities, who grant several financial aids to MaMaMa, the ministers come to visit the volunteers. In June 2020, the city of Saint-Denis, then still headed by the PCF mayor Laurent Russier, decided to make this hangar available to the team, property of the SEM Plaine Commune Développement (the mixed economy company in charge of the development of the territory of Plaine Commune). Quickly, the 1,200 square meters are entirely occupied by the boxes of products which flow in by the tons, a dressing room is created to also offer clothes to children and mothers, then strollers, toys. The machine is launched. In two years, MaMaMa has helped 70,000 mothers.
– Hajera Mohammad
Like many other volunteers, Kamissa Traoré was initially a beneficiary. Housed by the 115 in a hotel in Persan, in the Val d’Oise, with her two daughters, she manages thanks to the help of MaMaMa to provide for the needs of her little Assia, born 11 months ago. “They gave us everything I needed: diapers, clothes, sterilizers. I couldn’t afford all that.”confides to us this mother whose voice breaks and who begins to cry when we discuss with her the departure of the association. “I have no words, I’m so sad, what are we going to do?”
The association refuses to sign the occupancy agreement
This announced and feared departure is the conclusion of relations which seem to have deteriorated over the months between the association and the municipality of Saint-Denis, led by the socialist Mathieu Hanotin, also president of Plaine Commune.
In February 2021, the new mayor comes on site and salutes the work of the association. “He even called us a local NGO” says Coline Vigot, project manager at MaMaMa. At the time, the leaders of the association were aware that the shed was to be destroyed by 2024 for a housing construction project (particularly social ones) but the mayor would have assured them that MaMaMa could occupy the premises without problem. by then and for free. “He even said that it would be outrageous to make us pay. Yet we had already offered him a contribution, to pay rent of 1,000 euros, which was within our means at the time.“, assures Corinne, member of the board of directors.
Initially, free temporary occupancy agreements (COP) are regularly renewed and signed by the association. But at the end of 2021, change of tone. The city submits a new COP to the leaders of MaMaMa with conditions that are not acceptable to them. “We are forbidden to receive more than three families at the same time, we have the obligation to warn them of any meeting organized two weeks in advance and there is a clause which allows expulsion from the premises without possible legal recourse, we has refused”says Colin.
Exorbitant rent for the association
Above all, it is the amount of rent, claimed this time, which is shocking. “We were asked for 18,000 euros per month! And for this amount of course they will not repair the heating, they will not repair the water leaks and for a building which will be destroyed in 2 years?!” , takes offense Magali Bragard, the president of the association. Even today, with 600,000 euros in public subsidies, it is impossible to pay such rent except to reduce the supply while the number of beneficiaries continues to increase.
After several months of negotiations and an amount of rent revised downwards (to 14,400 euros) the situation remains blocked. This Tuesday, July 19, the association receives a letter giving it 7 days to evacuate the premises.
Impossible to find a plan B in such a short time and what about beneficiaries and volunteers? “We are in a room filled with hundreds of products, there are dozens of volunteers who come to work every day, they are sometimes very isolated women, sometimes victims of violence for whom coming is almost a therapeutic journey. If we have no more this room, unfortunately we can’t do anything more”, assures Magali Bragard.
– Hajera Mohammad
Internet user support
A few hours after receiving this letter, the association responds on its social networks and in particular its twitter account on which a video is published to launch an SOS to Internet users. Call received and relayed by many personalities such as Nagui, Julie Gayet and associations such as the Women’s Foundation or Action Against Hunger who directly challenge Mathieu Hanotin and Stéphane Troussel, President of the Department Council of Seine-Saint-Denis and President of the SEM.
Requested by France Bleu Paris this Wednesday morning, neither accepted our interview requests, referring to a press release published later on the twitter account of the mayor of Saint-Denis. The tone is set from the first words: “It is with consternation that the City of Saint-Denis and the SEM Plaine Commune Développement have learned of the smear campaign against them launched by the MaMaMa association”. The text then unfolds a completely different version of the story.
“A smear campaign”, denounces the mayor of Saint-Denis
The press release assures that the city “leave time” to the association to find another location and that the latter has set up a day center for mothers and children on site without any authorisation. “For 6 months, despite the written commitments made by MaMaMa to regularize the situation, the association has refused to sign the COP with each week a new reason for postponement. Beyond the payment of the rent, the COP was essential to frame and regulate the activities carried out on the site and thus collectively guard against any risk involving the safety of women and children”.
“After 6 months of unsuccessful attempt at conciliation and 27 months of free availability, the SEM and the city of Saint-Denis assume that they have reached the end of the partnership path”. The rupture seems consummated.
Explanations very far from reality, defends Magali Bragard, who wonders about this part of the hangar which is occupied by cases stored by other associations which have not signed a COP either.
On site, you can actually see carpets, safety barriers, cables and even cement blocks that would have been deposited by an association. On this point, the city of Saint-Denis recognizes the presence of this equipment “but they belong to food aid associations also launched during confinement which are also waiting for a room or a new room”, she assures.
– Hajera Mohammad
The future of the threatened association?
Beyond this conflict with the city of Saint-Denis and the SEM, the association fears that its mission is threatened today. “When we started, we were in the blind spot of food aid, no association was specialized in food for infants”insists Lara Géhin, coordinator. “Today, we distribute parcels to the Red Cross, Restos du Cœur, Secours Populaire… In Saint-Denis itself, we deliver ten health centers, we work with the Maison des femmes, young autistic people of the IME of Moulins Gémeaux who come to volunteer” she recalls.
A meeting but still no solution
A meeting was organized this Wednesday evening between MaMaMa, the SEM, the town hall and the sub-prefect of Saint-Denis, without any real progress. “MaMaMa and the Women’s Foundation have requested that the situation be regularized by a free agreement for 6 months, the time to find a fallback solution. Request refused. The Town Hall of Saint-Denis has undertaken not to request the expulsion of MaMaMa to the judge by September 1st”, inform us the association this evening by email. Today, she hopes to find another base by that date.