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INTERVIEW
Patrick Bauer : SMDS Association
Darbaroud: What’s the origin of the association created in Jdaid?
Patrick Bauer: The idea came three years ago with the French charity Eaux et Soleil. We set up a women’s cooperative including a local crafts workshop and a crèche for their children. But that’s not all. Recently, a health clinic was opened. The water pipes are regularly revised and we are installing solar panels.
Darbaroud: What are the MDS association’s future projects?
Patrick Bauer: In Taricht, young people in rehabilitation from Paris and its suburbs are going to come to help 3 km of water pipes. Two villages and a school will be able to make full use of them. The project is being done with the Raid Aventure association. For the young people, it’s also a pedagogical trip – they’ll discover the country and its people.
Darbaroud: It obviously takes a lot to finance all of these operations. How do you manage?
Patrick Bauer: It’s all thanks to the generous contributions of our partners, sponsors and friends. This year, I set up the charity stage. On Saturday, at the same time as the last stage, ten or so volunteers from Sultan, Allianz and Volkswagen will be running to raise funds which will also contribute to funding the sixteen solar panels we are to install in Mamid.
