BON VOYAGE: MADAME AURÉLIE GBEFFA’S ROLLER COASTER AFRICAN EXCURSION ENDS
Director of the Alliance Française de Gaborone, Aurélie Gbeffa, 42, leaves the linguistic and cultural centre on August 31, at the end of her five- year contract.
Gbeffa’s tenure since her arrival in 2016 has been something of a rollercoaster.
Before coming here she stayed for seven years in Benin, West Africa as Director of Contemporary Arts Foundation.
But more than anything it was Botswana that opened her eyes to the different cultures, different landscapes, different food such as the Mophane worm, and the different ways of thinking and different people.
“It was a really good experience. I really appreciate the country and I think Botswana people are very easy, very accessible and very simple”.
And to cap it all, Gbeffa gave birth to her two sons here in Botswana.
“So, I think this country will still stay in my head and heart”, she told Guardian Style in an interview at the Centre premises along Mobutu Sese Seko Road. Thanks to the government Alliance Francaise was given a 25- year lease to a plot in Village just behind the University of Botswana to where they’ll relocate in 2022.
They started the renovations in November 2017 careful not to tamper with the historical significance of the place, which has the distinct honour of being the first school in the country!
Added to the good experience, Gbeffa’s work was not only fantastic but also a fulfilling part of her sojourn.
A lot of activities were organised such as the Library, which is stocked with French books for members to borrow or buy. There were also exchange programmes with public and private schools as well as the University. These included hosting workshops and inviting schools to Alliance Francaise to borrow books or to have cultural activities with them. Gbeffa also hails the “good relationship” between the Centre and the Ministry of Basic Education
during her five- year tenure. Once every two years they organise a training event for all the French teachers in Botswana. On the cultural front, the Centre promoted Batswana creatives by giving them a platform to perform during various annual events, such as the International Francophonie Day or the La Fête de la Musique. The Centre works with Tumie Sejoe, the filmmaker, Moratiwa Molema the dancer and videographer and a host of other local creatives including the Director of Maitisong, Tefo Paya, whom Gbeffa describes as a “really good partner”. Moratiwa Molema also confirms the cordial working relation she enjoyed with Aurelie, whom she described as “passionate and supportive of the arts”. She told Botswana Guardian that the relationship was, “Highly professional, it was also creative”. Out of these collaborations, dance workshops are hosted, painting exhibitions are mounted and film projections are held at the Centre for free of charge.
The acclaimed filmmaker, Tumi Sejoe also hailed Aurelie’s commitment and dedication to the arts and culture as commendable.
“I greatly appreciate her support and contributions to Botswana’s creative community. She has been a great supporter of my work.
“I have had the opportunity to showcase my work at the AFG, which has benefitted me greatly and allowed me to build great networks, she will be greatly missed”, Tumi said.
Aurelie also encouraged language classes at the Alliance Francaise in line with the centre’s mandate which is to promote the French language as well as the languages of the host country - Setswana and English. Lessons are mostly held in the evenings and on Saturday mornings for children and adults as well as for companies, for example, BDF.
But with Covid- 19, the Centre’s programmes have been adversely affected. For the past three weeks, the Centre has been closed to visitors, while classes have had to be conducted online, which people don’t like!
This is compounded by the fact that the Internet connection is not good and at worst is very expensive. So, one can imagine the devastating blow it was for members and clients who patronise the Centre. This is because people like to come to Alliance Francaise not only to learn the language and follow artistic events but also to be in one atmosphere, to speak French together and to try to find a piece of France in that building. Although she takes credit for the progress the Centre made in her five years, Gbeffa says a large part of it must also go to her supportive, albeit small team. “We worked amicably together and I think it’ll be very difficult for me to leave the country”, she sobbed. But such is life. After 15 years outside the country, she now has to retrace her steps back home. Merapelo Mogojwe, the Alliance Francaise of Gaborone Cultural Coordinator and Assistant Librarian, describes Aurrelie thus:
“Madam Gbeffa is one of the most competent and organised managers I have ever worked with and known. “She is a zealous person who lights up the place every time she steps into it. I really admired her good working ethics.
“Definitely we are going to miss her and where she is going they are definitely gaining a gem, and I hope they will see that and take advantage of her expertise”.
Before Benin, she was in Mauritius.
“To be honest I am a little scared, it will be a big change for me, it’s like going to a new country, I wonder if I will find my French way”!
Her message to Batswana is to continue to be very warm, welcoming and to continue to preserve your landscapes, wildlife and animals, “because you really have a diamond in both the figurative and literal sense”.
Aurelie is succeeded by Angelique Saverino, who takes up her post on September 1st.