By David BachéPosted on 24-01-2019Modified on 24-01-2019 at 18:29

The pretty story of Kékouta Dembélé, 17, a young Malian migrant who arrived in France a little less than a year ago. After a long journey, he became an agricultural apprentice near Bordeaux, on the Atlantic coast, where he was selected to participate this Thursday in Ovinpiades, the regional shepherd contest in Gironde.

Kékouta Dembélé grew up in Bougountinti, Kayes region, near the Senegalese border. In May 2017, he leaves his parents in the village and leaves Mali with an aunt: Niger, Libya, then Italy and finally France, where he is welcomed into a home of the Emmaus association. On this journey of nine months, Kékouta does not extend easily. He does not like to tell that his aunt was killed in a camp in Libya, that he crossed the Mediterranean on a zodiac overloaded in the middle of the night, that he was hospitalized in Italy for injuries contracted during his crossing. or even that he knew several French cities - I had problems with Rodez, "he says without more details - before settling in Gironde.

" Not the same " in Mali

What Kékouta Dembélé explains more readily is that he is now apprenticing on a farm near Bordeaux, where he looks after cows and ewes. As he did in the village with his father, who had a few goats ... or almost: " there are differences, exclaims Kékouta, it's not the same thing! At home there (in Mali, ed ), the animals are all out, in freedom, it's not like here. In France, animals are indoors, and there is a lot of work: to give hay, to cut nails, to look at the eyes and the teeth ... "

All this work, Kékouta Dembélé performs it well. In any case, this is explained by his own boss, Serge Chiappa, who operates the Beauséjour farm in Gironde-sur-Dropt and who decided to take Kékouta as an apprentice. " It's going very well, Kékouta is a charming boy, calm, attentive, " says Serge Chiappa, who said that the young Malian " fits very well " and takes care of animals: " It has that in him ! He knows how to see a sick animal, he tells me when a sheep has not eaten, a lamb box ... I am very satisfied. Serge Chiappa began teaching Kékouta to drive a tractor - " it's new to him! - and warmly demonstrates the trust he gives to his apprentice.

Ovinpiades: " I'm going to win! "

Kékouta was selected for the regional Gironde shepherd competition, the Ovinpiades. He faces on Thursday about thirty young shepherds, who will show their ability to lead the sheep and take care of them. " I'm going to the contest, and I'm going to win! " Kékouta enthuses, with the ardor essential to all those who want to win.

Serge Chiappa, always lavish of compliments on the young shepherd of the region of Kayes, is however slightly less confident: " In practice, it will be in the best, assures the farmer - the farmer! as he prefers to say it himself- but if there is a quiz written, it will be a little more complicated. Kékouta never went to school. And to explain that since he was welcomed at the Beauséjour farm, and with the support of UNESCO, Kékouta learns to read and write, two days a week, in addition to his work on the farm. .

In a few months, April 5, Kékouta will turn 18 years old. He plans to apply for a residence permit, thanks to his job at the farm: " I have a contract for two years , says Kekouta, but when it's over, I'll do something else. Why not in the kitchen or the butcher shop? "

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