Mamou: A Summary
 

Faith Today - July/August 1999
Reprinted With Permission

The Mamou Alliance Academy, a school for missionary children in the Republic of Guinea in western Africa, was operated by the Christian and Missionary Alliance from 1920 to 1971.  At least 16 Canadian children attended.

* During this period, most overseas missionary agencies had mandatory boarding school policies for the children of their missionaries.

* Reports of physical, psychological and sexual abuse at Mamou surfaced in the late 1980s.

* Initial reactions consisted of denial, quick apologies and reassurances.

* The Mamou Alumni Steering Committee was formed by several alumni who wanted their stories to be heard and future abuse to be prevented. An Independent Commission of Inquiry was established by the C&MA in March 1996 to investigate the Mamou allegations. It consisted of five people, including one Canadian; four were from outside the C&MA. After interviewing 85 witnesses, the 95-page ICI report documented dozens of cases of abuse from 1950 to 1971, and was submitted to the board of the C&MA in November 1997.

* Allegations against nine people were confirmed in the report: seven staff members and two students. Three have died, and two have left the C&MA. The four others were confronted and formally reprimanded by the denomination. There was no admission of guilt.

* The American and Canadian offices of the C&MA paid for counseling, therapy and medication for victims who have come forward.

* A Sensitive Issues Committee has been established to carry on the work of the ICI and to hear the story of anyone who feels mistreated.

* On May 14-16, 1999 a retreat was held at the Simpsonwood Retreat Center in Georgia to promote healing and reconciliation. More than 150 attended from the United States, Canada and overseas. Representatives of both the American and Canadian C&MA formally apologized and asked forgiveness from the victims. The C&MA has 396 churches in Canada.

* The C&MA is now encouraging missionary families to seek educational alternatives. Estimates suggest that more than 10,000 children of missionaries currently study in 120 boarding schools around the world. In the C&MA, 30 percent of missionary children attend boarding schools.

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