Prince George Citizen – May 4, 2010 – Bernice Trick

Prince George’s Mamadou Tounkara is one excited fellow these days. 

“Sometimes I sleep, sometimes I don’t,” said Tounkara, who’s almost at the end of his 11 year wait to see his wife and children, scheduled to land in Vancouver on Thursday.

Mamadou will travel there , courtesy of the Bank of Montreal, to greet wife Fatoumata, and children Amadou, 18, Marian, 16 and Abrahim 11, whom he has never seen, and bring them to their new home in Prince George.

The Prince George community was outstanding in raising the $12,000-plus needed to fly the four from the republic of Guinea in Africa, said Jeanne Clough executive assistant to MP Dick Harris, who spearheaded the reunion of family. 

“We just want to thank everyone who helped in this successful endeavor.  Prince George is such a giving and unbelievable community,” 
Clough added when WestJet airline offered to fly Fatoumata and the children home Friday from Vancouver to Prince George, it freed up enough of the donated money to purchase food and three twin beds and mattresses for the children.  There will be gift baskets for all and flowers for Fatoumata’s first Mother’s Day, Canadian style. 

Clough is delighted that the family can make the trip sooner than expected in July since June is election time in their home country with who knows what kind of policy changes.

“We were anxious to get them here before that happens,” Clough said. 

The Tounkaras will arrive Friday and will go to Mamadou’s Africa Café for a 5 p.m. reception. The public is welcome to attend. 
“The people here are very very good.  They helped me a lot and I like it here so much,” Mamadou told The Citizen on Monday.