Opening night of solidarity
The warm glow of stage lights met a room full of elegant tables in Port-Marly on 6 December as Cedella Madina Tathy opened the third Cedestone charity gala, a night designed to turn compassion into concrete support for children living with autism.
Guests travelled from across the Paris region, drawn by music, auctions and testimony celebrating inclusion, dignity and the right of every child to learn and grow. Among them stood Armand Rémy Balloud-Tabawe, minister-counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of the Congo.
His presence underlined the transcontinental spirit of the evening, honouring Congolese families at home and abroad who navigate the challenges of autism with resilience and faith in community support.
Cedella Madina Tathy’s mission
Cedella, founder and president of Cedestone, reminded supporters that the gala’s goal mirrors the association’s daily routine: secure the best possible school, social and professional pathways for people with autism spectrum disorder and offer their relatives practical guidance and hope.
From arranging therapeutic sessions to lobbying local councils, her volunteer team has built a reputation for matching determination with transparency, convincing donors that every euro drives a measurable change in a vulnerable child’s life.
Fundraising target: Institute Warren
This year’s proceeds are earmarked for Warren, a future psycho-educational and social institute planned for Brazzaville. The centre will welcome children on the spectrum alongside their parents, providing tailored learning and counselling spaces rarely available in the Congolese capital.
Cedella told the audience she envisions classrooms where specialised teachers work hand-in-hand with speech therapists, a sensory garden for quiet breaks, and an adjoining workshop introducing teenagers to professional skills that could one day secure independent livelihoods.
By building Warren in Brazzaville rather than Europe, Cedestone hopes to reduce the painful necessity of medical exile experienced by many Congolese parents who currently must travel abroad for assessments and therapy.
Diplomatic encouragement from Brazzaville
Speaking on behalf of Ambassador Rodolphe Adada, counsellor Balloud-Tabawe praised the project as ‘a testimony of admirable perseverance and an unshakeable will to give voice to those who are too often marginalised’.
He stressed that solidarity, when coupled with hope, can become a motor powerful enough to transform lives, adding that the embassy would continue to encourage initiatives aligning with Congo’s commitment to inclusive education.
Autism viewed through respect
Balloud-Tabawe invited the room to see autism not as an ailment to cure but as a distinct way of perceiving, communicating and expressing oneself, deserving respect, tailored support and unconditional love rather than pity.
He acknowledged that, across Africa and elsewhere, children on the spectrum still encounter rejection, stigma and even abandonment, often because specialised facilities, trained professionals and awareness campaigns remain insufficient.
Battling stigma across borders
The diplomat’s candour resonated with parents like Mireille Makosso, who confided that early-age support for her son required ‘a treasure hunt through three countries’, a story that drew nods of recognition and renewed applause for Cedestone’s domestic solution.
While the final tally will be audited, organisers estimated that pledges and ticket sales surpassed last year’s figure, bringing the construction of Warren a tangible step closer.
Next on the timeline is securing land in Brazzaville and completing administrative clearances, milestones Cedestone believes can be reached before the end of 2024 if donor enthusiasm holds steady.
Community momentum after the gala
In Port-Marly, the night concluded with a choral rendition of Lean on Me, a fitting refrain for a community convinced that shared responsibility can rewrite the life stories of Congolese children whose only difference is the way they experience the world.
Cedestone’s treasurer said the gala follows a transparent model: published budget, independent oversight and frequent online updates. ‘We want donors to track every franc from the banquet table to the first brick in Brazzaville,’ she told our newsroom.
Beyond fundraising, the evening served as a platform for awareness. Short films projected on giant screens depicted daily routines of Congolese families with autistic children, highlighting both joyful breakthroughs and logistical hurdles when classrooms, buses or playgrounds are not adapted to sensory needs.
The footage prompted impromptu pledges, including a year’s supply of educational toys from a Pointe-Noire entrepreneur and pro-bono architectural studies offered by a Paris firm with prior experience in accessible design.
Artists also lent their voices. Singer Grace Mawete dedicated an unreleased ballad to ‘the little warriors of Warren’, while painter Loup Mankessi auctioned a colourful canvas representing interlaced hands; the artwork alone secured enough funds to equip two therapy rooms.
As midnight approached, Cedella launched a ‘Friends of Warren’ digital hub, inviting the diaspora to share experiences, volunteer skills and propose partnerships so the institute can open on a ready-made global support network.
The message from Port-Marly rings clear: inclusion grows where commitment meets creativity, and Congo’s children stand to gain first.