In 2020, the health crisis exacerbated the difficulties faced by those already in precarious situations. Mohammed Sammoudi realized he could not remain idle. He organized outreach efforts to meet isolated individuals, those left to fend for themselves, or even homeless, providing them with food, hygiene kits, and clothing. The donors were the people of Bordeaux, solicited notably through social media appeals.
Diamants des cités then decided to go further by focusing particularly on women. A welcome center was opened in an unoccupied building lent by the city of Bordeaux, named “the mine” of Diamants des cités, which allowed around fifty women to have shelter for 3 years while they searched for permanent housing.
Women in extreme precariousness were also offered the opportunity to contribute their culinary talents to prepare meals that were distributed to the homeless or sold to partner associations.
Diamants des cités also pays special attention to ecology and waste management, through gardening workshops, for example, by developing a shared vegetable garden created with the residents of the neighborhood.
Cultural workshops are also offered, including theater, with a play titled “I am on the road,” based on the life experiences of the beneficiaries and in collaboration with the company "Tombés du ciel". There are also film workshops with Jamel Debbouze's association, “Les amis de Jamel.” The goal was to come up with a short film script idea and create a small film using mobile phones.
“We started from a simple observation, that within each of us lies a diamond that just needs to be revealed to shine,” enthuses Mohammed Sammoudi. “We try to make all these people shine by showing them that there are possibilities through art, ecology, and theatrical practice, that sometimes you just need to let yourself be guided to discover worlds we didn't have access to. We thus show the greatest number that, in popular neighborhoods, people have talents that just need to be developed to help them achieve beautiful things in their lives.”
A fundraising campaign is online on HelloAsso to help the diamonds of the cities continue to shine.
