Senegalese Street Kids

Our driver pulls over to the side of the road so we can buy some fresh fruits from a lady on the roadside. A group of young boys approach the passenger side window with hollowed eyes and their hands wide open. Fatou speaks softly in their direction that I can barely hear from the back seat.  It doesn’t even matter because I don’t understand Wolof.  In spite of not being a mother, Fatou possesses a maternal demeanor.  Unable to find enough small coins from her purse, she pulls out and hands the boys a 1,000 CFA bill, which is $2 USD.  The boys quietly thank Fatou and walk back to the lonely tree in the Sahel, from which they came.  As we pull away, you can see the excitement on their faces.  In these parts, where the average adult makes about $6 a day, $2 dollars goes a long way for four street kids.

During the time I spent in Senegal, this scene played out as regular as the passing of time.  In fact, I rarely ever witnessed adult men, women, or girls begging.  It was almost exclusively boys that did the begging.  This is the cultural norm here, whereas in the US, begging is almost entirely an adult male phenomenon.  Of course there are women, but they make up a very small percentage that actually resort to begging.

 

Coming from a western society, where children begging is absolutely taboo, if not illegal, it is easy to judge.  But one thing I’ve learned from my travels is to avoid judging outright, but try to understand how a custom, practice, or belief developed.  First, Senegal is a developing country, where the average working adult makes about $6 USD a day.  That means poorer Senegalese families make far less than that.  Two, poorer families have more children, which makes complete sense, as the more children one has, the more security and status one gains.  Security, in the sense that more children mean more people are committed to the prosperity of the family.  Status, in the sense, that when one is too poor to afford material wealth, the number of children one has is another form of showing one’s status.  And thirdly, Senegal is overwhelmingly, Muslim and that is where this particular practice of charity developed throughout Western Africa.

In many devout Muslim societies, the local mosques provide more than just the spiritual welfare for the community.  Before there were governments, as we know them today, Islam functioned as the government. In fact, the function of welfare is one of the five pillars of Islam.  Local mosques were equivalent to what we think when we think of our local government.  The tradition and function of local mosques in communities throughout Senegal have not changed.  Often times, the government in these parts never had the ability to provide for all the needs of the community, and as a result, the local responsibility of mosques for community welfare remain strong. 

Unique to Senegal and other countries in West Africa, the practice of young boys (known as talibe) from poor families, between the ages of five to fourteen, are often sent to a daara (religious school), where they are mentored under a (Islamic studies teacher) marabout.  The practice of these boys begging on the streets is controversial, but until a remedy to deal with the level poverty that plagues Senegal is resolved, the practice is unlikely to go away.  Besides, many view giving directly to the street boys as fulfilling their duty as a Muslim.  It can be compared to earning good karma points.

gathering water

Proponents for the practice, see it as teaching the boys humility.  It is not uncommon for adult men to reminisce of their time, as a talibe with pride, for Allah will reward them in heaven for their “humbling” experience. The daaras are “religious” schools, where often times, substitute as the only schooling these kids will receive.  In a daara, they are cared for with room and board.  They learn to read and write.  They receive formal religious studies, which dictate the lives they are expected to live as a Muslim. 

The custom is deeply rooted within Sufism, which is a form of brotherhood.  When Islam spread to West Africa, it blended with local traditions, so the Islam here is unique to this region.  Tradition and customs like begging can be compared to the humbling experience in other fraternities, such as hazing in universities and boot camp in becoming a soldier.  A shared “suffering” creates a bond like no other. 

many carry pales to carry any donations:  food, clothes, small change

However, like many traditions, the zeitgeist of the times can dramatically change public opinion.  Child begging has become increasingly controversial as you can imagine with the influence and diffusion of Western norms and values where the sight of children begging is frowned upon.  Many Senegalese like Fatou feel torn with the practice.  There are powerful forces on both sides that make sense.  To ignore the children begging will actually cause more suffering for them.  But to give money only perpetuates the problem.  To put the responsibility completely on the government and mosques is not realistic because it’s more of an issue of available resources. 

As Fatou and Megan traveled Senegal for two weeks, we encountered countless boys, barefoot, standing around in small packs on the sides of roads and highways, in both rural villages and in the major cities, carrying beat up plastic pails, dirty clothes, with their hands out.  It was crushing to see.  Knowing, no matter how much money you hand out, the problem will not be solved.  You can’t help but conclude that their religious schools in some form or another exploit these boys.  But no other organization has provided a better alternative. 

Fatou negotiates with a local vendor for shoes and jerseys.

The last day of Ramadan concludes with the celebration of Eid; the equivalent of Thanksgiving in the US.  A time when people are with loved ones, indulging in the finer things in life, like food and family.  Fatou did not forget about these boys.  She wanted to make sure that when she does give, that it is useful and directly benefit the boys.  So, the three of us left the house before the main feast, and went to the street market in her neighborhood.  There she negotiated with a vendor for twenty pair of shoes and some futbol jerseys.  At that moment, many of the boys saw what was happening and began to congregate near us and plead for the items.  The vendor suggested to Fatou, that it’s better to donate the shoes and jerseys directly to the neighborhood daara (religious school) that provides for the kids, because if she gives to the boys directly, can cause fights among the group.  Others are likely to sell the shoes for cash and walk barefoot so they can give a little money to their family.  This completely blew my mind!  As you can see, a reasonable solution to this custom of begging and giving is so complicated.  Begging fulfills much in Senegalese society and to simply end it means a better system needs to adequately replace it.  Would love to hear your proposals. 

twenty pairs of shoes later

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After our purchase, the vendor hailed a local guy to take us to the daara nearby.  We tipped the man the equivalent of $1.  The daara didn’t look like anything close to a school.  It was basically a corner lot in a residential neighborhood.  The fence was constructed out of discarded pieces or wood and scrap metal about shoulder high.  At the entrance was a small group of young boys and men.  The sun had already set and the there was minimal light that you couldn’t really make out any distinction.  The three of us were ushered in through the gate and asked to sit on three available chairs in the center of the dirt lot.  The imam (head of the daara) knelt on a carpet in the corner of the lot facing Mecca.  It was clear he was chanting his nightly prayer from a Koran in front of him while he held prayer beads in his hand.

Even when the street kids have somewhere to call home, it is not much.

All the while, young talibes (some as young as five or six) huddled in the darkest, chatting amongst each other while sipping tea.  Despite, this being a kind of youth center, the atmosphere was tranquil and peaceful.  No fussing or loudness of any kind related to the items we had brought to the daara that we experienced with the young boys who congregated around when purchased the shoes and jerseys in the market.  The tattered fence on a dirt lot was a sanctuary they called home.  The imam finished his prayer and made his way to us, first offering us tea.  We respectfully declined.  He begins to converse with Fatou in Wolof.  Megan and I just sit, watch, and listen.  He then offers us to stay.  Again, we respectfully decline as any food or drink means less for the boys.  He thanks us and we thank him before disappearing into the night.