HOW CAN THEY BE SAVED?

Of course, to solve this problem in a permanent way, what’s needed is prevention, so that new children don’t end up in the street. But in the meantime, we must save those who are already there. As in medicine, it is foolish to choose between oppose prevention and treatment, as clearly both are urgently needed.
A wide variety of experiences - in La Paz, Manila, Nouakchott, Saint Louis, Bamako, Calcutta and Moscow - confirm what on-site specialists have been saying: that all street children CAN be saved and that all that is needed is political determination.

Not a lot of money is required to save children from the street, few funds are required. The most expensive projects aren’t always the most effective.

Why this commitment to street children ?

Because we can't bear the thought that these children, even very young ones, are living and dying in the street.

* Strategies are possible
* What about girls ?

• First-hand knowledge of the "street".

The first stage consists in becoming very familiar with the street environment. Often a sociological study doesn’t fulfil this requirement. As soon as a social problem arises, politicians are eager to commission a study. This is costly and often useless.
What’s crucial is finding men and women of all ages who care passionately about street children.

Their first task is to locate the children in the street who have really lost contact with their families. This step can seem difficult at the beginning because street children hide and don’t allow themselves to be approached easily. If they’re not betrayed and mutual trust is established, a good level of communication can be reached.
It is very important not to come across as police officers, legal investigators or accomplices of people the child has escaped from.

It's important to not appear against the police but to try to take on the role of mediator.

In order to enter their world, it may be necessary to overlook petty theft or other small offenses and say: "I’m not a police officer and that’s your business.". Howewer, at the same time it’s important to make clear to the child that you do not approve of their behavior. This stage should be carried out in cooperation with other NGOs specialized in the areas of child labor, health, drug addiction and sexual exploitation. Any action for street children has to be on a long-term basis. It takes time for the children to accept any ventures and they are capable of playing tricks which might compromise the success of the undertaking.

• A "Listening centre" open 24 hours a day.

A street child is like a bird wanting to be owe that they are not in a cage.
To attract the children, we tried to answer their IMMEDIATE NEEDS. We offered a place to wash, wash clothes, tidy up, keep money safely. But above all, a place to talk to an adult as a friend.

The first rule the children must respect is that the centre is a drug free zone. A child may be a known thief, but no stolen articles are allowed.
The listening centre is the ideal place to try to get the child to return home, if it’s at all possible. The risk involved is such a centre is that of attracting children who are not really street children, such as runaways or children from slums. It must be a very basic place: no beds, only a mat. To avoid counterproductive effects, no food should be offered, and no presents. In this way, simple runaways will get discouraged quickly.

What street children fear most is the night. To respond to this need for security, the listening centre is also an "emergency shelter". Children tend to start meaningful conversations late at night and that is also the time you can determine whether the child really lives in the street. What you can learn then is more valuable than any study.

• Observation centre.

For the youngest children and those constantly turning up at our listening centre, we can offer the chance to go to our observation centre, where they can sleep and have basic meals for several months. During this time, we help them prepare for their return to their families or, if that’s impossible, find a foster home for them.

• Foster homes.

If it’s clear that a child can’t return home or go to live with relatives and if a child feels the need for a substitute home and actually makes the request, we offer the street child the possibility to live in a small, foster home.
They have to organize the activities in the home.

To instill a sense of "family", which is a crucial need for these children, each home can only accomodate a maximum of 12 children.
The male adult who lives with them is not a father figure, but move like an older brother, an advisor and friend.
The presence of a female cook can be very important, too, not so much to cook, which the children can do themselves, but to act as a kind of surrogate mother, since these children have suffered from their mother’s absence.

In these homes, as in any family, the child is housed, fed and clothed. But we’re careful not to create any supplementary needs, and the comfort level is at a bare minimum, the same as he will have when he is a grown up.
If the child makes the request, there is the possibility of learning to read and write or receiving job skills training. Schooling is fundamental.

We do not forget that the child remains there voluntarily. If the child change his mind, we don’t try to stop him from leaving (see the Rufisque Charter).

When a child needs to be punished, the children themselves organize that, too. Several homes have even created courts, with children as lawyers and the house adult as the judge.
We’re very careful not to allow a child to be ostracized. The home may become a active community centre.

If we know the child’s family and there's no possibility of moral danger, we do everything possible to encourage them to return home, at least once a week, thus hoping to progessively prepare for a permanent return to the family. To reduce the chances of renewed stealing, we give the children a very small amount of pocket money.

REMEDIAL CLASSES can enable the child to complete primary school in two or three years.

Rooms for young working men.

Despite the rudimentary comfort of our foster homes, we were concerned that we might create a dependency and that the residents wouldn’t want to leave. Fortunately, by the time they reach the age of about 16, young people generally want their independence. So, in groups of two or three, they can manage renting a room together downtown.

We maintain basic contract with them, adapted to their specific needs. If the young person is being trained or studying, we give them a small allowance for living expenses and we pay half their rent, provided that their attendance record is good. If not, we stop payment, and the situation can be difficult on both sides. Basically, it’s up to the young person to take charge and manage their life on their own.

• Former lodgers.

Gradually, over a two- or three-year period, we stop our financial or material assistance. Paradoxical as it may be, this is when the former street child comes more readily to see and confide in us. Many of the mysteries of the child’s background, often the most difficult to express, are then revealed. The relationship becomes less needy. The former street child then understands that we will never stop offering our friendship. Generally, there’s no lack of work opportunities around. On the contrary, we have more employers looking than youths. Street children are known to be smart (there is a natural selection in the streets, and the less capable die), well-trained and honest.

Today former street-children work as carpenters, drivers, welders, fishermen, mechanics, diesel-engine repairmen, upholsterers, computer technicians, some have bravely returned to work the land, and others prefer to continue their studies and are very ambitious. Some are destined to become teachers.

10% of street children are girls, except in Bangkok, where the total is 70% for obvious reasons. In certain countries, the number is greater. In many cases, even before puberty, they dress like boys, so as not to be bothered sexually. Even when they are still very young, they are nearly always victims of prostitution. Practically in every part of the world, projects to help girls without families who live on the street encountes many difficulties. Why is this? Prostitution alone is not a sufficient answer, since large numbers of boys are also victims of it. Perhaps girls are able to hide it less.

The crucial questions are:
- Why are there less girls in the street?
- Are they more "useful" to their families, so the moher is more likely to keep them at home?

So for a girl a rupture with the family is more profound and definite. One should look at theses questions closely.
When one asks girls why they refuse to come to our foster homes, they often reply: "I'll never found a husband, if people know I've been on the street.". This is the paradox: if we look after them, their future seems to be definitely compromised.

One thing that seems to be common to most cultures is that, while it appears admissible that boys can make mistakes, girls cannot.  This is why some government authorities refuse to admit that there is a problem and forbid us to look after girls.

As with the boys, the little girls will one day find their own solutions to their problems and it is important to be present to help them.

Their problems ...

... Welcome and listening centre

Updated on 15 november, 2007