kids street

[Felix]

Originally Posted by Kakou

I was just thinking about that subject on my way to work! In fact, I met a boy and a girl, sitting on the floor and talking! The boy was holding the lottery carnet while, in the other hand, he ws holding a cigarette! What makes me really sad it's that he's not elder than 8 years! Maybe less! I wanted to stop, to tell him that it was harmful, that it wasn't good to smoke at a small age like this, especially with dirty hand! I don't know what stopped me, but I wish I had too much more money! I would have given him an important sum to let him stop and go and clean himself!! I wonder where are the responsibles of such cases! I don't have a single idea, but I'm still under the influence of that morning view!
Can't add a single word! Solution??

Your experience is moving Kakou .....and this issue is a difficult one... i wish i had alot more $ too!!!

I want to point out a few things....and i don't mean to come across as having a dig at u..... but depending on the kids circumstances... who knows when the last time he had a wash....or opportunity to clean his hands, living in these types of situations doesn't allow for basic hygiene, and mabee no one has ever taught him the importance of cleanliness....so that even if he has an opportunity, he doesn't take it. And that is only one minute aspect of this huge issue.
Young people who grow up in these situations have no one to teach them how to live...this is a massive injustice....as everything you and i take for granted...these children do not have... and as kids like this grow...society expects more from them...but they have never passed thru the critical stages of development properly...learning the necessary life skills to become functioning adults. (Google Erik Erikson and his development theory for more info)

Even if you could give him money....the chances of him being able to make the best use of it are slim....there will always be someone bigger and stronger to stand over him...be it older street kids...strangers, relative or parent. Buying him some food would be a good thing to do, and safer for him....if you can
One way that you could assist him....(and i know that this doesnt sound significant...but it is) is you can simply spend some time with him....mabee over some lunch...and get to know about who he is and what his life entails, without being judgemental.
This type of interaction with children and young people lets them know that someone....anyone, is concerned and cares(even a little) about them. Usually these kids dont have anyone in their life who takes even 2minutes to connect with them....and to listen. Giving posative feed back about the good things they do....is like rain on parched ground, you will be suprised at how much of a difference it will make...esp when you see the light in their eyes return ...even momentarily.
In the long term....what ever happens in that young persons life.....they will have at least one memory of someone who took time to hang out with them....and let them have a voice. This memory can provide significant inspiration later down the road...there are many cases of young pple expressing their gratitude later in their life for such memories.
It doesnt seem like much, but for a kid in that and similar situations its huge!

On the larger level....RE gov and society....pple who care and think kids living like this is unacceptable, have gotta make some noise. Giving a voice to the voiceless....advocating for change on their behalf. B/c children cannot do it themselves...and cannot be expected to.
The gov must realise the weight of this issue....and address it well...not half hearted...with a band-aid approach. It needs to be multi-faceted and address all issues that result in child labor and homelessness.
Political parties are in a position to assist...someone in a position of influence and opportunity needs to step up. These children have a future....the question is..just what exactly is it going to be?

To be honest..... it would do alot for lebanon as a whole to have various political organizations chip in some $ and unite on these grounds to address this issue...b/c it effects everyone, mabee not directly, but it does. And everyone has a responsibility in effecting change....everyone has a role.

Here is maslows heirachy of needs...basically, if ur too buisy trying to survive....you cant have your higher needs met..





Here is a nice little quote by Eugene Debs, who in 1920 ran for US president from a prison cell in Atlanta:
"Years ago I recognized my kinship with living things, and i made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth.
I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free."

[di]

Once this 6 yrold scruffy blonde hair blue eyes and dirty face and clothes came up to me while I was having lunch he was begging for money ..so I gave him a sandwich instead and he took it ran up the street and as I looked to see where he had run to there was an adult ..a guy waiting for him he snatched the sandwich from him and was eating it not giving him even a peice to eat and pulled him by the shirt and sort of dragged him somwhere ... Tears filled my eyes as I saw this .. How could somone do this to a child ..
After a few days the same kid came in while I was having lunch he also was begging for food and money .. I gave him a lahem be 3ajeen and told him to sit on the chair and eat it and when he finishes it he can go ..he said no my dad will hit me!! he will beat me up !!! I insisted he sit and started talking to him .. He told me that his parents dont have enough money to send him and his brothers to school so everymorning they bring them to a city to beg for money..and his father or uncle takes the money away from them and if they dont bring any money the kids are beaten up! suddenly he jumped off his chair and said I have to go before my uncle comes and sees me here and he ran out .. I think the parents need to be punished more than anything .. and somthing definetley has to be done for such kids ..

[Stella]

Originally Posted by di

Once this 6 yrold scruffy blonde hair blue eyes and dirty face and clothes came up to me while I was having lunch he was begging for money ..so I gave him a sandwich instead and he took it ran up the street and as I looked to see where he had run to there was an adult ..a guy waiting for him he snatched the sandwich from him and was eating it not giving him even a peice to eat and pulled him by the shirt and sort of dragged him somwhere ... Tears filled my eyes as I saw this .. How could somone do this to a child ..
After a few days the same kid came in while I was having lunch he also was begging for food and money .. I gave him a lahem be 3ajeen and told him to sit on the chair and eat it and when he finishes it he can go ..he said no my dad will hit me!! he will beat me up !!! I insisted he sit and started talking to him .. He told me that his parents dont have enough money to send him and his brothers to school so everymorning they bring them to a city to beg for money..and his father or uncle takes the money away from them and if they dont bring any money the kids are beaten up! suddenly he jumped off his chair and said I have to go before my uncle comes and sees me here and he ran out .. I think the parents need to be punished more than anything .. and somthing definetley has to be done for such kids ..

Am afraid di, most of them are orphans!:S Maybe they say their parents/relatives make them to beg, bc they were told to do so, but in fact those are just criminals, who make money from orphan children.
The children would be surely scared to tell the truth, it was mentioned in the article above as well.

[Claudia]

Originally Posted by di

Once this 6 yrold scruffy blonde hair blue eyes and dirty face and clothes came up to me while I was having lunch he was begging for money ..so I gave him a sandwich instead and he took it ran up the street and as I looked to see where he had run to there was an adult ..a guy waiting for him he snatched the sandwich from him and was eating it not giving him even a peice to eat and pulled him by the shirt and sort of dragged him somwhere ... Tears filled my eyes as I saw this .. How could somone do this to a child ..
After a few days the same kid came in while I was having lunch he also was begging for food and money .. I gave him a lahem be 3ajeen and told him to sit on the chair and eat it and when he finishes it he can go ..he said no my dad will hit me!! he will beat me up !!! I insisted he sit and started talking to him .. He told me that his parents dont have enough money to send him and his brothers to school so everymorning they bring them to a city to beg for money..and his father or uncle takes the money away from them and if they dont bring any money the kids are beaten up! suddenly he jumped off his chair and said I have to go before my uncle comes and sees me here and he ran out .. I think the parents need to be punished more than anything .. and somthing definetley has to be done for such kids ..

How sad... poor child! I can't imagine the traumas he already has...
I think police and authorities should punish these kind of parents and take these children off. I wouldn't care if the parents say they were sorry, if someone does such a thing to a child once, he will do twice, and no child deserves to live in this terror.

[coralie]

Originally Posted by Kakou

I was just thinking about that subject on my way to work! In fact, I met a boy and a girl, sitting on the floor and talking! The boy was holding the lottery carnet while, in the other hand, he ws holding a cigarette! What makes me really sad it's that he's not elder than 8 years! Maybe less! I wanted to stop, to tell him that it was harmful, that it wasn't good to smoke at a small age like this, especially with dirty hand! I don't know what stopped me, but I wish I had too much more money! I would have given him an important sum to let him stop and go and clean himself!! I wonder where are the responsibles of such cases! I don't have a single idea, but I'm still under the influence of that morning view!
Can't add a single word! Solution??

Kakou giving the poor boy money is surely not the solution as we all know those poor kids are used by their relatives/parents to bring money to their famillies .
in most of the cases kids are used . and if the amount gathered during the day is not enough they are beatten , insulted and face the worse .
the solution ? well many NGOs raised the issue but it seems it was falling in deaf ears the goverment should take dragstic measures , instead of running after those kids throwing them in jail or punishing them they should find proper places to help them (schools , homes, ....) if the famillies are so poor and use their kids to provide the daily income this should stop and goverment with NGOs should be able to find proper solutions for that . we have 100s of foreign workers in the country while our country men and women are not able to find work !!!!!!!. if the parents are drug adicts or alchoolic and use kids to be able to provide what they want on daily bases then i guess the best solution is to take the kids away to save them from going into the this kind of world . but again w saw that when the issue was raised few years ago the ISF was there chasing kids and capturing them as if they were animals beating them insulting them ... and then what ??? here we go again the kids are back and the same situation remain as bad as before . thre was no proper plan or solution just simple harsh raids on poor innocent kids ... what next ? hunting those poor kids down ? where is the minister of social affairs and what is it doing to solve this humanitarian problem ?

[arbre]

This a really sad situation that happens in every country. Giving money to those chidren doesnt solve the problem, eventually feeding them is better.
What ppl can do, is to give money to NGO's rather, they are more efficient in spending them for the benefit of the children, organising their time, helping them in get education , health care etc... at least thats what they are trying to do here...

What are the NGO's doing in Lebanon for those street children? Which NGO's are dealing with this issue? I knew about some summer camps organised for poor children, but how is all-year-long help organised?

[Kakou]

FELIX and CORALIE!!

Thank you for your notes!! I'm convinced of every single word you said!! I meant by money TOOOOOOOOO MUCH not only what they take to their "manager"!! I really know what they need!! A safe place to go to! A whole educational plan!! And how do you wnat me to to that or to follow every case I see if I don't have toooooooooo much more money to buy a house and to hire some women and men to take care of all these things?? I'm not saying that just for talking!! I believe that, once these kids are taken in charge, they may change! and I wish I could do it! For those who don't want to, it's an exceptional case, which I won't argue here!!

[ecce homo]

Thanks to the consecutive governments and their debt policy in which they have brought misery to Lebanon’s children:

Les enfants oubliés du pays du cèdre

Au moins 100.000, soit 1 sur 10 âgés de moins de 18 ans, travaillent
Publié le : 06.02.2008 | 14h34 http://www.lematin.ma/Actualite/Jour...r=111&id=80615

Le jour se lève à peine, mais Ibrahim Khodr Arja est déjà au travail, les mains et le visage noirs de suie.

Cet enfant de huit ans, comme des milliers d'autres au Liban, a abandonné l'école pour aider sa famille. Dans le quartier de Bab el-Tébbéné, à Tripoli, la plupart des garages ou des métallurgistes emploient des enfants. Dans un pays frappé par une grave crise économique, au moins 100.000 enfants, soit 1 sur 10 âgés de moins de 18 ans, travaillent, selon des chiffres officiels. Ils sont pour la plupart employés dans le secteur agricole ou comme mécaniciens. "La tranche qui va de 10 à 15 ans est la plus affectée", explique Nabil Watfa de l'Organisation internationale du travail à Beyrouth. "Mais des enfants d'à peine 8 ans sont aussi obligés de travailler". "En majorité des garçons, ils manipulent des produits chimiques dans les garages, les ateliers de métallurgie, la menuiserie et dans les fermes où ils sont exposés aux pesticides", ajoute M. Watfa.

Généralement issus de familles pauvres et nombreuses des régions du Akkar et de Tripoli (nord) ou du sud du Liban, ils ont dû quitter l'école publique où les conditions sont effroyables et les enfants sont livrés à eux-mêmes.
Moustafa Yassine, 13 ans, a commencé il y a un an comme apprenti mécanicien. Il gagne 10 dollars par semaine, pour 10 heures de labeur six jours sur sept. "Je ne suis pas fait pour aller à l'école, je préfère apprendre un métier pour aider ma famille et peut-être un jour ouvrir mon propre garage", explique timidement Moustafa, qui travaille lui aussi à Bab el-Tébbéné. "Nous allons dans ces écoles qui ressemblent à des prisons et de nombreux enfants sont renvoyés ou abandonnent les cours parce que personne ne s'occupe d'eux", souligne Rabih Saifeddine Danach, 25 ans. Il travaille dans le garage de son père depuis l'âge de 15 ans.

Son frère Ahmad, 14 ans, a travaillé comme forgeron pendant un an avant de rejoindre l'entreprise familiale. "Je travaille sept jours et mon père me donne 20 dollars par semaine", dit-il. "Mais quand je serai grand et que j'aurai des enfants, je voudrai que mes enfants aillent à l'école, parce que c'est la seule chose qui vaille". Iman Nouwayhid, professeur à l'Université américaine de Beyrouth (AUB), a mené une étude sur la main-d'œuvre enfantine au Liban et conclu que les produits chimiques qu'ils manipulent affectent leur développement neurologique. "Les enfants qui sont exposés aux produits chimiques et aux dissolvants souvent utilisés pour dégraisser des pièces de voitures ou des outils réagissent moins bien que les enfants scolarisés", dit-il. Selon M. Watfa, bien que le Liban ait signé en 2001 la convention sur le travail des enfants de l'Organisation internationale du travail, il a été incapable de l'appliquer par manque de moyens.

A peine 91 inspecteurs s'efforcent d'appliquer les lois du travail sur tout le territoire libanais, fait remarquer Naha Challita, chef du département de la main-d'œuvre enfantine au ministère du Travail. "Nous essayons de dire aux gens que les enfants ont des droits, mais cela ne fait pas partie de leur mentalité", souligne la ministre des Affaires sociales Nayla Mouawad. "Nous avons enregistré des progrès, mais nous avons des failles dans notre législation, de même que des problèmes s'agissant de la sensibilisation du public".

Selon des membres des services sociaux, si l'Etat ne s'attaque pas sérieusement à ce problème, de nombreux enfants peuvent être la cible de groupes extrémistes réputés pour recruter dans les milieux pauvres. "On prive ces enfants de leurs droits les plus élémentaires", insiste Fatima Odaymat, de la Fondation René Mouawad. "Nous constatons que les abus sexuels et physiques sont aussi devenus un problème important". "Nous sommes en train de créer une nouvelle génération d'enfants qui ne connaissent aucune valeur et aucune limite", s'alarme-t-elle.

[drinkaholic]

Hello,very nice and important topic!

In Lebanon,the sights of such children is common in Beirut and Tripoli! You'll feel so sorry for them..there they are baking under the hot sun (they even get darker in complexion),their clothes very shabby,the misery is so obvious on their face

I know one shouldn't encourage them by paying them,but you can't help it :'( What can you do? I think it's very hard for a person to turn they away without trying to help them in something!

It's so heartbreaking to see how some people just give these children bad and disgusted looks or they completely ignore them,when what the children need is sympathy

I think it is better to help the children by buying them water or a cold drink,and something to eat,and try to talk to them and understand them..maybe gain their trust and may that will help somewhat make them feel a bit better! (the fact that someone is helping them and talking to them)

Thats what I do,definately...but many of the children are too afraid,they wont talk,they can become aggressive

I guess for now all we can do is just buy them food/drink and give them money :|

Are these any organizations in Lebanon to help such children? This is indeed mistreatment of children,because they shouldn't pay the price just because their parents are unemployed..

I'm sure if there is awareness raised,this issue will be tackled..It should,I'm sure people can unite when it comes to helping children!

Salam :-)