Reflecting
on Emilia Boue’s post that centered on Congolese Street Children the way you
connect it to the creation of “home” invokes several issues in a society that need
to be understood about the plight of these children. Simultaneously, I noted
how fascinating these children had created the meaning of home and their
experiences. In a similar connection, it reminded me about the Street Children
in Senegal, where society and culture are created based on the Muslim belief
system. These Street Children called Talibe, which literally means Muslim students
in Senegalese and most West African countries. Basically, these children are
sent by their parents to learn and be discipline in the Quranic schools locally
call Daaras, mostly siuated in urban cities. These Quranic schools are run t by
koranic instructors called as Sering Daara. Unfortunately, these Talibe/Street
children mostly lives their life on the street begging of passersby instead of
been in the Daaras learning. These kids stays for about 10 more years with their
Serings/ instructors without seeing their parents. Furthermore, they are meted
all form of physical abuse, dress in rag, beg for food day and night. Sometimes,
if one of them did not go back to the Daara/school with money or on time, tantamount
to sever punishment.
According
to Human Right Watch Report (2019), hundreds of thousands of Talibé children in
Senegal live in residential Quranic schools, or Daaras, with the teacher as
their de facto guardian. While many respects the rights of children under their
care in the Daaras, others operate their Daaras as businesses under the pretext
of religious education. The report also highlighted that mere than 100,000 Talibés
in Senegal are forced to beg daily for food or money in towns and cities across
Senegal. Furthermore, thousands live in conditions akin to slavery, suffering
from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. In a similar narrative, Perry (2004),
argues that Talibes in the city streets of Senegal spend many hours a day
begging for food and money. The author also mentioned that for Talibes the ways
they are seen in society are both destitute and dirty: they generally have the
light powdered look of a black child smudged with dry dirt, and wear filthy,
torn clothing several sizes too large. Additionally, the author indicated that
these “Talibes sleep on crowded, hard floors, receive frequent beatings, work
long hours, are nutritionally deprived, and seldom receive adequate medical
care” (Perry 2004, p. 49).
Conversely,
due to these harsh treatments of Talibes, many of them have no choice but force
to runway from their Quranic schools. Some prefer to live on the street rather
than go back to their family house for the fear of been send back. As a result,
they choose to live on their own, some live on the street, markets and other
safe places to create their own home. These runway Talibes most of the time do
not have the experience of home both in their family houses or de facto
guardian. Notwithstanding, they
improvised and care for themselves at an early age without any support from
their families or society.
On
the good note, there are many good Quranic schools that instills good teaching
and character to children. Many people wander why some parents send their kids
to some faraway Quranic schools rather than using nearby one to monitor and
care for children. Perry (2004), argues that some parents believing that the
marabout's discipline would mold their child's moral character and bring him
closer to Allah. After spending years at a Qur'anic school as a "slave to God,"
a son would emerge as a virtuous adult able to withstand the difficult life
that awaited (Perry 2004, p.59). Although there are many narrative to why
parent sent their children to Quranic schools.
Reference:
Perry,
D. L. (2004). Muslim child disciples, global civil society, and children's
rights in Senegal: The discourses of strategic structuralism.
Anthropological Quarterly, 47-86.
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