# Cairo's street children



## aykalam (Apr 12, 2010)

Egyptian children’s rights groups say Cairo’s street children are being manipulated by thugs, who incite them to take part in, at times deadly, political protests, and are criminalised by government institutions, which fail to protect them and get them off the streets.
At least two children were killed, 10 were wounded and 73 were detained in clashes in Cairo over one week alone in December, they say.

More here:

Cairo’s street children victims of protests | Free Malaysia Today


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Heatbreaking isn't it.
I always try and buy tissues etc of the street children.. not that I ever take the item off them but I do pretend that I am going to..

“Street kids are the weakest in society,” said Somaya al-Alfy of the NCCM. “They are defenceless and that makes them an easy scapegoat for all sides: the military council, protesters and the media,” she added.


and above says it all.


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## SHendra (Oct 18, 2010)

If there was one thing I was to say I hate in Egypt this would be it. The kids living on the streets! 

A local once tried to tell me that most choose to be but I don't believe that for one second. Even if some had of ran from abusive homes thats survial not wanting to be! 

It is heartbreaking.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

A friend who does a lot for charity told me an amusing story.

In Maadi they have a house that the children can come to once a week for a shower and a change of clothes. The street children will not use a bar of soap that anyone else has used lol.


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## SHendra (Oct 18, 2010)

Wonder why that is? Then again we could assume the shower/soap thing to them would be a huge lavish thing to do! Something we take for granted in our daily routines. 

Who looks after them when they are babies before they land on the street I mean? I know it seams a dumb question.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

SHendra said:


> Wonder why that is? Then again we could assume the shower/soap thing to them would be a huge lavish thing to do! Something we take for granted in our daily routines.
> 
> Who looks after them when they are babies before they land on the street I mean? I know it seams a dumb question.





I think it might be a cultural thing.. my staff are the same.. I have to provide each of them with a bar of soap but I was just so surprised that the street children insisted on it. bless them.


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## CatMandoo (Dec 16, 2011)

There is nothing hygienic about a bar of soap. 

That's why liquid soap dispensers were invented for public places.

I would never use another persons bar of soap, who knows where it has been.....ewwww


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

CatMandoo said:


> There is nothing hygienic about a bar of soap.
> 
> That's why liquid soap dispensers were invented for public places.
> 
> I would never use another persons bar of soap, who knows where it has been.....ewwww




very true.. but when I put liquid soap in the staff toilet they used it for everything from washing the floor to doing the dishes


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## SHendra (Oct 18, 2010)

Most likely right there it being a cultural thing. I know some who won't use shower gel etc and just as you said the bar of soap only. 

And funny what you say about if you left out liquid soap for your staff.. I use to get annoyed when I saw ex family using my washing powder to clean the flat with!!


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## ELTViola (May 12, 2010)

See this interview for some small insight into the issue of street children: 




My friend Amira works for a very good charity called Hope Village Society, who deal directly with street children, single mothers and disadvantaged families. I highly recommend visiting their website and donating or helping them out if you're interested - they have a very good rehabilitation program but are always in need of support. Hope Village Cairo

In addition to what she says in the interview, most children are running from a very unpleasant life at 'home' towards what they perceive as freedom, and many do not want to return to a home because home means trouble and pain for them. Parents or guardians can send their children out to beg on the street and take their money, so eventually the children realise it's better to keep the money themselves. Also, sometimes if a woman with a child divorces and remarries, the new husband rejects the child and forces him/her on the street.

It's actually hard to persuade them to accept help from the charity because they distrust everyone, understandably. Also the girls on the street often pretend to be boys to avoid being raped. Otherwise many are horrendously abused, raped or believe themselves to be 'married' to a street guy so they get pregnant. Often the father has nothing to do with the woman after this and the mothers give birth on the street or in a shelter and leave their children with the charity to return to the street again. Their children can become symbols of their abuse so it's hard to form a bond between mother and child.

Many of the older street kids, especially the girls, contract AIDs whilst on the street but don't really understand what the disease is and can't or don't get treatment or can't prevent contraction of the disease. If charity provide free contraception they are condemned for 'promoting prostitution'.

Sorry for the tone, but these are taken from real life examples Amira has seen so I thought they were worth sharing. 

Elaine


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## bat (Dec 1, 2010)

SHendra said:


> Most likely right there it being a cultural thing. I know some who won't use shower gel etc and just as you said the bar of soap only.
> 
> And funny what you say about if you left out liquid soap for your staff.. I use to get annoyed when I saw ex family using my washing powder to clean the flat with!!


LOL I use Egyptian soap powder for cleaning, and my cleaner at the moment using hand liquid soap for the dishes,
Street children, I think the number a few years ago was over more than was said on tv and every one examined girls and boys, had sexual experience, and when they interview them they say they prostitute them selves.
Street children are not always the poor but ones that parents remarry and abandon them,who are from good levels but nobody wants them.
Orphanages, etc are not the best places as sexual abuse is rife, ( a young girl said, the people working in theses places get paid a pittance , but they get free sex)
The whole attitude, of society has to change before they can change, what happens to these children, adoption is rare and if it happens it's a closely guarded secret, the wife says she's pregnant disappears and comes back with a child.
Also any monies donated to a lot of these places is skimmed off.
Sometimes it's more a case of one person helping, by feeding giving clothes, or finding a job for them, one by one.
Bat


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

but sometimes you just have to have faith and give and keep your fingers crossed that some of it filters through to the right people..

I would rather give and hope than not give although I do tend to give my clothes etc away to people I see in the street....


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## bat (Dec 1, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> but sometimes you just have to have faith and give and keep your fingers crossed that some of it filters through to the right people..
> 
> I would rather give and hope than not give although I do tend to give my clothes etc away to people I see in the street....


Yes I've done the same and we live in hope, but we know we are living in a very corrupt society, and do we need to help this corruption, by hoping. I once gave a coat to a guy in the street many years ago that was very distinct ( bright blue and yellow) and about 5 yrs later I saw a guy wearing it one morning obviously on his way to work, and I wondered about the story of that coat , did the guy sell it or was it taken from him, as after many years I know that a lot of the clothes we give are sold, as European clothes fetch good money.
But I've learnt not to give money to the street children as there minders are always close by , so like you I give clothes food, that they eat straight away or toys dolls cars etc, but this is the problems that Egyptian society has to fix not foreigners like us who come and go, and in the end get very disheartened .
Bat


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