Children living in the street in Calabar, Nigeria. Street Children.
Calabar is a city located in southeastern Nigeria. With 470,000 inhabitants, around 70% of the population lives in poverty. An estimated 800 children live on the streets, although it is very difficult to quantify the exact number.
The causes of abandonment are multiple orphans died of Malaria victims of witchcraft accusations, broken families, victims of physical and sexual abuse, all in a context of extreme poverty in many cases. They are forced to do hard labor from very small, like picking up junk in the case of children and prostitution in the case of girls. Unprotected, are injured and abuse of all kinds, no education and are innumerable physical and health hazards. Their life expectancy is very low, their rights are nonexistent.
Our partner, the Nigerian Organization African Child Foundation (ACF), is involved in the fight to eradicate this phenomenon, through the support to children, family reunification, educational support, community awareness and reporting. Its president, William Arikpo believes that with the progressive increase in the last ten years of children living in the streets, must be abordadada problematic by the authorities as soon as possible, particularly concerned about prostitution, trafficking, and exploitation of children and Calabar youth.
Destiny's Child Music Group
Four years ago the government of Calabar, Nigeria created a center for children and adolescents who were living on the streets, Destiny's Child, which Williams Arikpo (ACF) is supervisor. It was not easy re-socialization after his harsh experiences, in fact there are children who return to the streets because they are not able to adapt to his new life. Any and all are in school, the more seniors receive training for a future career. Most are orphans. They are hungry for knowledge and activities that add to their baggage, and to further develop their talents and abilities, which is also a factor of empowerment, confidence to face the future.
The musical and dance training can be a professional future for many of them and they.
Kent, one of the talents of this big family.