What would you do…how would you cope?

 

If one day you woke up to find that any kind of family stability or protection you once knew had disappeared. Poverty is your enemy luring you to begging, selling cigarettes, shining shoes and a life of petty crime. It is the only way that you know how to survive but before you have had a chance to turn back you are trapped. The streets are your home and the only family you know are the older gang members who regularly beat and abuse you.

This is the harsh reality for tens of thousands of street children in Morocco. There are no exact figures on the number of street children. It is difficult to obtain accurate and up to date figures as the children rarely stay in one place, instead they move around from city to city. However some estimates are over 20 000.

Children as young as five years old have had their childhood innocence stolen and their sense of self worth diminished.

Whether due to family breakdown, poverty, desperation or fleeing from abusive employers these young children are alone and deserted, left fending for themselves with no form of protection, care or any kind of adult guidance. The very basics every child deserves.