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The number of street children in the Republic of Congo has increased from the
civil war and the political instability thereafter. The presence of street
children is a particular problem in Brazzaville, where there are an estimated
two thousand children sleeping rough, to Point-Noire as well as other urban
areas. The situation in Brazzaville is intensified by its close proximity to
Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo from where many have fled across
the river in search of safety. Most of these street children are aged between
10-18 and the problem has been exacerbated by the decline in the country's
economy with families sometimes unable to support their young, which account for 45% of the
entire population.
Of the Republic of Congo's 1,716,000 children,
69,000 have been orphaned by AIDS
and a further 6,600 are infected themselves. When parents die and there is no
extended family willing or able to care for you, children head for the streets
of the larger cities and towns for survival. It is estimated
that 50% of all street children in the Republic of Congo are orphans and a
significant majority of these and the remaining 50% have fled conflict in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. Many children also
end up on the streets having been trafficked as street vendors with the Congo being a known destination for child trafficking. These children,
though, tend to have a home to return to, even if that one is one of servitude, where they are sent out onto the streets during the day to beg, sell
or have their bodies abused. Those
with no where to go have to scavenge rubbish tips as seen in this video and at
night try and find some where safe to lie down and sleep. Of course they are
markedly more at risk of sexual exploitation and abuse. One sixteen year old
girl living on the streets of Brazzaville noted "I was raped twice in the middle
of the night by two young people, whom I could not identify."
Another group of street children in the
Republic of Congo are the 7-10% of children with disabilities who are often
socially excluded and out of school. Without the chance to receive an education
and therefore employment, they are reduced to begging on the streets. Although
the constitution of Congo provides protection to those with disabilities, its
implementation is deemed unsatisfactory. The video (below) shows how some children living on the streets of the Republic
of Congo survive by scavenging on rubbish tips for food and cast away items they
can resell. If you operate or know of projects and programs working with street children in Congo Brazzaville please contact us using our contact form so we can add your details to this site.
Congo Brazzaville Street Children: Fondazione OFM Fraternitas
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Congo Brazzaville Street Children: Congo Brazzaville Children
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Congo Brazzaville Street Children: Child Sponsor
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Congo Brazzaville Street Children: Volunteer in Congo Brazzaville
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Congo Brazzaville Street Children: Country Profile
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