Street Begging: Families Are Also Involved

Family begging is visible in some streets of Yaounde, where mothers can be seen either sleeping or selling while their little ones do the job for them. In some cases, several neigh­ bourhood of the same household participate in the begging process. Economic hardship, unemployment and difficulties in meeting basic needs can push vulnerable house­ holds turn towards begging. For chil­ dren, spending long hours in the streets can also affect their access to school and expose them to various risks. ‘‘my dad is in Nigeria, he left us”, says Khalil who begs at post central. His older sister Aja adds ‘‘we don’t go to school because there are no means”. Some of the children say they attend school occasionally, while others do not and they don’t even know their exact ages. These families are usually composed of mother and children and it’s rare to find a man with them. Despite the fact a few number of them own little businesses like selling of groundnut, and caramel, they still give cups or bowls to their kids for them to beg which is a form of stra­ tegy to gain more. These mothers live their little ones at poste central in the morning and bring them back at...