About this project
I AM TALIBE project strive to be a platform that will bring together persons from all over the world through photography to stand up for children's right in Senegal In a show of solidarity, people all over the world are encouraged to take photos of themselves with the words " #IamTALIBE" as a show of support and an advocacy for children rights in Senegal.The Donations will help travel to Senegal and within the country to sensibilize the populations about children rights and open their eyes about the abuse the children are victim of. Some marabouts, instead of teaching their talibés about the Quran, exploit them for labour, typically through forced begging on the streets. The nature of this exploitation exposes such talibés to disease, injury, death, physical abuse and sexual abuse.A 2007 UNICEF study of child begging in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, found that “the large majority of child beggars (90%) are talibés.” UNICEF has estimated there to be between 50,000-100,000 begging talibés in Senegal.A 2010 report suggests that the number of talibés is on the rise. HRW has warned that the social status enjoyed by marabouts has emboldened “those responsible for the proliferation of forced child begging and other abuses committed by the marabouts against talibé children.”
Risks and challenges
The Marabout dont want the international community to be involved in their doings. The talibés they send to beg on the street have to bring a fixed amount of money everyday or they will be punished. Thus the child have to beg the whole day under a burning sun and during the night. The nature of this exploitation exposes such talibés to disease, injury, death, physical abuse and sexual abuse.
All that money nevertheless is not use to improve the quality of life of the talibés. The money is use for the Marabout personnal benefits and it is free of tax. Thus the marabout are doing whatever is in their power to keep their source of income.