The Day After - What is Next for Them?

When we arrived at the centre the morning after the Ronde de Nuit, I made my way to the Dortoir to see the little runaways we found the night before.  I had not slept much, haunted by thoughts of what must drive little children to choose the dangers and lonliness of life on the run to life in the daara. Messaging Mari, the Norweigan volunteer who was also on the Ronde de Nuit, it seemed she did not sleep either. We were likely kept awake by similar dreams.

Ousemane was in the office with the social worker an an intern from the Mayor's Office, being questionned about his identity and situation. He had indicated the night before that he was 13, and had left his daara about a month earlier. His daara is not far, on the Langue de Barbarie, the tongue of land extending from Mautitania on the other side of the Island of Saint Louis.  His age, daara and Marabout were confimed. When asked why he ran, he said he was beaten often, and he could not handle the conditions anymore. And, the night he ran he did so for fear of what he would face for not having met his 500cfa (about a dollar) begging quota that day. Better to disappear than face the consequences. Ouseman showed the scars from his beating, on his back. From the state of healing, the social worker estimated he had left the daara perhaps two weeks ago, which upon reflection, Ousemane confirmed. When asked more about his marabout, Ousemane said he was most at risk of beatings when his marabout was in a bad mood. Then he followed up, in a morose tone, "he is always in a bad mood". Ousemane is 13 years old, but he looked about 8.

Next, the little Djiby was brought in. He had run away the day before. The night before it was determined he was 7. However, he claims to have been in the daara since 2014. Another time, he says, 5 years in the daara.  How could that be? He does not look more than age 5. His age was eventually noted as 9, beginning in the daara in 2014. Impossible. If he is 7, which is more likely, he would have been sent away from home, to the life of forced begging   and loneliness at the age of 3. Djiby spoke of his father who sells sheep, and his mother, who cooks. First, he says he sees his parents weekly (maybe he wishes he did). Then, he said he has not seen them since 2014. Eventually, it was determined Djiby has seen his parents perhaps twice in the past four years since being sent to the daara. He said his marabout does not beat him, but he missed his home and his parents.

Khaly had already been questionned, I learned. Age 12, he said he was from Dakar, and that his daara was also in Dakar. So, what had he been doing at the bus station in Saint Louis, where he claimed to have been for months? Khaly had left his daara to try to get home. But, he ended up in Louga, likely stowing away on the wrong bus. After a short time in that city he got another ride, taking him even farther from home, to the Gare Routiere in Saint Louis, about a four hour drive from Dakar, in a car driving direct. By bus it is a much longer ride. It could have been worse. By chance, he could have ended up in a foreign country, one with an active slave trade, like Mauritania. Imagine running away, and getting a ride which you hope will take you home, only to find yourself in an unfamiliar place with no idea how to get back. So, you just try to survive. You are just 12 years old. At one point his story changed, a daara in Pekine (a region of Saint Louis) was referred to.  Maybe he had met another runaway from there? But, Khaly had mentionned the name of a daara and a home address. Mamadou Gaye got on the phone immediately with his wide network of daaras and children's welfare groups in Dakar. He confirmed the daara is real, as is the address. Khaly's story was confirmed in a matter of minutes. Tonight, Mamadou Gaye will personally escort Khaly home to Dakar. Unfortunately, he may not remain home for long. Khaly's father is deceased, his mother is a cleaner. It is common for very poor families who cannot support their own to send their boys to daaras.

Graciella, the volunteer from California, and I then spent some time with the three boys, reading to them, and reminding them how to play.

Later the same day, when I was walking back to Maison de la Gare after the afternoon break, half way across the Pont Faidherbe I was astonished ro encounter Ousemane walking in the other direction. He was wearing his new clothes but the bandage had disapeared from his bare foot, and he was limping, moving fast. I called to him and he turned, smiled a little, but carried on. I followed him into Saint Louis until he was met by a "grand talibe", a much older boy, most likely from his daara. Clearly, they knew each other, and Ousemane was expected. They continued on together. I called Maison de la Gare, a bit panicked, while I tried not to lose sight of the pair in the twists and turns of the island streets. I knew they would be heading for the North bridge to la Langue de Barbarie, as I knew Ousemane's daara was there. I finally got through to Maison de la Gare and was disturbed to learn that it had been decided to send the boy back to his daara, and that it had been aranged for Ouseman to be met along the way by the grand talibe from his daara. I dropped my trail and the pair vanished around a corner.  But, knowing the beatings Ouseman is used to, and his fear of reprecussions for running away, I was distressed that he had been sent back, unaccompanied by an adult to intervene on his behalf, protection. I could not let it drop, and I later discovered that perhaps a mistake has been made. The morning social worker had determined the boy wanted to go home, and that his abuses suffered in the daara were grounds to prevent his return. And, it is policy if a child must be returned to his daara to accompany him, to make it known that Maison de la Gare will be watching. But, the afternoon social worker made the decision to send him back - apparently he had not seen the notes in the file detailing the abuse, and did not know of the concerns for the boy's safety or his desire to return home. Perhaps he communicated with the marabout and was reassured. Maison de la Gare is following up today, to try to ensure Ousemane's safety. I certainly will be following up. If that little boy does not have us, then he has no one.