CHANGED IMAGE OF THE "ALMUDUS"

 

By Amie Sanneh

 

Today’s edition of Children’s Corner will focus on the situation of "Almudus" in The Gambia today some of whom have now changed their traditional method of working for their Marabouts.

 

Instead of the usual sight of moving around with tomato tins held by a rope that is tied around their necks and putting on tattered and dirty clothes and walking barefooted, the Almudus are now seen roaming the streets, not begging for alms to take back to their Marabout and food to eat, but selling kettles, cups, mosquito coils, candles and other small; wares to make a living. They are now seen decently dressed and it would even be difficult for one to recognize them as the former beggars. You can even think that they are from a normal home.

 

These Almudus are indeed different from the Almudos that people use to see and know as these ones are hardly seen in the streets begging for alms or food and in tattered clothes.

Recently, around traffic lights on Kairaba Avenue, I met with three young boys between the ages of 12 and 14 carrying kettles, scrubs, cups and other household items for sale. They approached me to sell their wares. As they were talking to me, I detected an unusual accent which prompted me to ask them about their background. When I asked them where they are coming from, the eldest one told me that they are from Yuna village in the Western Region. He said they are being sent by their Marabout to sell the items for him He added that they must sell something to take money to the Marabout or else they might have problems with him when they get back.

 

When I further enquired about their new and seemingly improved situation, the eldest boy told me that their condition still remains the same as before and that the only thing that is the different now is the way they appear in public. He lamented the difficulties they continue to encounter in the Marabouts’ home and working for him. The Almudus expressed their longing for the day when they would reunite with their biological parents and most of whom, according to them, they do not know since they were separated from them at very early and tender age. These Almudus feel that they are abandoned by their relatives and society.

 

When I asked the eldest boy why are selling on the streets, he explained that since they are not allowed to put on rags and roam the streets begging their Marabout has asked them to dress up and start selling household items around for their Marabout.

For them, they don’t like the idea of roaming around selling on the streets but that in order not to risk punishment from the Marabout they have no other option.

 

It is possible that the parents of these "Almudus" always think that their children are in safe hands. However, the reality that prevails here is that the children are on their own and are responsible for feeding themselves. They either beg for food or buy what they eat as in the case of this ‘new Almudus’. They work for the Marabout by selling for him without any form of remuneration. The only thing that the Marabout or Serigne provides for the Almudus is a small and cramped place for them to rest their heads and small bodies to pass off the night. These are usually unhygienic dwelling places that spread empty cartoons on the sand floor to use as beds and infested with lice, bedbugs and mosquitoes.

 

These ‘new Almudus’, who are mostly small children, are now being seen at busy places around the Kanifing Municipality, especially along the Kairaba Avenue and West field area, peddling small household items.

 

However, it is not also the case that all children seen selling on the streets are ‘Almudos’. Some young people whom I met around Westfield the other day told me that they are vending household items to help their parents. According to them they are assisting their parents whose age do not permit them to be physically moving about and running after vehicles to sell to customers. They explained that this is what their parents use to feed them and pay for their education.

 

Talking to an eleven year old girl, who sells chilled and cold water during the hot day, she told me that she is assisting her mom who is at home attending to the other domestic chores. According to her, she sells water at D1.00 and D2.00 to supplement the household income. This child, who should have been in school, said her parents do not have the means to pay for her education.

 

Readers could recall that in February 2008, the Director General of Immigration issued a Press Release indicating that any foreign child beggar or ‘Almudu’ who is found to be begging on the streets could face possible deportation. In late February the same year, The Gambia deported over 60 ‘Almudus’ from neighbouring Senegal back to to their country of origin. Since this mass deportation of ‘Almudus’ by the Immigration authorities, one hardly sees an ‘Almudu’ roaming the streets in the Greater Banjul Area. In fact most of the ‘Almudus’ are children who are sent to The Gambia by their parents to Marabouts to learn the memorization of the Holy Quran. Poverty may also be a compelling factor that leads some parents who cannot provide for a their children to abdicate responsibility by sending them away to somebody else’s care.

 

Until this ‘Almudu’ phenomenon is totally eliminated in our society, there is need for the authorities and Child Welfare groups to collaborate and embark on general sensitization work to discourage this ‘Almudu’ phenomenon which is detrimental to the interest and development of the child who is subjected to the tutelage of these ‘Marabouts’ for whatever purpose.

 

There is need for authorities and Children Welfare organisations to start visiting these Marabout places regularly to ensure that the children under their tutelage are kept in proper and hygienic living conditions that is conducive in promoting good health.

They should also ensure that the Marabouts are encouraged to compel the parents of the children are to be making visitations regularly. The authorities should also ensure that these children are not subjected to any form of economic exploitation.

 

The other thing that Children Welfare organisation should look into is the issue of child begging which is so rampant now in the country. The culture of begging is now taking a foothold in our society affecting children of many shades or family backgrounds. It is really pathetic. It is so common now to see children in school uniforms begging for money to buy this or that. They would accost adults in the streets and beg for money to buy food, pay transport fares, school fees etc.

 

I was even confronted by a student one day, whilst walking along Kairaba Avenue. This lad beg me for money and when I suggested to him to accompany me to the nearby shop to buy food for him the boy told me of his preference to be given the cash. What did he want the money for?

 

Something needs to be done to save these children from the scourge of begging. Children are the future adults and should be protected from all sorts of exploitation and abuse. The task that lies before the authorities and Child Rights organisations is to ensure that children are protected in this vicious cycle of poverty. However, the task needs all hands on deck in order to realize the noble objective of having ‘a safer and better world for the children’ of The Gambia, Children of Africa and Children of the world.

 

WHAT IS AN ALMUDO? Courtesy of African Countries 1

 

He is a small boy of about eleven. He lives in a large city in a poor West African country. He is dressed in ragged shorts and a T-shirt, most likely many sizes too large. He is barefoot with one infected toe. The city streets are hard on toes. At night he sleeps on the street and wakes at dawn to begin the day begging for his breakfast.

 

Generally, he is kindly treated in the streets and is given food enough to survive, but his health suffers. He is underweight and undersize for his age and has intestinal parasites and skin problems such as scabies and ringworm. When he has more serious diseases such as malaria and schistosomiasis, they remain untreated.

 

He has not seen his family for a year or two, since he left his distant rural village, but he keeps in touch through a network of friends and relatives he sees from time to time. At home the family is large — five or six brothers and sisters — too large for all to be taken care of in these difficult times. He misses his family and longs for the day when he will have saved enough from his begging to go home with gifts for them. He wants to buy cloth for his mother and a radio for his father. For himself he will buy clothes and a portable tape player, but not until just before he leaves the city since they will only attract thieves.

 

Some of his friends sniff solvents and he is tempted. When you’re a hungry eleven-year-old boy in the night street, morning seems very far away and a little oblivion is hard to resist.

He would like to wear clean clothes, go to school every day and not have to worry about the next meal. And although a realistic adult would dismiss this as an impossible dream, children surely have the right to such dreams.

 

He is a good boy, willing and eager to find ways to be of use. He unselfconsciously rewards a small gift with a big smile and the blessing of Allah. There is something of heaven in the smile as well as in the blessing.