Residents and authorities in cosmopolitan towns of Farafenni and Jarra Soma in The Gambia have registered their concerns over the sprouting number of Almudus (known to be Arabic students) loitering and begging in the streets of these provincial settlements amidst the lurking second wave of the global Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
Many residents who spoke to this reporter over the weekend expressed their concern about the vulnerable groups of children who are mostly dragged into begging by their Oustazs (Quranic Teachers) at this time new cases of Covid-19 in the country is gradually increasing.
In both Farafenni and Jarra Soma towns, small children ranges between age of 7 and 12 years are seeing loitering around begging passengers and passersby particularly at the markets, garages, food canteens without any form of protection against the killer disease.
Scores of these Almudus engaged disclosed to this reporter that any amount of money received from sympathisers are always collected from them by their Oustazs (teachers). They said the money is usually meant for buying soaps and clothes for them.
Meanwhile, all Almudus that spoke to this reporter expressed their desire to wear facemask and frequently wash their hands but unfortunately they are not advise by their teacher to wear facemask even they do not provide them any when they are going out for begging, their daily routine.
Papa Njie Tunkara, Gambia Democratic Party (GDC), Ward Councillor for Farafenni expressed his community’s concern regarding the issues of the Almudous. He said curbing the issue remains a challenge to the local authorities as it requires collective efforts to address.
Hon. Tunkara disclosed to this medium that his office is working with some partners to ameliorate the issue within the community of Farafenni.
According to him an NGO dubbed COPI is helping local and authorities in the area to find a lasting solution to the issues of the Almudus living around the region.
The Farafenni Ward Councillor said he is not aware of any direct assistance from Kerewan Area Council towards various groups of Almudus living in and around Farafenni, but confirmed that few number of associations and Local NGO’s rendered support to these Almudus.
“We are very concern as authorities the welfare and wellbeing of these Almudus and we are doing everything possible to arrest the situation by partnering with local agencies and NGO’s.
COPI, a German Based NGO is doing a good job in our efforts to help these vulnerable group of our society,” Hon. Tunkara revealed.
Also speaking to this medium on the issue of the Almudos is Jakongba Jabbi, Director of Social Welfare who expressed his department’s resolve to address the issue of Almudus, street children as well as migrant children living within Farafenni and Jarra Soma cosmopolitan.
“We have been rendering support to these Almudus in collaboration with our various partners especially during this Covid-19 Pandemic. At least ten groups of Almudus have already received their supports in terms of provision of foodstuffs and sanitary materials in our efforts to make these Almudus to stay at home during this pandemic,” Director Social Welfare disclosed.
According to him, several organisations such as Maa Foundation, Save the Children, PAPEV, CEDAG among others have either provided rice, cooking oil, sanitary materials, facemasks, clothes among others to them. Also, Save The Children has already started its intervention in the area by taking care of the issues of the Child Migrants living in these cosmopolitan towns.
Director Jabbi, revealed that Save the Children has already established host families for would be street children and migrant children, adding that this will allow the hosting of these vulnerable children to have somewhere to stay before reuniting them with families.
“Obviously, the department of social Welfare is very concern with the issues of the Almudus including the street and migrant children living in these towns.
This is why we have been rendering support to them in order to curb their loitering and begging during this period of Covid-19,” Director, Jabbi revealed.
He added: “With all these supports, it is still very difficult to keep these Almudus at home because anytime you render support and expected these Almudus to stay at home the next day they will come out again. I believe the only way to arrest the situation is to have a strong laws” that will cater for the situation.
Director Jabbi, called on the Teachers of these Almudus to help in protection of these children against the pandemic, noting that without their teachers and guardians collaboration these children could be vulnerable to the disease.
