Help Tess Hunneybell care for African begging kids

**Help Us Support Vulnerable Children in Senegal – Every Kid Counts**

For the 4th year, I’m here in Senegal continuing the vital work of our project, **Every Kid Counts – Senegal**. Together, we provide life-saving **medical and dental care**, **education**, **food**, **clothing**, and **emotional support** to hundreds of children who are forced to beg on the streets of Senegal, West Africa.

### **Who Are the Talibé Children?**

An estimated **100,000 children**, known as "talibés," are trapped in a cycle of abuse and forced begging under the guise of attending traditional Quranic schools (daaras). These children, referred to as **slaves by the United Nations**, face horrific conditions – daily beatings, neglect, trafficking, and even death.

The **number of talibé children trafficked from neighboring countries** such as **Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and Guinea-Conakry** has grown significantly. Many of these children are as young as **4 years old**. They arrive **lost, confused, unable to speak Senegal’s native language, and dressed in rags** – poor, lonely, sick, and desperate for care.

Despite their vulnerable state, these children are exploited by their Quranic teachers (marabouts), who force them to beg for money, food, rice, or sugar to meet daily quotas. The café we established in 2020 to provide food and care for these children, **Peace Child Café (Jamme Xaley)**, was tragically **shut down by the very people exploiting these children**. The marabouts – the so-called slave owners – saw the café as a threat to their control.

### **Our Impact So Far**

Despite these challenges, we continue to provide essential care to these vunerable children, including:

- **Urgent medical and dental care**

- **Nutritious meals**

- **Clean clothing** to restore dignity

- **Access to clean water** through wells

- A **kitchen garden** to promote sustainability

- And most importantly, **allies and advocates** to protect these vulnerable children from further harm

### **How You Can Help**

To continue this life-saving work, we urgently need your help. Here’s how your donation can make a difference:

- **£1.50 per day per child**: Provide nourishing food for survival

- **£15 per child**: Supply shorts, t-shirts, and sandals

- **£55 per medical kit**: Stock three essential medical kits

- **£15 per child**: Cover daily hospital and emergency medical care

- **£23 per child**: Provide dental care

### **Every Little Helps**

Your donation – no matter the amount – can transform a child’s life. Together, we can protect these children from abuse, restore their dignity, and give them hope for a brighter future.

**Every Kid Counts – Senegal. Every Child Deserves a Future.**

Please donate today and share this campaign with your friends and family. Together, we can make a difference.