The Exploited Children

[ardianto]

The video below was taken in Bandung, Indonesia. This is spontaneously interview between the video uploader and a street child named Rizal.

Rizal has lost his parents in two separate accidents. He doesn't go to school, and make money through busking on the street. However, he doesn't work independently, but under control by a woman who called "Mami" (literally means mother). He must share the money that he get with "Mami"

There is surprising thing which revealed. During interview Rizal seem sniff something under his t-shirt. That's glue. Rizal says that he is forced to sniff glue by "Mami", and he would be beaten if he didn't sniff glue.

Sniff glue is a bad habit among street children. It gives 'fly' effect like drug which will affect health, physically and mentally, and cause addiction.



Rizal is just one of many children who are under exploitation. And exploitation toward children happen not only in Indonesia, but also in many places in the world.

[Hulk]

It's very sad that there is this problem in a muslim country. Something needs to be done.

[Eshai]

How are people like Mami getting away with this?

[ardianto]

How are people like Mami getting away with this?

I am wondering it too. Police have "women and children protection unit", but seem like they do not 'touch' street children unless there's a street child murdered which sometime happen. Maybe police think that street children is responsibility of social agency.

City govt often launch operation which they arrest street children and adult people behind them. But what govt do is just arrest and release again, without any investigation on what those adult have done to the street children.

The only hope comes from the NGOs and citizens who care to street children.

Why don't those children report the adult who exploit them to police or authorized official?. It's because those children feel they need those adult. Street children have mindset which different than ordinary poor children. They are not interested to go to school. They just want to have money. Yes, street life has formed their mindset like this.

Why boy like Rizal feel need an adult like Mami?. Because the adult like Mami is part of gang that rule the street. Those street children cannot 'work' on the street without agreement with that gang.

The main challenge in helping street children is change their mindset. If just offer them donation for study and fulfill their daily need, those children would refuse it. That's why, need volunteers who can work on the field and live with those street children.

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[Eshai]

It sounds like the structure of how these issues are handled by the authorities needs to be addressed. How can any rational adult release an unaccompanied child into the custody of people who have no legal rights to them? If the authorities do this, they are actually causing this problem to continue.

This makes me wonder, where are the people's taxes really going if not to solve problems such as this?

[ardianto]

It sounds like the structure of how these issues are handled by the authorities needs to be addressed. How can any rational adult release an unaccompanied child into the custody of people who have no legal rights to them? If the authorities do this, they are actually causing this problem to continue.

This makes me wonder, where are the people's taxes really going if not to solve problems such as this?

Indonesia is not rich and people's taxes are going to many sectors which there are sectors that get huge amount, there are sectors that get small amount. And in Third World countries, is common if government prioritize physical development and military sector, while social problem handling is not priority.

Seem like my government just think to clean up the streets from people with social problem without solve the root problem itself. Luckily there are people who are willing to take over government duty in this matter. This is the reality in Third World countries, not only in Indonesia.

[Eshai]

It isn't just about money. Money alone can never solve a problem. A poor sector could be given huge amounts of money, but without good people to manage that money, it will be wasted. Good rulers can manage even small amounts of money and make it efficient.

This is the reality in Third World countries, not only in Indonesia.

What do you think could be done to change that reality?

[ardianto]

It isn't just about money. Money alone can never solve a problem. A poor sector could be given huge amounts of money, but without good people to manage that money, it will be wasted. Good rulers can manage even small amounts of money and make it efficient.

Donation is really help poor children to continue their study. But it could be effective only if those children already have good motivation for study. In the case which the children have not motivated to go to school, giving donation is indeed, same like wasting money.

What do you think could be done to change that reality?

I have no new idea because I think the steps that have been taken by the volunteers is already right. They down to the street and try to change those street children mentality, and also give sense to the adult people behind them to release those children. The volunteers have built shelters and free schools where street children learn and do positive activities.

The problem that faced by the volunteers are, their number is too small compared with the number of street children, and lack of fund. Of course they need money to operate shelters and school, and also to buy what those children need.

How the citizens can help those volunteers?. Stop giving money to the street children because it will make their mentality becoming worse. Help the volunteers with fund, or if can, become a volunteer too.

[ardianto]

Another kind of exploitation toward children. Child soldier.

[MuslimInshallah]

Assalaamu alaikum,


I watched this video and read the comments. But I wonder if perhaps there are elements missing from this picture?


Do street children stay with their abusers only because they need them to work? I think it is a little more than that. It is like asking why abused women stay with the men in their lives, even when they have the opportunity to leave. (sad) I think it is because they feel ties of love with their abusers. Human beings have emotional needs. A child needs someone to love and feel that she cares for him. Like Rizal and his Mami. And I'll bet you anything that if you investigated his Mami, you'd find a long history of pain and abuse that she underwent before she started victimizing Rizal. And perhaps in her own strange way you might find that Rizal fills some warped emotional needs of her own.


Is the solution money? Social agencies? Police crackdowns?


As a teenager, I babysat a lot. One family I worked for for a couple of years was quite wealthy. They had a nice house in an expensive neighbourhood, the children went to good schools, they had people who came to clean the house, the parents were well-educated. But they treated their children terribly. I remember shielding the six-year old boy from his father by standing between them, only to have the father knock his his eight-year-old son to the floor and watch him kicking him repeatedly in the stomach. I witnessed the 12-year-old (physically mature) son follow in his father's footsteps, bullying his brothers, and behaving inappropriately with his 3 year-old sister. I tried appealing to the mother. I tried calling the social services. But the mother was not very helpful, and I had to drop the topic. The social services were bored and indifferent. So I asked the father of another family I babysat for, for help.


He was a psychologist of some renown. And he suggested that I try to give these children some love. A ray of hope. A door to kinder possibilities. And this is what I did, until my services were no longer needed by this family. (sad) I don't know what happened to them after I moved to another neighbourhood. I no longer had any excuse to see them. I wish I did know. And I pray that they found a door out of the generational cycles of abuse. Because I did love those children. And the younger ones loved me. And they taught me many lessons that helped me raise my own children. And heal myself.


We can't solve the problem of neglected or abused children simply by institutional methods. We must be ready to love them. And we need to build our communities.


As Muslims, we are responsible for the 40 nearest of our neighbours. But how many of us know our neighbours, much less be available to help them out? If we all took our responsibilities towards our neighbours, there would be no orphaned children like Rizal. And we could be windows of hope to the children we knew were not being treated well by their relatives. Because we'd know about what was happening. And we'd feel a lot more impelled to act. Because (smile) people can be pretty decent, actually. If they are directly confronted with a situation. But if we don't know about it... we suppose that someone else will deal with it.


Rather than try to rescue some far away person with a bit of money to an agency and hardly a thought, I think we need to start right where we are. With all those whom Allah Causes to cross our paths. (smile) And given the connectivity of this world, we can help those far away through our personal contacts. (smile) Like last Friday at the masjid, a lady was raising money for a widow with 5 children in Lebanon that she knew personally because she was originally from there. The widow has cancer and cannot afford treatment.


(sad) I cannot help Rizal specifically. But we can all help those around us... and as a proverb says here: what goes around, comes around. If we all invest in those around us, the dividends can be felt everywhere. Including back to ourselves.


(smile) And one last note: just because Rizal does not have a comfortable life like many of us on this Forum, this does not mean that his life has no meaning. His case is not hopeless. His life is not a waste. Rather than pity Rizal, perhaps we could admire him for his resourcefulness in surviving, his strength to struggle on, even though his is so sad and alone that he damps his pain and fear with glue-sniffing (he may have been forced at first, but he looks completely addicted now. And addictions are strongest in those who are in pain).


Perhaps we can love Rizal and pray that Allah Reward him for all his efforts and intentions. He may not ever be successful in the eyes of the world (though he might be, you never know... I met a man in Pakistan who was from an abusive and dreadfully poor family. And he had scaled to a middle-class position of respect and power in his country), but perhaps Rizal may be a great success in Allah's Eyes. Because Allah Knows all the difficulties we face, and He Measures us by how much we try. Those who are more comfortable may struggle less than Rizal. And perhaps on That Day we may find Rizal resplendent in the clothing of his deeds,and we far more poorly dressed than he.


May Allah, the Compassionate and Gentle, Bless all the suffering children of this world, and Lead them to Gardens of Joy.

[ardianto]

(Photo: Din Nyon - Flickr)

The little girl above was forced to carry a baby to invite compassion. I know she was forced because I am familiar enough with this a view like this. I always see a woman who watch the children from another corner, and she just relax or play game in her cellphone. This adult woman maybe their mother, maybe not.

(Photo: Radar Malang)

If you see a view like this, do not too fast to asume that the baby is her child. Probably she just rent this baby from another beggar. Rent a baby is common practice among beggars.

[ardianto]

Assalaamu alaikum,

Wa’alaikumsalam, sister MuslimInshallah.

In movies and novels you can find story of a child and an adult who 'thrown' to the street, then meet each other, struggle together to make money and have close relationship like parent and child. But reality is different. Mami behavior that force Rizal to sniff glue indicate that she didn't treat Rizal well. Sniff glue give effect like 'fly' that make Rizal not ashamed or hesitate to beg.

Rizal need Mami, but it's because Mami rule a point on the street, collaborated with thugs who responsible for security matter. They got income from children like Rizal who must share their income. If Rizal didn't want to share his income he would not allowed to 'work' there. Rizal actually could leave Mami. But where would he go?. Other streets already ruled by other gangs. Might be he would not accepted in another street. And if he was accepted, might be he would get a 'boss' who worse than Mami.

Go to orphanage or govt social institution?. Those children always refuse this offer. In orphanage they would get what they need, but they must live disciplinary like other children, go to school, sleep on time, follow the rule. This is what they don't want. They have been familiar with street life which they can do anything they want.

The first step that must be taken in helping street children is fixing their mentality. This duty need volunteers who can mingle with them and become older brother/sister for those children. Yes, giving love is the key of success for this duty. The volunteers must have ability to give love to make those children change their mentality.

There are people who become volunteers, and they have done many things such as build shelter where street children can play and learn something there, build free school and teach them. Those volunteers work voluntarily without paid, but they really need donation to operate their shelters or school, and to fulfill what those children need. This is the matter which other people can help.

Unfortunately, instead of giving donation through volunteers, people prefer to give money directly on the street. This is actually not good because it will make those children mentality becoming worse. Volunteers have told people about it. Government too. But people regard it as prevention to help the poor. This is what I found from the people's comment in this matter.

What is government contribution to help street children?. They have commission for children protection although due of lack of persons the frontliner are still the volunteers. But unfortunately there is clash with city public order agency which just think to clean up the street. They just force street children to leave the street, often with rude way.

Street children cannot be forced to leave the street, but they should be guided slowly. Actually what the volunteers have done in this matter resulted good result. There are enough much street children who could leave the street and now have normal life. Even few of those volunteers are former of street children too. But, yeah, their number is too few compared with number of street children that they must help.

About Mami. Indeed, people like her have long history of pain and abuse. They were exploited too when they were kid. That's why then they exploit the children when they have become adult. This is like a cycle that always repeated, and this is what makes me concerned.

[ardianto]

Few photos of volunteers activities in helping street children

Street children and volunteers in a shelter in Jakarta. (Photo: Isnawisanti)

A free school for street children (Photo: Bhinneka)

Street children are learning handprint in a shelter. (Photo: Sun Foundation)

Counseling for street children on an open place (Photo Klikikaliku.blogspot)

A Volunteer teaches street children (Photo: Benradit.wordpress)

Islamic education for Muslim street children on a masjid yard in Samarinda (Photo: Fatmawatimp09.blogspot)

[Karl]

Doesn't say anything about sniffing glue in the Quran, maybe that would be under intoxicants so the police should take his glue off him and punish him. Why does he take orders from a woman? Surely he is not a Muslim. And those NGO are spies and enemies of Islam. They work for the Zionist NWO. Even Putin got wise to them and threw them out of Russia.
The long range conquest plan by the West that was proposed in the 1950s is to take or control the Middle East including Iran and east along the Torrid Zone and environs e.g. Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and South East Asia. They will do this with false goodness, manipulation, pop culture and re educating the masses to the Zionists way of life. Psychological warfare, bribery and corruption. Why has no Muslim country got Sharia law or Caliphate. Most have secular democracy because the West is winning.
"The exploited child" is also another Zionist ruse to interfere with poor nations by applying cultural Marxism and large bureaucracies with taxes and "aid" to bring the nation under the umbrella and control of the "International Community" NWO Rockefeller and Co. They will take your sovereignty by stealth, wise up.

[ardianto]

Doesn't say anything about sniffing glue in the Quran, maybe that would be under intoxicants so the police should take his glue off him and punish him. Why does he take orders from a woman? Surely he is not a Muslim. And those NGO are spies and enemies of Islam. They work for the Zionist NWO. Even Putin got wise to them and threw them out of Russia.
The long range conquest plan by the West that was proposed in the 1950s is to take or control the Middle East including Iran and east along the Torrid Zone and environs e.g. Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and South East Asia. They will do this with false goodness, manipulation, pop culture and re educating the masses to the Zionists way of life. Psychological warfare, bribery and corruption. Why has no Muslim country got Sharia law or Caliphate. Most have secular democracy because the West is winning.
"The exploited child" is also another Zionist ruse to interfere with poor nations by applying cultural Marxism and large bureaucracies with taxes and "aid" to bring the nation under the umbrella and control of the "International Community" NWO Rockefeller and Co. They will take your sovereignty by stealth, wise up.

There are NGOs which known as the Western Agent. There are NGos which love to beg money from the West. But it doesn't mean all NGOs are like this. There are many NGOs that still pure and independent.

By the way, Karl, it's better you give idea to help children from exploitation than derail this thread into Zionism topic.

[Karl]

There are NGOs which known as the Western Agent. There are NGos which love to beg money from the West. But it doesn't mean all NGOs are like this. There are many NGOs that still pure and independent.

By the way, Karl, it's better you give idea to help children from exploitation than derail this thread into Zionism topic.

Wouldn't it be better to help anybody from "exploitation" or dire straits?
I am just pointing out things to look out for, don't just fall for catch cries.
One day the West is dropping bombs all over people including "children". The next it's all "Save the children" or "Save the children from exploitation". Just look into who is financing these NGO's, follow the money. To find out what is their true motives. Do they want to recruit them into something to serve the West? What is their true agenda?