Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I'm Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Nevine was fourteen when her mother died. Her father found a new woman to love. So he sent Nevine to live with her uncles, his brothers. Her uncles did not like that she travelled alone. They thought that she had dishonoured their family. So, they beat her and burned her. Now she lives on the streets.
Voice 2
Many street children have a similar story. Many of these children leave their homes because a parent beats them. Some children leave home because a parent's new husband or wife does not want them. Home is not safe for these children. They leave to find a better life on the streets. But the streets do not remove the child from danger either.
Voice 1
Today's Spotlight is on street children in Cairo, Egypt and Hope Village Society, an organization that helps them.
Voice 2
It is difficult to count how many children live on the streets. UNICEF is a group that works to protect the rights of children world-wide. This group says that about one to one and a half million children in Egypt spend most of their childhood on the street.
Voice 1
These street children live very difficult lives. There are many things for street children to fear. Without families, or homes, they do not have people to protect them, or safe places. They may fear other street children. Children fight each other for food and shelter. But beatings from adults are even more serious. Some children even die from these beatings.
Voice 2
Adults often have have negative opinions about the street children. They think the street children are only criminals. They think it is okay for people to hurt these children. Some adults will even force street children to have sex.
Voice 1
Night is the most dangerous time for street children. More fights for shelter happen at night. Fewer caring adults are awake to help the children. So, many street children stay awake through the night. Then they try to find a safe place to sleep during the day.
Voice 2
Disease is another big problem for street children. Some children have diseases like cholera and tuberculosis. These diseases are common in dirty conditions. In Cairo, children also often have skin problems. This is from street slime - a combination of water and waste. It often carries bacteria.
Voice 1
Many health problems are worse because of the lack of good food. Children may get sick from bad food. Or, because they do not get enough food, they become anaemic. Their blood does not have enough good minerals to keep their bodies healthy.
Voice 2
There is not much hope for these children. But there are people working to make life better for these children. Hope Village Society began in 1988. It is a group of doctors, social workers, and volunteers who want to help street children.
Voice 1
When it started, Hope Village helped a few boys at one centre in Cairo. Now it has eleven centres. Some of these centres offer long term shelter. And some offer short term shelter. Some are day care centres. Street children visit these to get off the street during the day. The centres are clean, safe places for children.
Voice 2
But these centres offer more than just shelter. Hope Village offers to teach all street children how to read and write. It offers programs that teach the street children useful skills. They can use these skills to get jobs in the future.
Voice 1
Hope Village cares for both boys and girls. But Hala Gorani, a writer, says that girls have particular needs:
Voice 3
"As difficult as it is for boys, it is worse--much worse--for girls. They experience the worst kind of violence and abuse."
Voice 2
For example, Nevine tells the story of how she became a young mother while living on the street:
Voice 4
"There were some boys in a car. They held a knife to my neck, pulled me in, and made me swallow some small round pills. I fell asleep. When I woke from sleep, I did not know where I was. I do not remember what happened. But a few weeks later my stomach hurt. A doctor told me I was pregnant."
Voice 1
This is one reason why one of Hope Village's new centres is just for young street mothers. The streets are so dangerous for these girls that they need special help. Hope Village teaches these girls how to be good mothers. They also teach the girls reading and job skills. This will help the young mothers and their children have better lives.
Voice 2
Hope Village shows children how to be safer on the streets. Workers teach children how to care for each other. They teach simple health care skills. Then Hope Village gives older children simple health care supplies to carry on the streets.
Voice 1
In the past few years, HIV and AIDS have also become a greater danger to the street children. So Hope Village Society joined with UNICEF and UN AIDS to fight these diseases. Hope Village opened a testing center. There children can find out if they are infected with HIV. Then they can get treatment and care.
Voice 2
Hope Village also teaches children about these diseases. The teachers at Hope Village use games to share information. They do this so that they can communicate in ways the children will understand. Maha Aon works for UN AIDS. She described why this work is important for street children in Egypt.
Voice 5
"One of the ways to protect street children is to help them understand. They need to know where the risks are for HIV and AIDS. They need to know how they can protect themselves. We need to tell them in ways they will understand. This helps them care for and respect themselves."
Voice 1
Hope Village also offers mobile units. The mobile units can go to different places around Cairo. They go especially where children gather. A doctor and a few social workers travel with each vehicle. These people give food and medicines to street children who need them.
Voice 2
Hope Village Society says that children are special. The Hope Village coordinator says that children can one day be good leaders.
Voice 6
"The method we are trying reaches out to children. It explores what they can do. We hope that we can find leaders who are able to help others."