Street children in Kinshasa: a worrying reality
In the busy streets of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a persistent and worrying phenomenon is observed: the massive presence of street children, commonly known as “Shegués”. These young people, aged around 6 to 15, roam the working-class neighborhoods and city centers, trying to survive in extremely difficult conditions.
Their presence is visible along the Boulevard du 30 juin, in front of supermarkets, taxi stands and bus stops. When the traffic lights stop, they move towards motorists to ask for alms. Unfortunately, this request for help often turns into fights, compromising their safety and that of passers-by.
But it is above all the acts of delinquency that worry the population. The Shegués take advantage of the slightest distraction to commit theft: telephones, briefcases, handbags, jewelry… nothing escapes their voracious appetite. Once their misdeed has been accomplished, they find refuge in the nearby sewers, making them difficult to apprehend.
This sad observation sometimes pushes the population to take justice into their own hands, as evidenced by the recent incident at the intersection of Boulevard du 30 juin and Avenue Kasa-Vubu. Following the violent theft of a telephone by a young delinquent, citizens mobilized to locate the culprits and punish them. After a fierce hunt, the thief and several of his companions were extracted from the sewers and handed over to the police.
However, it is important to emphasize that violence will not solve the problem of street children. It is necessary to tackle the root causes of their presence in the streets of Kinshasa. Socio-economic factors, such as poverty, lack of access to education and health care, as well as social disintegration, are all reasons that lead these children to live on the streets.
It is therefore essential to put in place structural measures to curb this phenomenon. This requires the creation of social and school reintegration programs, access to psychological support services, and raising public awareness on respect for children’s rights. The authorities must also strengthen urban security in order to prevent acts of crime.
In conclusion, the presence of street children in Kinshasa is a worrying reality. It is essential to deal with this problem in a comprehensive way by addressing the root causes that lead these children to live on the streets. Only in this way can we hope to offer a better future to these vulnerable young people