On April, 20, 2026, the Municipality of Parcelles Assainies, in Senegal, hosted a landmark forum jointly organized by Free the Slaves, the association Janghi, the local municipality, and the Senegalese National Taskforce against Human Trafficking. The event was convened to celebrate Talibé (Students from Quranic Schools) National Day and serve as a platform for deep, candid dialogue on the plight of talibé children.
The forum brought together a diverse group of stakeholders: Quranic teachers, Ndeyou Daara, Badienou Gox (women supporting Quranic schools and talibés), community leaders, religious authorities, civil society actors, and locally elected councilors. Discussions highlighted the serious threats faced by talibé children, particularly forced street begging, and examined the structural reasons behind this practice.
Importantly, the Quranic Teachers’ Association pledged to collaborate with all partners to implement these measures, marking a significant step toward protecting talibé children and reshaping community responsibility.
A particularly powerful dimension of the forum was the space it created for community members to speak openly about the realities that talibé children face on a daily basis. Testimonies from Ndeyou Daara and Badienou Gox illuminated the complex social pressures that perpetuate the begging system, including economic precarity, deeply ingrained cultural norms, and the dependency of some Quranic schools on children’s begging revenues as a primary source of funding. Participants acknowledged that addressing these root causes requires not only policy interventions but a genuine shift in how communities perceive their duty of care toward children in religious education. As historically, children were sent to beg not only to secure food but also as a way to instil humility, communities are increasingly recognizing the risks associated with this practice. There is growing awareness that, in some cases, it has shifted from a form of moral instruction to economic exploitation. In response, communities are beginning to take more responsibility by supporting Quranic schools through safer, more dignified means and by actively working to prevent all forms of abuse against children. The forum also served as an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the Quranic school system’s profound cultural and spiritual importance, reinforcing that the goal is not to dismantle the daara tradition but to safeguard it from exploitation, ensuring that children can receive a meaningful Islamic education rooted in dignity, safety, and respect.
Mr. Mourtada Gaye, President of the local association of Quranic teachers
“We have great hope that tangible actions will come out of this meeting. We know Janghi, and we have been following FTS’s work with other local municipalities in Dakar in the fight against child begging.”
One of the Ndeyou Daara, women who support the Quranic school, echoed Mr. Gaye’s words and reiterated their commitment to help the Talibe. She states,
“We have been supporting the Talibe’ with our own means for more than 10 years now, so we are very hopeful as institutions and partners are coming to strengthen us in this mission.”
The six-month action plan created at the forum helps enhance accountability among all stakeholders. The highlights of the six-month action plan were:
- Mapping Quranic schools where children are sent to beg.
- Identifying the drivers of child begging within the daara
- Mobilizing community solidarity to end the practice, with strong backing from partners and the Mayor of Parcelles Assainies.
Municipal councillors committed to providing institutional support and resources for the mapping exercise of Quranic schools, while civil society organizations, including Free the Slaves and Janghi, pledged ongoing technical assistance, awareness campaigns, and monitoring of progress on the ground. Regular follow-up meetings will be held to assess implementation, document challenges, and adapt strategies as needed. The Senegalese National Taskforce against Human Trafficking will play a coordinating role, ensuring that local efforts in Parcelles Assainies are aligned with the broader national framework for child protection. This structured follow-through signals a departure from one-off events toward a sustainable movement, one in which Talibé National Day becomes an opportunity to measurable progress in the fight to end child exploitation in Senegal.
This forum underscored that safeguarding talibés requires collective commitment, from families and religious leaders to civil society and local government, ensuring that the values of education and dignity prevail over exploitation. The energy and resolve demonstrated by Parcelles Assainies on this day prove that lasting change is possible when communities unite the protect their most vulnerable children.
The training ended on the note from Mrs. Soukeyna Diatta, Mayor’s Representative, who conveyed that the Mayor is fully ready to support the implementation of all recommendations that participants of the Forum will agree upon.
The forum was also covered by local media https://aps.sn/parcelles-assainies-free-the-slaves-promet-dintervenir-dans-la-lutte-contre-la-mendicite-des-enfants/
