Poverty is the main reason why hundreds of thousands of children hawk on the streets of Lagos daily. Children under 16 and as young as six sell openly and widely throughout Africa, leaving them vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse. In many cases street hawking also deprives them of basic education. 

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BOAS Foundation aims to rescue up to 5000 children across the street in Africa by 2030. 

 

Here’s a story of Shakira, a 41 year old lady and a single mother who hawks on the street of Lagos with 2 of her underage children

 

Shakira’s story

“I get here between 7 am and 8 am and don’t leave until 10 pm”, explains Shakira, Both of her underage sons are street traders, weaving between lanes of traffic selling to commuters trapped in their cars in Lagos’s notorious gridlock. “It’s dangerous of course,” she says. “I never wanted them to do it, but life happened that way.”

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On a good day she makes roughly N1,000 Naira (£1.52), and works six days a week. “It is hard but I have no other choice. I didn’t go to school, I can’t steal or sell myself. I have to sell for my children’s school fees, for rent and food.”

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With as low as £100 (N85,000), Shakira and her two sons could be off the streets for a school term. With continuous support, they would be off the streets forever.