March 9, 2010
Over the past few months we've seen an increase in homeless children hanging around Sosúa's main street, the Pedro Clisante.
These are Haitian and Dominican youngsters aged between 6 and 14, who drift around the street, usually sleeping in the open air or in doorways.
Wolfgang Schönner
They sometimes try to earn some money by cleaning shoes, while others simply beg or try to steal from the tourists.
People also say that they are used to carry drugs, or are commissioned by adults to break into empty houses.
If the children refuse then they are attacked.
Wolfgang Schönner, owner of the 'Schnitzel Paradise' restaurant in the Pedro Clisante, is trying to do something to help these children.
Last Tuesday he spoke (for the second time) to representatives of the Juvenile Care, the National Police and the Family Care authorities.
Wolfgang says that the Dominican Republic has good laws to protect children, which are comparable to those concerning child protection in countries such as Canada or in the European Union.
Special centre
The problem is simply that the laws are not enforced here.
However, the authorities contacted by Wolfgang has promised to take the problem seriously.
First of all the Family Care people will ask the police to help trace the parents, and make it clear to them that they are responsible for the upbringing of their children.
If they do not care for them then these parents will face prosecution.
However, this will only resolve a small percentage of the problem, because many parents cannot be traced, or remain in Haiti due to the earthquake, or perhaps died in the tragedy.
These orphans will be taken to a special centre between Sosúa and Cabarete.
Homeless children
The spokesperson for Juvenile Care stated that a new centre is needed for these children, because existing homes for neglected children are already overcrowded, with no space for additional children.
Money
According to Wolfgang, his contacts with these authorities have produced some results, because the police have removed a number of children from the streets over the last few days.
Homeless children
This has reduced the problem, somewhat, for the tourists.
However, a communal home for these orphans remains high on the agenda - somewhere where the children can be brought up and supervised properly and can go to school.
But this will cost a lot of money, and the question is whether the government is prepared to make sufficient funds available for such a project.
Wolfgang Schönner says that we have to accept reality, and realise that a decent home for these kids can only be achieved through sponsors.
When the plans for a children's home have been finalised, Sosúa-News will publish an appeal for donors.
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