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Connecting on the streets

The Kimbilio team just spent a day of outreach in the local open air markets, reaching out to the children who live there. This is a critical part of Kimbilio's outreach to street children. It is a way to bring awareness to these children of Kimbilio's offerings and encourage their trust. The photos were taken during this day of outreach.



We asked one of Kimbilio's volunteers to share her impressions of the markets. Following are her words.


"Visiting the street markets in DRC can only be described as a sensory explosion! It's difficult to describe an experience that hits every one of your five senses so hard and all at once! The first thing to hit you is the noise, the shouting, the music, cars and horns blaring, motorbikes, generators, people bartering with great enthusiasm, and vendors shouting all the time for your attention. It is difficult to know where to look, it’s a 360-degree canvas of colours, people and items for sale. We walked for over a kilometre through one of Lubumbashi’s biggest markets in the height of its activity one afternoon. Every row of stalls crammed in together, each area selling something different. From shoes and clothes to household items, kitchenware to toys, from hairdressers to barbers, seamstresses to chefs! The fresh food section of the market is always one of my favourites; with a riot of sights and smells, food cooking, raw meat and fish, BBQ’s, fruit, fresh herbs and spices, all mixed in with a chaos of background smells of fuel being decanted into containers, charcoal fires and stray animals wandering around.

 

"It’s difficult not to notice, all through the market the children also working to try to bring in a few cents, from carrying sacks, to running errands and selling grocery bags to shoppers, it’s hard work, it’s intense and it’s hot.  There is an energy to visiting the market during the day, a hustle and bustle that is difficult to not delight and shock at the same time. Thousands of people in a tiny space, trying to make a sale, make a living and earn a dollar. But I know from talking to some of the children that live in the market, that the energy of the market is not always a good one. The market can also be a dangerous place, especially for children, especially at night. As the sun sets on market activity, at the end of the day, the street children who call the market place their home, try to stick in groups, there is safety in numbers. They seek out hidden spaces where they can try to go unnoticed, try to get some sleep, try to stay safe.

 

"I left the market feeling grateful that Kimbilio staff regularly visit the market to reach out to the children who call it their home. For some children, the Kimbilio staff may be a first friendly face, a first glimmer of hope that starts their journey towards a brighter, safer future. A chance for an education, regular food and a safe night's sleep, away from the daily hustle of market living in DR Congo."




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