Egypt's forgotten children - Opinion - Al Jazeera English: "One of the untold stories of Egypt's popular revolution is the plight of homeless children caught up in the unrest. As the country adjusted to a new political reality during the protests, Cairo’s estimated 50,000 street children also found that the rules of the game had changed.
The drop-in centres that they rely on for food, clean water and shelter were, like nearly everything else in Egypt, mostly closed. With nothing to eat and nowhere to go, the children were drawn to the festival atmosphere of Tahrir Square, attracted by the prospect of a free meal and the chance of being part of something exciting.
Instead, they found themselves part of something very different. When violence erupted, the homeless children had nowhere to seek refuge and many were caught up in the clashes between rival political factions. Save the Children has confirmed the death of at least one child - a 16-year-old boy called Ismail - and knows of others who were wounded.
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The drop-in centres that they rely on for food, clean water and shelter were, like nearly everything else in Egypt, mostly closed. With nothing to eat and nowhere to go, the children were drawn to the festival atmosphere of Tahrir Square, attracted by the prospect of a free meal and the chance of being part of something exciting.
Instead, they found themselves part of something very different. When violence erupted, the homeless children had nowhere to seek refuge and many were caught up in the clashes between rival political factions. Save the Children has confirmed the death of at least one child - a 16-year-old boy called Ismail - and knows of others who were wounded.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
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