Beggars invade Tangier

Tangier, a place of pilgrimage for thousands of beggars? Many beggars are invading the streets, frightening some passers-by or customers of cafes located in the city center, reports the local site Tanja24. They also occupy the sidewalks of the city, especially in its upscale neighborhoods. Their target? They are women, who are forced to give them a few dirhams to avoid being followed and harassed, especially in the evening or at night. The elderly and minors who are rented by women engage in this much-criticized practice. Another category will emerge. These are young people who in turn ask for "alms" to survive poverty and hunger, caused by unemployment that "gnaws" at society.

According to the study on the theme: "For a cohesive society, free of begging" presented on Wednesday by Ahmed Reda Chami, president of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE), Morocco has 200,000 beggars. In 2003, 42.9% of the child beggars interviewed as part of a study on "children and begging" said they were looking to materially support their destitute families. 27.3% of these children said they resorted to begging to provide for their food, while 11.3% said they were involved in begging because of family problems.

Begging is lucrative. Many sources confirm that the financial income generated by these "beggars" is estimated at millions of dirhams per month. Some beggars earn between 1,000 and 3,000 dirhams.