No student in the street, no child without a roof. The message is displayed on a large banner in front of the Félix Faure school in the 15th arrondissement. Teachers and parents, gathered in the “Jamais sans toit-Paris 15” collective, demonstrated on Wednesday to raise awareness about the urgent situation of children sleeping on the streets. In the Balard neighborhood alone, eight families with around ten children are affected. This is an intolerable situation for these teachers and parents who have sought assistance from public authorities, but with no results.
Children aged 4 to 9, who have nowhere to go once school is over. “We realized that there are children sleeping on the streets,” explains Nicole Maupetit, president of the Mikado* homework assistance association. “One day, we told a child to read over a text when he got home. He replied, ‘I don’t have a home.’ It was a wake-up call for us!”
“They sometimes sleep in gyms, in the subway, under a bridge, in hospital waiting rooms,” explains Sophie, a member of the collective. A situation that is paradoxical, as these children have the right to an education and have been enrolled in our schools in a completely regular manner. But once it’s past 4:30 PM, they are found on the sidewalk with no rights. That’s what’s not right. You must be consistent. If they have the right to school, they have the right to a roof as well.
Parents have decided to take matters into their own hands by launching a petition and organizing a fundraiser, which has already exceeded 1900 euros. With this money, Laetitia, the mother of a second grader, hopes to be able to provide these families with some warm clothes and food have been collected and distributed to the families.
This citizen mobilization has received support from several left-wing elected officials, including Paris Green Party senator Anne Souyris. “It’s important because we’re faced with the reality of the situation. In the streets of Paris, there is an unprecedented number of families with small children. It’s scandalous in a democracy, in a city, in a France that is so rich, that should not allow people in danger to be on the streets, which is the case for children.”
To help these children on the streets, the link for the fundraiser can be found here and the petition on change.org.
