The shelter’s director Zarie Al-Hakami said on Monday that this year alone, 411 children were placed into their care, of which 363 were deported to their respective countries. Eighteen were handed over to their families, who signed a pledge never to allow them to beg again.
He added that between five and 10 children are brought to the center every day and said the center was currently looking after 30 children of different nationalities, including eight girls.
According to Al-Hakami, the majority of children in the center are from Afghanistan, Nigeria, Yemen and Chad.
He said the center works in close cooperation with security forces, including the passport police.
“These departments bring the children to the center when their parents are in the detention center, waiting either to be deported or released once they rectify their residence situation,” he said.
Al-Hakami said the center will register the personal data of every child who arrives, keep their belongings in special safes, replace their old clothes, examine them medically and prepare a medical report for each of them to prevent contagious diseases from spreading.
Mazen Batterjee, chairman of Al-Bir, said the center was established in 2003 as part of then Makkah Gov. Prince Abdul Majeed’s attempts to crack down on child begging.
“It is the first center of its kind to accommodate child beggars in the Kingdom,” he added.
Batterjee said the center does not only provide shelter to child beggars but give them religious lessons, including teaching of the Qur'an, to help them lead a better life.
