Talibes: Modern Day Slaves

A young talibe is bound by chains in an isolation area of a daara in the city of Touba, May 27, 2015. In this daara, the youngest talibes are shackled by their ankles to stop them from trying to run away. The chain's length only allows them to use an improvised bathroom in a separate area of the daara. These children can stay like that for days, weeks, even months until they gain the trust of the marabout, or teacher. Their guardian explains, "When I release them, I give them the freedom to beg like the rest of the talibes.” (Photograph by Mario Cruz)

Talibes read the Quran inside a daara in Medina District, Dakar, Senegal, May 16, 2015. They have to memorize different parts of the Quran each day before going to the streets to beg for their guardians. (Photograph by Mario Cruz)

Ibrahima Ndao, marabout of a daara in Rufisque, whips a talibe after he mistakenly read an excerpt of the Quran, May 17, 2015. The talibes are subjected to physical violence when they fail to get the daily quota imposed by the marabout or if they make a mistake while reading the Quran. (Photograph by Mario Cruz)

Demba Fati, 14, outside the medical support room of Mason de La Gare center in St. Louis, Senegal, May 20, 2015. His marabout beat him with an iron rod after he tried to escape. Since then, he goes to the center whenever he needs medical care. (Photograph by Mario Cruz)

A talibe begs on a bridge in the Diamaguene area, Senegal, May 18, 2015. Children are forced to beg for an average of eight hours a day; many spend their days almost without eating and end up sleeping on the street due to accumulated fatigue. (Photograph by Mario Cruz)

Talibes sleep together inside a daara in Saint Louis, north of Senegal, May 21, 2015. The daara, with over 30 children, has no clean water and barely any electricity. Children sleep on the concrete floor without any protection. (Photograph by Mario Cruz)

Guinean military police approach a group of children walking through a forest area near Bissau border, Guinea-Bissau, June 15, 2015. Earlier in March 2015, Guinea-Bissau authorities found 54 children hidden inside five vehicles that were crossing the border to Senegal, but Senegalese authorities continue to fail to prosecute traffickers. (Photograph by Mario Cruz)

Runaway talibes stand on the banks of the Senegal River in Saint Louis, north of Senegal, May 20, 2015. Saint Louis is known as Talibe City. Saint Louis is a city of small proportions compared to Dakar but has a large number of talibes, so many of them choose the streets instead of daaras. (Photograph by Mario Cruz)

Children that used to be talibes cool off at SOS Talibe Center in Bafata, Guinea-Bissau, June 8, 2015. The center received 45 cases of talibes returning from Senegal in 2014. Some of them ran away from the daaras, but others were handed over by the marabouts to the authorities when they were brought to the courts. (Photograph by Mario Cruz)