This document discusses shadow children, who are street children without parental care or social protection. It notes that there are tens of millions of shadow children worldwide. The document then outlines some of the dangers shadow children face, such as human trafficking, abuse, and being forced to work as child soldiers. It also discusses how several Rotary clubs and districts have worked to support shadow children in countries like Argentina, Belarus, Ecuador, and Egypt by funding organizations that provide services to these vulnerable youth.

1. SHADOW CHILDREN
by Laura Dryjanska
Rotary Club Roma Centenario – District 2080

2. WHO ARE SHADOW
CHILDREN
• A recent definition proposed by the Consortium for
Street Children, considers street children as those to
whom the street is the main point of reference and it
plays a central role in their lives
• Street children are often invisible, difficult to define
and to count
• The exact number of street children is impossible to
quantify, but the figure almost certainly runs into tens
of millions across the world (UNICEF)

3. Fate of shadow children
• Human trafficking
• Organ transplantation
• Pornography
• Sexual abuse
• Forced to work
• Child soldiers
• Organized crime

4. SHADOW CHILDREN IN
OUR LIVES
• Roberto Giua: Shadow Children District Committee
Coordinator
• Personal experiences: Valeria (Rotary Club Roma
Cassia), Laura (Rotary Club Roma Centenario) and
Roberto (E-Club Rom@.it)

5. WHAT CAN WE DO?
• September 2009 – Shadow Children as a club
project
• Awareness campaign with PDG Luciano di Martino
• The first Shadow Children Forum at La LUMSA
University in Rome in November 2009
• Group Study Exchange – Rotarian Nora Barbaresi
• Finding partners worldwide
• USD 42,000 (financial support from the District
2080, donations and fundraising)

6. We aren’t the only ones
who care
• Rotary Clubs in Italy:
• Rotary Clubs Worldwide

7. ARGENTINA
• Since September 2009
• Hogar San Cayetano in Pilar and Hogar El Milagro
in Mercedes
• Financial support from the District 2080
• Rotary Club Pilar Norte volunteers
• Featured key Rotarian: District 4825 - DG 2013-
2014 Graciela Oriol

8. belarus
• Since June 2010
• Cooperation with PUER
• Holidays for orphanages from Belarus
• Rotary District 2230 (Poland, Belarus and Ukraine)
• Featured key Rotarian: PP Piero Cacace

9. ECUADOR
• Since June 2011
• Centro Encuentro in Puyo
• See us on the Rotary Showcase
• Rotary Club Puyo
• Featured key Rotarian: PDG Luciano di Martino

10. EGYPT
• Since September 2012
• FACE
• Childcare center for the little ones
ages 0-3
• Rotary Club Rhein Nile
• Featured key Rotarian: Maria
Laura D’Onofrio

11. Research location
26%
20%
8%
8%
2%
9%
27%
Research location by continent
Africa
Asia
Central America
Europe
North America
South America
Unspecified