Paper short abstract:

Repatriation as a measure to fight child trafficking is examined with Bissau-Guinean Quran school boys in Senegal as a case in point. After capture in Senegal, by NGO workers, the boys experience mixed reception in the home village and most return.

Paper long abstract:

The repatriation of Quran school boys from Guinea-Bissau asking for alms on behalf of their teachers, the marabouts, begins with their 'capture.' After being either 'captured' or having oneself 'captured' for a free ride home ahead of the intensive labor period, the boys are transferred to a transit center, first in Senegal and then in Guinea-Bissau. The aim is to explore repatriation as an anti-trafficking measure. Data is based on series of fieldworks in the period 2009-2017 with particular focus on the marabouts, boys, parents, villagers and NGO staff.

The parents find the handover ceremony of their sons in Guinea-Bissau humiliating. Under a threat of imprisonment, the father has to sign a paper that confirms that his son will stay in the village. Those boys who had themselves 'captured' to help their parents and marabout are well received while the others are stigmatized and met with mistrust and rejection at family and community level. Despite threats taking the fathers to court, most boys return to Senegal. Some continue with their Quran studies others find some 'trade' or recruit peers at home to ask for alms in Senegal. Through the circulation of boys, the NGOs workers keep their transit centers busy while some marabouts and parents take advantage of the repatriation annually as free transport ahead of the harvest time. The NGOs, equipped with the Palermo Protocol and funds from the international community, are on the defense. The marabouts, the religious leaders, equipped with symbolic capital, are the masters of the game.