She painted the windows a cheery yellow, bought desks made by a local carpenter and brought in three like-minded teachers. Then she culled 44 kids aged nine to 12 from the streets and the corrugated metal huts they call home to teach them to read, write and count in a three-year program so that they might have a chance at a future. We won't take them younger than nine because if they graduate before 12 they're still young enough to be sent back out begging by their parents. Sanders has compiled statistics on 50 of the around 200 families in the shantytown, which lies between Sabra and Shatila, in the shadow of Cite Sportive. From these 50 families, only two or three fathers work at any given time.
Mothers average nine children.
And despite what's commonly thought, most children have at least one Lebanese parent. Still, they lack the official status needed for public education. One reason for this is that to be officially recognized, a marriage between Muslims must be registered before both sheikh and the civil authorities. For children born to a second wife, whose only proof of marriage is often a promissory note signed by the man, chances are slim of ever becoming legal. With money collected during annual fundraising trips to churches in the U.S., Sanders sponsors the lucky ones who do have papers to public schools only 60 children last year.