2 November 2008
analysis
Arusha — Every child who lives in the street, who works in the street or who spends time in the street, has an individual and unique history and experience of life. They are all in the streets for their individual reasons. Since Mkombozi campaigns against child abuse and promotes child protection, it is of great importance to cast light on one of the most vulnerable of all groups of children and youth - those who stand outside of the protection of a family, of a community and of society. Children who are in the streets are vulnerable to violence from members of the public, and from eachother. Years ago, Mkombozi first asked this question: What has made children who are in the streets of Arusha and Moshi towns to choose this dangerous and harmful life over the life in their own family?
In order to evaluate our outreach interventions whilst also shedding light on the lives and strategies of children and youth in the streets, Mkombozi has periodically (2003, 2005, 2006) undertaken a geographically focussed census of children and young people who are visible in town areas. In 2006, former street youth were trained to deliver a questionnaire to people in the streets who were under the age of 25, and within a 12 hour period in Moshi and Arusha towns, data was collected from all children and youth who are seen in the town centres.
Research and literature differentiate between "part-time" children and "full-time" children. The part-time children are those who do not live fully in the streets, who come to town during the day or who live periodically both in the home and the streets. Full-time children are those who fully live and spend all their time in the streets. This census counted 173 full-time children and youth in Arusha, and 51 in Moshi. It also counted 467 part-time children and youth in Arusha, and 411 in Moshi.
One of the many questions in the questionnaire was: Is your family a source of support and protection? In Arusha, 56% of full-time children and young people said "never", 14% said "often, 14% said "sometimes" and 14% said "very often." Among the part-time children and young people in Arusha, 34% said "never", 18% said "often", 21% said "sometimes" and 27% said "very often".
When the same question was asked in Moshi among the full-time children and young people, 39% said "never", 10% said "often", 18% said "sometimes" and 33% said "very often". Among the part-time children and young people in Moshi, 18% said "never", 27% said "often", 15% said "sometimes" and 40% said "very often".
31% of Arusha full-time children and youth, and 41% of those in Moshi reported that they spend their time working, and the majority of children and youth in both towns reported that they work for more than 12 hours per day.
After having analyzed the census findings Mkombozi made interesting conclusions: A large portion of children and young people in the streets have migrated to towns in search of employment and opportunities. Another large portion have left homes where they were exposed to abuse, or where they lacked the care of adults. In our country there is rapid urbanization, poverty and youth unemployment. Youth and children who come to the streets have actually, from their own perspective, made a sensible and realistic decision considering the conditions from which they came. The 2006 census shows that children and youth who have come to live in the towns of Moshi and Arusha use the streets as means to raise themselves from lives of poverty and/or abuse. In fact, many see the streets as a road towards self-development and advancement. Unfortunatley, ones a child has come to the streets he or she also runs a high risk of being exposed to violence and adopting to risky behaviours which are harmful to their health, development and well-being.
These census findings tell us that there is a huge need for investment in education and protection services for children, and a need for employment and recreation opportunities for youth. Do you have services that help protecting children from violence in the home in your community? What can be done in your community to give youth opportunities for income generation?
Mkombozi is the leading child-focused agency in Tanzania's Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, using education, research, advocacy, and outreach to help vulnerable children and youth to grow in mind, body and spirit. email: info@mkombozi.org, arusha office: 027 254 4319, moshi office: 027 27 54739, www.mkombozi.org
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