Demographic characteristics of study participants
A total of 103 (n= 65 male and n= 38 female) of street children (age 10-18 years) took part in the study. A total of 29 (n= 15 male and n=11 female) were interviewed and77 (n= 50 male and n= 27 female) participated in (FGDs). Of the 103 participants, 38 had never been to school and 60 (58%) of the total were dropped their education whereas, 5 (5%) were into schooling through in and off fashion. Of the total, 40 (39%) of participants were informally “married” to one another to cope the challenges of street life. Thirty-three participants were newly joined to street, while 16 of participants were lived for more than 5 years.
Table: 1, Demographic characteristic of street children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2019.
Used research tools
FGDs
|
No of participants
|
Sex
|
Educational background
|
Years lived on-street
|
Schooling
Status
|
Marital status
|
Male
|
Female
|
Had never been to school
|
Primary (1 to 6)
|
Junior 2ry education (7 & 8)
|
Newly joined
|
One year
|
2-5 yrs
|
5+ yrs
|
In
|
drop
|
Single
|
Informally married
|
Male FGDs
|
FGD1
|
9
|
9
|
-
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
9
|
5
|
4
|
FGD2
|
11
|
11
|
-
|
6
|
4
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
2
|
-
|
1
|
10
|
7
|
4
|
FGD3
|
8
|
8
|
-
|
3
|
5
|
-
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
6
|
2
|
FGD4
|
12
|
12
|
-
|
5
|
6
|
1
|
3
|
6
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
11
|
7
|
5
|
FGD5
|
10
|
10
|
-
|
4
|
5
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
-
|
10
|
6
|
4
|
Female FGDs
|
FGD6
|
8
|
-
|
8
|
5
|
-
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
-
|
8
|
5
|
3
|
FGD7
|
10
|
-
|
10
|
6
|
-
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
10
|
6
|
4
|
FGD8
|
9
|
-
|
9
|
6
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
8
|
6
|
3
|
Total
|
77
|
50
|
27
|
39
|
5
|
24
|
27
|
28
|
13
|
9
|
-
|
74
|
48
|
29
|
In-depth interviews
|
|
26
|
15
|
11
|
15
|
9
|
2
|
6
|
5
|
8
|
7
|
2
|
24
|
15
|
11
|
Total
|
103
|
65
|
38
|
54
|
14
|
26
|
33
|
33
|
21
|
16
|
5
|
98
|
63
|
40
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FGD n= 77 (n= 50 males and n=27 females), In-depth interviews n= 26 (n= 15 males and n= 11 females).
Initiation, challenges, means of survival and perceived strategies to alleviate plight of street life
The framework analysis result findings of both in-depth interviews and FGDs of street children are presented in the table below.
Table: 2, Major thematic areas, sub- themes and categories of in-depth interviews and FGDs of street children in Ethiopia, 2019.
Major thematic areas
|
Sub-themes and Categories
|
Theme 1: Initiation into street life
|
1.1. Pushing factors into street life
1.2. Challenges of living on the street
1.2.1 Lack of social ties and networks
1.2.2 Critical shortage of basic needs
1.2.3 Physical, sexual and verbal harassments
1.2.4 Child trafficking
1.2.5 Available government programs and initiatives to halt the plights
|
Theme 2: Means of survival and coping mechanisms
|
2.1. Formation of group life versus collective security
2.1.1.Inter or intra group conflict of interest
2.2 Sharing available resources and vital information
2.2.1 Sex as a means of survival
|
Theme 3: Street children’s perceived strategies of safety and security
|
3.1. Governmental and non-governmental structure to regulate and protect street children
3.1.1 Separate shelter to spend over the night
3.1.2 Regular health education, health services and life coaching
3.1.3 Controlling body to ensure the safety of street children
3.1.4 Creation of income generating activities for self-help
3.2 Community strengthening as a preventive strategy
3.2.1 Reintegration with families or extended relatives
|
Theme 1: Initiation into street life
Initiation into street life might be either joining alone or as group. When one joins a street life, he/she will be introduced to the hierarchy of group structure, line of command, power, sex, loyalty, role and responsibilities of the group, since it is the begging of a new life with strangers.
Five of the 7 FGDs discussants reported rather than joining street life as a single person, joining by a group has a great advantage. When you join the street by group, you do not have the problem of socialization with others. You might not face the harassment of first day arrival by other groups or individuals. “Especially, if you have one or more experienced street children, you will get the information how to live on street, how to search for basic needs and safety and security, that is the great group who can survive and protect themselves from any type of harassments” (FGD).
Discussants (5 of 7 FGDs) reported when you flee to street, you don’t have anybody who looks after you. You are the one who run for the basic needs like food, shelter and clothing. With new environment, coping challenges of basic needs shortage (food, shelter and cloth) is too difficult. In addition, you are stranger for the area and struggling to live with strangers you might get on street. Participants reported “If you joined street life as a single person, your fate is on the hand of strangers you met on street. They have a power over your body and can do what they like. On the first day arrival, you don’t know the people whom with you are having sleeping quarter. Most of the time, group sex is common for the new comers. If you reject their idea, you will have beaten up and chased away from that particular place. Thus, the first day of arrival to a particular street is the most difficult one as to our experiences” (FGD).
Case study and narrative from interviewees
The fourteen-year street boy interviewee said that he arrived at Addis Ababa around bus station at 6:00 PM. He was looking for shelter and something to eat, while he was looking for shelter the time came to 8:00PM. He said one of street boy told him to sleep with over the night. When he heard this, he was very happy. He gave me bread and took him to the railway building where he has been sleeping. He shared him nigh cloth and they slept together. “Just after an hour, he forced me to have anal sex. I swear to St. merry, he had anal sex with me and continued it over the night. Starting form that day, I lost my confidence to my sexual identity. I was thinking about that from time to time. Really, the first day of joining street life was the most challenge one for me. I hope every new comer experienced this ugly life” (interviewee 7). Concurrently, seven interviewees shared the same experiences.
Case study and narrative from interviewees
A female interviewee pointed that her mother was late and she is the only child they have. Since the death of her mother, her father drank alcohol every day. Later on, her father forced her to have sex. Always he drank alcohol and back to home at night and enforced to have sex with her. “Hmmm…forcefully, he had sex with me. This situation left me to psychological trauma. One day, I decided to escape from home to join street life and I fled to street. On her first day arrival of Addis Ababa Street, she met one older street boy. He greeted and talked to her. He said, I think you seems new comer to this area and she said yes. He requested her to stay with him and she said where? He said I am street boy and living here under railway building. “I said alright, but now I am very hungry, would you give me something to eat? He run away and brought me bread. Then, I decided to be with him. We slept together and he shared me his night cloth and we enjoyed sex over the night. Now, I have been two years on the street. Still, he is my informal husband. To survive, sometimes I am practicing commercial sex with strangers and have a paid sex”. On the next day, she will back to her informal husband and buy basic needs to share with him. When she had a paid sex they were happy and enjoy their time. Their stomachs become full and thought to enjoy. Then they bought khat and enjoy their day by chewing over the day. “Know, I felt the ideal freedom, even though I am selling my flesh to survive and facing many derogatory and abusive words. Even if I am selling my flesh to survive, I am psychologically free compared to with the previous time that I faced at home. Imagine, having sex with your father. Hmm…..in my life, I don’t forget its psychological pain forever” (interviewee 17). Similarly, two female interviewees reported the same tragedies (interviewees 19, 26).
Reportedly (5 of the 7 FGDs) said getting friends on street seems a great opportunity on first day of arrival. But it has its own consequences, for the newly arrived one. When you newly joined the street, you meet with the group of street children and they treat you with available basic needs. They gave you bread, night cloth and sleeping quarter which is a great opportunity for new comers. But later on, you might be facing many challenges. Over the night, they enforce to have sex whether anal or vaginal. You know first you will be treated well and later face the hideous life that you couldn’t forget in your life” (FGD).
Twenty-five of the 26 interviewees and 3 of 7 FGDs pointed male and female have the same sleeping quarters, which is the opportunity for group sex. The new arrivals on the particular streets used as sex objectives by older boys as well by guardians. Participants pointed, “Any sexual relations i.e., group sex, oral, anal and vaginal sex will happen to you. Mostly, such sexual relationships are used as a defense for the new comers. In the case of refusal such sexual advances, the new comers are beaten up and chased away from that area” (interviewees).
Male discussants (4 of 7) reported, to adapt new socialization and survive street life, you should accept what your seniors said whether it harm you or not. On the first day of arrival you should welcome whether sex, physical or verbal harassment. “The psychological trauma of post-anal penetration is the most painful one. You may think again and again about the situation. Even you may face mental health problems like hopelessness, depressive symptoms, self-harm, and in the worst circumstances up to suicidal attempt. To be out of this depression, you might be start drugs and get relief of the psychological pain. Gradually, you might be adopting the pain of penetration and form harmonized relation with friends on street. The situation is re-cycling. After you become senior on the street, you may do the same thing on the new arrivals and can’t be out of this circuit” (FGD).
Sub-theme 1.1: Pushing factors into street life
Participants revealed the complexity of push and pull factors that pose a risk of flee to the street. Discussants reported poverty, divorce, separation of parents, death of one or both parents, economic decline, single-parent households, child abuse, neglect, alcohol abuse, school dropout, family size and traditional values were the top factors to flee to street. Nineteen interviewees revealed that death of the family, destruction of extended relatives relation and poverty are the most common factors to flee to street. Due to the above factors, millions of children flee to street and being highly vulnerable to child trafficking, physical and sexual harassments.
Sub-theme 1.2: Challenges of living on the street
Discussants reported when you face any of pushing and/or pulling factors, you can’t expect good situation to live with your family. The only chance is escaping to the street to feel the ideal of freedom. The challenges of being street child separately asked the first day joining street challenges and throughout the street life. Discussants noted, both of the conditions (first day exposure and throughout street life) have their own challenges. “You might be facing many challenges on the day of arrival to a particular street as well throughout your life span of street. The only chance, you have will be living with the sorest condition of street life that you might be face” (interviewees).
Reportedly, absence of clear and contextualized strategies and policies as well as little attention of government to address and prevent the occurrence of plight against street children are making us highly vulnerable to any kind of harassments and problem of human basic needs (FGD).
Category 1.2.1: Lack of social ties and networks
Five of the 7 FGDs discussants reported starting from the day of flee from home, street children lost social ties and networks with their families and communities where they born. They join an environment where devoid of affection, love, care and comfort. “We are considering ourselves as thrown-away children, where anybody abuse, harass and in extreme cases murder you. We are living in ignored world by our families and communities. We are the most deprived people with no access to family love, care and affection. Nobody looks after you. You don’t have any one to protect you. For whom do you cry?” (FGD).
Twenty- three interviews pointed street children were found instable to stay in a specific place for a longer period. Due to this, lack proper social ties and networks common. “We are alone (no father or mother) who care for you. If you try to have healthy social networks with the community, the entire of the society hate you, due to our dirty living style”, (interviewees). They said street children are using different substances to temporarily mask their problems and relived from its pain. Thus, they are more experienced with different substances. “You feel hopelessness, your current and future life is dark. We cry out for help but from where? There is no one in our side. At times we feel lonely; we suffer from lack of sleep, anxiety, isolation and face mood depression. To avoid such conditions, we use local alcohol, glue, hashish and Khat” (FGD).
Category 1.2.2: Critical shortage of daily basic needs
Twenty-one interviewees and 3 of 7 FGDs discussants reported street children are young people who are living in ignored tragedy with the shortage of basic needs. As one human being, street children need basic needs from their biological families to have healthy life, but in our case, we are responsible to look for. “At this age, we are conciliating our schooling and forced to engaging our-selves in begging, collecting materials from the garbage. You are the only one who acts as father or mother to be responsible for the daily basic needs. Furthermore, we are welcoming any type of violence (physical, verbal and sexual) either from the community or among ourselves, while looking for basic needs (FGD). All discussants and (23 of 26, 88% interviewees) agreed the most challenge of living on street is lack of basic needs. “The experience of street life appeared harder than the most you expected (interviewees).
Sub- theme 1.2.3: Physical, sexual and verbal harassments
Five FGDs discussants and 19 of 26 interviewees reported street children are living in the world, where they are forced for early sexual initiation, multiple sexual partners, group sex, either of homo or heterosexual intercourses. This situation exposes them for health problems i.e. HIV/STIs, hepatitis, its psychological trauma and other health related problems. Most of street children imitate early sexual intercourse before flee to street, where there is abusive families or extended families force them and be a main reason to flee. Others forced to have sex either anal or vaginal on the first day of arrival of street or in their life span of street. New arrivals are prone to sexual abuse and exploitation by older street boys, group of street children or watchmen to secure protection in advance. In the case of refusal, they have beaten up and chased away. Participants pointed “While living on the street, both male and female faces similar physical and sexual violence. Either of male or female have the fate of sexual harassment and which is the worst one in the first day of initiation into street life. The other most intricacy of the first day arrival, street children were facing either anal or vaginal sex with the street boy or guardians. Both male and female will face this ugly life for the purpose of future protection. You will stay in a same sleeping quarter (under railway building, veranda etc...), where forced for anal and vaginal penetration. Such unwilling sexual intercourses are rampant among us or watchmen. Most of male participants have reported as post-anal penetration painful psychological trauma is common. When you become experienced, you can do the same thing to the new comers, if you don’t afraid of your God” (FGD).
Anybody can beat you if you resist any violence. Due to this, engaging in unprotected sex with strangers is common, where condom use is vested under the interest of strangers. If he or she refused condom use, we have forced to engage in unprotected sex. Our intention is on the money rather than protected or unprotected sex. Furthermore, we are living in ignored world, where there is no any policy that protect street child from any harassments. Due to this, physical and sexual violence including beating, rape, group and forced sex are common on the streets (Interviewees).
Category 1.2.4: Child trafficking
Even though description of the root causes for child trafficking is too difficult, millions of street children have been experiencing it at least once in their life time. Street children are vulnerable to child trafficking due to poverty, domestic violence, family ignorance and illiteracy. Five of FGDs discussants reported street child trafficking has occurred within the city or out of the city for child labor or sex. People need you for cheap uncompensated labor force. “We are highly vulnerable for trafficking. The trafficking encompasses within the city (Addis Ababa) or other cities/towns where cheap labor force or sexual exploitation are common (FGD).
Two of the 26 interviews reported street children have limited education or illiteracy and poor socio-cultural factors which made them vulnerable to trafficking. A fifteen-year boy interviewee reported “Me and my friend came from Harargeh (east part of the country). One day, two females came and have taken us to their home. We arrived home and immediately they offer us to shower and clothes to change. Then, they forced us to have sex. I have been there for three days and run away from there. But my friend is still with them” (interviewees). Similarly, interviewees (11/26) shared the same tragedies (interviewees).
Category 1.2.5: Available government programs and initiatives to halt the plights of street children
African governments are incapacitated and slow to address the difficulties of street children. Today governments are increasingly taking ruthless and crooked steps to support and solve problems of street children. Such uncoordinated traditional response by most of African governments and elsewhere has been lagging to solve problems of street children.
Even though there are policies and strategies targeting women and children, complete and representative data on street children as well as strategies particular to street children are hardly available. Thus, street children have been considered as felon, out laws and having a mentality of committing crime by both law keeping bodies as well as the society. This in turn is affecting street children to be accepted by their community and get the legal protection under the law.
Discussants pointed, “We are human beings with no legal protection and forgotten groups by the government. The police always harass, beat and jail us without any evidence because they don’t think of us as a normal person with legal rights. If someone among us goes to prison with small crime or just with suspicion, it will be difficult to get someone to bell him out. No one cares or trusts us. We stay in prison for weeks or months whether we do crime or not. We are just people with no legal protection” (FGD).
Most of interviewees (19 of the 26) reported, “Government doesn’t know us. We hear things over media about street children but none have the intention of doing practical things on street children. They just talk what they feel and for the sake of their job; they don’t even know a bit about street life. You know it from their discussion. On the other hand, police is our enemy. If something happens, we are their first option and victims of their ruthless beating. They beat us like dogs. We are just bunch of criminals in their eyes; who happened to be out laws and just hate being legal. How can we think that the government knows us, while their people treat us like animals? It’s ridiculous! The society is better. At least, we hustle and make our daily living because they let us. There are good people who help and provide us with different things” (Interviewees).
Most of discussants (5 of the 7 FGDs) reported absence of clear and contextualized strategies and policies as well as little attention of government to address and prevent the occurrence of difficulties of street children are making them more and more vulnerable to harassments, denial of access to education and health services.
Theme 2: Means of survival and coping mechanisms
Pushing and pulling factors like poverty, death of family and social exclusion forcing more children to work on the street and enabling them to take an active role in informal work to sustain the street life. Six of FGDs discussants and 17 of 26 interviewees reported living in street environment places them at special risks of harassment, violence and aggressive behavior that put them under negative influences. To resist such actions, most of street children form small groups to counteract the negative influences. They are extremely aware of the problematic and often dangerous environment in which they reside, they tend to be strict in their practices, encouraging children to respect to participate in collective security. They have obsessive concern about troubles and remind their group members to be lookout for situations that might lead to conflict. New comers should have taken advice at the first time to join the group.
Sub-theme 2.1: Formation of group life and collective security
Six of focus group discussants and (16 of 26, 62%) of interviewees pointed physical and sexual exploitation are common harassment on the street. To cope with such a harsh lifestyle, street children form a group which enable them mutual support and protection with a strong sense of companionship within the group. They have their own group norm with a code of the streets.
Street children are governing interpersonal behavior and violence through, informal rules. The rules prescribe both a proper comportment and a proper way to respond if challenged. They regulate the use of violence and so allow those who are inclined to aggression to precipitate violent encounters in an approved way. The rules have been established and are enforced mainly by the street-oriented ways. Everybody knows that if the rules are violated, there are penalties. “Street world is characterized by miserable deprivation, subjected to physical, verbal and sexual abuse, and victims of violence. We are forming a group and try to resist any violence over the night in the form of group security. We have a group norm which leaded by one of brilliant and older one. Through forming group security, we protect ourselves from violence and harassments. Within the group, there is sometimes intrapersonal violence, most likely by the older street children” (FGD).
Category 2.1.1: Inter or intra group conflict of interest
Discussants 5 of the 7 FGD participants said most of the time, the group might be dysfunction and disperse its members. Many things are uncertain about how long we are living and we believe we may die due to violence among ourselves or by violent strangers at any time. They accept this fate and living on the border. Anybody can intimidate you; we try to counteract of the intimidation. During this time, you don’t know what will happen on you. We discourage the violence as a primary solution of resolving disputes and encourage the group members to accept nonviolence behavior. But, if the negotiation goes down, every group member runs for self-defense. Many of us much more concerned about the threat of our norms. If somebody, threat the norm fighting within the group is common. Even though the nonviolent orientation rarely overcomes the impulse to strike back in an encounter, it may lead to certain confusion and lead to a profound violence among the group. Hence, the member of the group strives to go for bad action against each other (FGD).
Female discussants (2/7 FGD) reported females are mimicking the male and try to have their own version of manhood. “When you act as manhood, you get respect and will be recognized by the group members. We try to achieve this in the ways that established by the boys and doing what the male street child do i.e. using abusive language and to be recognized person to actively participate in resolving disputes within the group or between the groups” (FGD).
Five of the 7 FGDs discussants pointed conflict among female street children exists due to the assessment of beauty girl within the group i.e. which girl in a group is the most beauty and competition over boyfriends within the group or from other groups. “A main cause of conflict within the group is he says, she says roomer. Usually one girl might be said something negative about somebody in a group, behind that person. The negative say will back to the person talked about. In such essence this might be led to group gossiping in which it can be the main reason for the group violence” (FGD).
Almost all of FGD discussants reported factors that increase risk of group violence behavior are a complex interaction or combination of factors leads to an increased risk of violent behavior. The factors like previous aggressive behavior, being victim of physical or sexual abuse, competition for the cute girl, drug use and he/she said roomer about somebody within or between the group/s are the most leading factors of violence within or between the groups. Due to this, the group member will be dispersed and look for another group to join.
Sub-theme 2.2: .Sharing available resources and vital information
All of FGDs respondents noted everybody within the group has his/her responsibility to look for daily basic needs. Every individual within the group has his or her mandate. Some of the individuals participate in manual work, scavenging through garbage, begging whereas, female might be taking the responsibility to act as sex worker and bring the money for the group. “Sharing resources and information is our fundamental activity. We have our own subculture which gave us group identity. The group has its own rule to welcome newcomers to the group with the mandate of orienting survival skills and socializing the new comers to the group. We offer information for the new comers. New arrivals advised means of survival and as streets are full of drugs and violence. By any means, the group develop their own means of survive and self-support” (FGD).
The 17 of 26, (65%) of interviewees pointed to survive this harsh world, we are engaging ourselves in all kind of activities that bring money. At this age, we are engaging ourselves in shining of shoes, pushing trucks and gathering and carrying it to the dumpsite, sell rubber bags at the market, scavenging garbage and engaging in paid sex. To survive on street, you engage yourself in any type of activities” (Interviewees).
Category 2.2.1 Sex as a means of Survival
All FGDs discussants and 22 of the 26 interviewees’ respondents pointed most of street children turn to prostitution in order to survive. Both of male and female are highly at risk of participating unwillingness sex to survive. Where, unprotected sex with strangers made them vulnerable to health problems and early unwanted pregnancies. “To survive, we engage our selves in prostitution. Prostitution is the main income generating activity for our informal wife. If you see the streets over the night, it was congregated with many young women. Most of them are our informal wife acting as prostitution ladies and seeking for paid sex. When she back to act as a wife, we share the money and expense for our basic needs. If she has informal husband within the group, her husband is the one who share the money with her. If the group face lack of daily basic needs, her husband is responsible to buy food for that day (FGDs).
Homo sexual activities are common among boys. If survival is very tense, boys forced to have paid sex. Sometimes boys engage themselves in homo sexual intercourse, due to immediate need of basic needs. “With outsiders homo-sexual is common, if other means of survival are unsuccessful. Our intention is on the money rather than protected or unprotected homo sexual activities. But, psychological pain of post anal sex was the most challenging one to categorize your sexual identity” (Interviewees).
Theme 3: Street children’s perceived strategies of safety and security
By most of governments in Africa and elsewhere the response to street children problems has been subjugated. Politicians, policy makers, and urban planners seem to be helpless in their efforts to either resolve the problem or assist street children. They do not offer any viable alternative and failed to set down realistic and concrete solutions). This qualitative inquiry explored street children perceived strategies that help to develop clear and contextualized understanding of street life and addressing the plight of this marginalised group in need to attention and to recommend policy makers and urban planners for urgent interventions to alleviate and prevent the occurrence of plights against street children.
Twenty-two of 26 interviewees and 3/7 FGD reported street children are confronting by a large number of problems. Growing up in a dangerous environment area incur them risky people. They are living in the world where their rights are always compromised. “We haven’t access to health, education and daily basic needs that are fundamental for human beings” (Interviewees).
All of FGDs and (25 of the 26, 96%) of interviewees reported the problem of street children is depending on individual situations. In fact, their problem is sometimes individualized, depending on personal history that made him/her flee to street and personal status while living on street. “Hence, the care of street children must be effective through addressing personal situation through categorizing similar problems and addressing the categorized problems holistically. To do this, studying child profile and categorizing similar profiles and attempting to solve strategically is imperative. To do this, better understanding of children living and growing up on the streets is essential. In such ways, key institutions or individuals understand the structural causes of our situations and easily mitigate our problems case by case” (FGD
Sub-theme 3.1: Governmental and non-governmental structure to regulate and protect street children
Category 3.1.1: Separate shelter to spend over the night
Six of the 7 FGD discussants reported whatever the reason, being a street child means going hungry, sleeping in insalubrious places, facing violence and sometimes becoming an expiatory victim. Street environment offer no protection to street children from any type of harassments and suffer of cold and rain since there is no safe sleeping quarter. The mainstreams of street children are living in conditions of severe deprivation and unsafe environment which place them at all kinds of health risks. The majority of focus group discussants reported “We are living in harsh environment and with no shelter, where male and female share the same sleeping quarters. This situation amplifies sexual violence among us and community. We are looking for help for the provision of separate and safe night shelter” (FGD).
Twenty-three of the 26 interviewees pointed lack of night shelter on the street is providing an enabling environment for prostitutes, where older street child, night guardians/watchmen forcibly engage in unprotected sex. “We are begging for multi-cultural approach practices that might be amenable for the provision of night shelter for us. It benefits potentially to reduce the risk of harassments, cold and rain that we are suffering from”.
Category 3.1.2: Regular health education, access to health services and life coaching
Nineteen of 26 interviewees reported regular health education, access to health services and life coaching are necessary to make street children healthy, educated and happy living. The health of street children is strongly compromised form day to day. “We …. Street children do not have access to sanitary facilities that made us often dirty and infested with fleas. Due to lack of hygiene, we are exposed to different diseases (Interviewees).
Five of the 7 FGD and (21 of 26, 81%) of interviewees pointed poor living styles have negative impact not only on their physical and psychological development, but also their cultural and economic development. “We street children, are looking for any organizations or individuals, who make our education reality and who can help us to access health services and able to coach our living styles. If we are aware of the ways of infection transmissions, we recognize them and protect ourselves in our life span of streets” (FGD).
Category 3.1.3: Controlling body to ensure safety and security of street children
Six of the 7 FGDs and (24 of the 26, 92%) participants highlighted since street children are marginalized group of young peoples, they are often victims of discrimination and face sexual and physical violence on a daily basis fashion. Community members have prejudices that stigmatize them as street children. Consequently, they are facing dangerous of street life.
“Nobody stand behind us to look after or protect our rights. Anybody came and abuse you physically or sexually. If it is possible, we are requesting for controlling body that can ensure our safety here on streets. Generally, we are requesting government or non-government organization, for protection services of street child. We are looking for any organizations or individuals who can ensure our right and possibly reduce our vulnerability level and able to live in the freedom” (Interviewees and FGD).
Category 3.1.4: Creation of income generating activities (IGAs) for self-help
The majority (interviewees n=19) and all FGDs of study participants were highly interested to the IGAs for self-help. Discussants reported street children working conditions are more hazardous and less likely to be protected by the employment legislation, since we are participating in informal sectors of activities. Twenty-four of the 26, 92% of interviewees reported “We are looking for local authorities or international organizations support to establish micro-enterprise to able us self-help, where the government ensure safety working environment with protected employment legislations. Every day, we participate in informal sector activities where the employer abuse you and even paid uncompensated payment and sometimes refuse to reimburse of the activities you have did”. Six of the seven FGD discussants reported; to ensure self-help of street children, creating small micro-enterprises need to be given access to capital finance operations and upgrading of their equipment by the government to generate self help by local and international actors.
Sub-theme 3.2: Community strengthening as preventative strategy
Almost all (24 of the 26, 92%) of interviewees preferred preventive strategies within the community in advance prior to flee. Preventive strategies within the community are a main concern to minimize the magnitude of street children on the street. They noted preventive strategies can address the main reason of flee from home before being a reason of flee. “For our most of street children, the main reasons of flee to street are material and financial problems, abusive family like step mother or father, poverty and inability to schooling are the factors lie behind the departure of us to street (interviewees).
Six of FGDs said if the government body and community members detect their problems timely and monitor through social welfare within the community, they might not be on street today. Reported they need funded and fully mainstreamed social welfare programmes in the community, who can early detect the vulnerable child and able to take measurements. You know, if there are such services for vulnerable children in the community, it is possible to address the root cause and our complex challenges that made us street boy or girl. Even, this can be addressed by the religious and community leaders where they can do reality of our schooling materials and advising our abusive families to not do abusive actions” (FGD). Similarly, most (23 of the 26, 88%) of interviewees were perceived preventive strategy as a main solution.
Case study and narrative from interviewees
Fourteen-year old female interviewee reported “My father was late. After a year, my mother married another person. My step father made me always farming and denied me to schooling. With this hard work, nobody care about me. That is why, I joined street life. Thus, if the community members responsibly, advocate the right of vulnerable child and mobilize the community for our rights and schooling materials as well as encouraging us to speak out our problems in the community, definitely they can prevent the suffer we are facing here on street (interviewee 25). Most (21 of the 26, 81%) of interviewees and four of focus group discussants reported the same tragedy in their life experiences.
Category 3.2.1: Reintegration with families or extended relatives
Eighteen of 26, 69% interviewees and (4 of the 7 FGDs) of discussants were denied the value of reintegration. They said returning back to the abusive families is not good option. They pointed reunite with the families where you are vulnerable and victim for neglect, abusive domestic violence either by step mother or father, hard work and shortage of food is not a good option. Among the total participants only (8 of 26, 31%) (Male n=5 and female n=3) interviewees and (2 of the 7) focus group participants agreed positively the value of reintegration. Even though they have agreed on the reintegration with the families or extended families, they highlighted that it should be with the legal background and the families should agree to nonviolent behavior and promise to schooling with the presence of witness. “Ideally, reintegration is a good solution. However, if your families do the same thing as previous reasons of flee, it hasn’t sense. Due to this, during reintegration, our families should promise us nonviolence behavior and provision of schooling materials as well enough food”.