|
“Please may you give me money to buy some buns,” pleads a shabbily dressed little girl along Harare’s busy Angwa Street.
Tied to her leg is a long string attached to her visually handicapped mother’s arm so that she does not wander too far away.
Alongside the mother is another child wailing for attention.
People casually turn a blind eye and go about their business as if everything is normal.
This is a common sight on most of Harare’s busy streets although recent observations by Streets Ahead — a Harare based welfare organisation — indicate that the number of “street kids” in the capital is on the decline.
Shaibu Chitsiku, the Streets Ahead programmes coordinator said they have seen a marginal decrease in the number of children living on the streets this year.
But the organisation believes the seemingly positive trend cannot be attributed to the economic turnaround in the country following the formation of a unity government last year or parents becoming more responsible.
“The number of children goes down greatly during the rainy and winter seasons as they go home and cannot endure these extreme weather conditions,” Chitsiku said.
“However more children are heading to South Africa and Mozambique as the going is now tough for them.”
Chitsiku said although the number of children jumping the borders to neighbouring countries could not be easily verified, a clear trend was emerging.
“The World Cup which ended in South Africa in July was an attractive money making destination for a great number of children who used to frequent our drop-in centre,” he said.
“We saw less children coming and a couple of them informing us upon returning that they had travelled and left their companions in South Africa.”
The drop-in centre run by Streets Ahead offers rehabilitation, food and counselling for the street kids during the day and after the sessions they return to the streets.
Last year in August, Streets Ahead carried out a census on the number of children living and working in and around the streets of Harare.
Of the 705 children discovered to be living in and around the environs of Harare about 43,5% of them had found a home in the central business district.
For several years during the protracted impasse between the Zimbabwe’s main political parties Zanu PF and the MDC, the country witnessed an economic breakdown, which also had its fair share of social problems.
Millions of Zimbabwe settled in neighbouring countries especially in South Africa after escaping the almost decade long economic crisis in the country.
Although there are signs that the economy is on the rebound, the migration of adults and children has not abated because unemployment and the cost of living remains high.
Early this year, the UN Children’s Fund regional protection advisor for East and Southern Africa was quoted as saying the movement of unaccompanied child migrants from Zimbabwe was one of the biggest problems confronting humanitarian agencies in the region.
He said between 3 000 and 15 000 Zimbabwean children were known to move into and out of their country every month.
Meanwhile, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Paurina Mpariwa said government will continue to support programmes aimed at taking children off the streets.
“We worked with Streets Ahead last year as part of our programmes to alleviate the plight of street children,” Mpariwa said.
“We have also encouraged other child welfare related organisations and well wishers to continue working with us to provide accommodation and rehabilitation for these children.”
Rights groups say other than the health hazards associated with living on the streets, the children were more vulnerable to child abusers who take advantage of their poverty.
Girls living on the streets have not been noticeable because they are caught up in the sex industry.
During daytime they appear well nourished and clothed.
Michael Bourdillon, a Streets Ahead board member, points out in a 2001 research paper that girls living on the streets needed more support because of the traumatic sexual abuse that they go through.
Areas such as Sports Diner, Fife Avenue, Fantasy Land and toilets near the Harare Central Police station are the most popular with street children.
Some members of the public in the streets of Harare expressed mixed feelings on the reduction of children living in the streets.
“I just believe that most of these children are troublemakers so they should stay at home.
“Right now the streets are peaceful,” said a young woman who wanted to remain anonymous.
A variety of factors have been cited for the increase in the number of children taking to the streets.
They include pressure to supplement family income, being orphaned and the desire to get pocket money.
But Abuse in its various forms by step parents has been cited by Streets Ahead as the biggest driver.
BY KUDZAI CHIMHANGWA
 |
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
