The Causes, Consequences and Coping Strategies of Streetism in Shashemane Town

Mandoyu Gemeda Genemo

doi:10.11648/j.ijpbs.20180305.11

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to assess the Causes, Consequences and Coping Strategies of Streetism in Shashemane Town. The research method used in this study was mixed method, in order to collect the data and analysis the research quantitatively as well as qualitatively. In this study Purposive and availability sampling technique was used. The participants were 150 street children in Shashemane town and five key informants in Shashamane town which consists in the town women and children affairs head and District Social Welfare Officers, NGOs working in the study area and Police officers in the town. The main data gathering instruments/tools used for this study were questionnaire, interview, document analyses and FGDs. The data pertinent to the study was gathered through questionnaire and analyzed by using descriptive statistics (percentage, frequency,). The result of the study revealed that children came to the streets for searching job, poverty, parental disintegration, peer pressure, family influence, city life attraction, school failure. This study also shows that street children are engaged in diverse livelihood activities that to earn income by shoe shining, involving in petty trading, carrying of goods and other activities. Most children in the study area pass through tremendous problems while living and working on streets. some of the problems they encounter include; lack of basic needs including (food, clothing and shelter), lack of access to services such as education and other services, exposure to aversive weather conditions (sun heat, cold rain), encounter abuses; physical, psychological and sexual.

Highlights

The problem of child streetism has grown over the years and has become a recognized global problem [42]
The finding the present study indicated that majority of street children in the study area were drop out from the school because of different reasons
The findings of this study show that more than half of the respondents are living alone and majorities of street children do not get any type of support either from family, caregivers or organizations, they are forced to engage in street activities to support themselves

Summary

Introduction

The problem of child streetism has grown over the years and has become a recognized global problem [42]. That is to say that this phenomenon is not limited to only certain category of nations, but it is experienced in all nations or countries; especially, in developing countries [35] They represent a marginalized, vulnerable, and victimized segment of society. There are different sets of factors that may prompt a child to leave home. These factors could be economic factors such as poverty, a low standard of living, the child being sent to work at an early age; familial factors such as conflicts in the family, having a step-parent who was abusive, lack of love and attention; social factors such as pressure from peers to move away from home, attraction of city life as compared to the life of the rural areas; psychological factors such as the need to assert one’s independence, the need for more attention [1]

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion