Institute of Social Transformation

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Browsing Institute of Social Transformation by Author "Gebrehiwo, Solomon"

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    Street Children in Nairobi: Case Study of St.Charles Lwanga School, Kibera
    (Tangaza University College, 2001-04) Gebrehiwo, Solomon
    The phenomenon of street children is almost a worldwide phenomenon, but prevalent in urban areas, especially in the less developed countries. In Kenya, street children were initially identified in the late 1960s as "Parking Boys"; but the problem of street children began to be explicitly felt in the 1970s. The word "parking" denotes the activity that these children were mostly engaged in, identifying and showing motorists empty spaces to park their vehicles and watching the vehicles to guard them against thieves. The motorists usually paid them some little money for such services. The term "street children" gradually replaced "parking boys", mainly because girls also went into the streets to join the boys and both of them now engaged in activities beyond just showing motorists where to park their vehicles and guarding them. Who is responsible for the creation of street children? Clearly, it is not just their mistake that explains their being on the streets. Nor can we say that their parents are solely responsible for their status. Rather, it is today's social setup and the manner in which one has been brought up. Street children hardly have a social status in the larger society. Existence is tolerated but not trusted, as their abode and background are not known. Many city dwellers would prefer street children not to be near their residential areas or places, even though most of these children are not delinquent and are safe to deal with. Attempt to seek better understanding of the street children's root causes is crucial. It is necessary to perceive it in the context of the various contemporary issues, such as added pressure applied on society by the structural adjustment programs (SAPs), particularly is the effect of shifting the burden of costs for social services to the user. This is probably a major cause of school dropout, some of whom sooner or later find their way into the streets. It is my hope that the developing world will soon come up with better economic policies and better legislation that favor the rights of children so that this escalating situation of street children may be curbed.