ADDRESSING VIOLENCE AND CAREER TALK WITH STREET-CONNECTED CHILDREN
Africa has one of the highest numbers of street connected children in the world, who depend on street for their survival, whether they live on the streets, work on the streets, have support networks on the street or a combination of three.
Street connected children didn’t just erupt on the street, they were born into a family like everyone but circumstances led them to find solace on the street. Children are supposed to grow within the confines of the home where they can receive proper nurturing and guidance from adult figures like parents and guidance; the lack of parental care, abject poverty, divorce, loss of parents and parental abuse has pushed many of them to the street, exposing them to social vices.
The street has become so strict for every street connected child and as a way to survive, many of them engage in illegal activities; Some engage themselves in scavenging and hard labor at a tender age, others engage in stealing and selling of hard drugs. The society seems unfriendly, regarding them as worthless children. This stigma has caused more harm than good to them and the society at large. As a way of developing confidence in themselves, many of them participate in the intake of hard drugs, smoking, and alcohol not considering the physical and mental effect these harmful substances will cause them as minors.
“Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community”
ANTHONY J.D. ANGELO
GLOBAL SUPPORT FOR KIDS’ INITIATIVE which focuses on minimizing the incessant increase of child abuse in our society and give hope to street connected children, has taken it upon herself to sensitize the community on the need to show love, care and attention to the street connected children; at the same time, organized a counselling session for the childrenwiththe aims of tackling the effects of drug abuse as well as discussion on career/ vocation guidance.
GLOBAL SUPPORT FOR KIDS’ INITIATIVE feels that there is need for street connected children to build themselves for the present and the future; as such they need to develop interest in learning a vocation that will serve as a source of income for them while on the street and prepare them for the future. This will also reduce the crime rate of street connected children in the society. We believe in a society where every street child can walk freely without being accused of any crime.
