Life in the Streets, Children Speak Out: A Case of Harare Metropolitan, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The number of children living in the streets of Harare Metropolitan, Zimbabwe, continues to increase. Street children comprise both boys and girls who have run away from home for one reason or another, to pursue a livelihood in the streets. Responses from the general public have been that of discrimination and stigmatisation, accusing street children of crime and prostitution. Children in the streets have responded with suspicion, frustration, anger and fights to their treatment by the general public, thus, the vicious cycle of ‘blame game and vulnerability’ continues unabated. A lasting solution to the challenge has eluded both government and partners. Major interventions have included the forcible commitment of street children to children’s homes. However, children soon trickle back to the streets, their usual source of livelihood. The study sought to examine street children’s way of life and challenges, with a view of proffering more sustainable solutions to the street children hazard in Zimbabwe. This study employed a qualitative case study design and used non-random sampling techniques to select participants. Semi structured interviews and questionnaires were used to solicit data from research participants. Manual thematic data analysis was used to deduce meaning from the set of data gathered. Extreme poverty, parental child abuse and maltreatment tend to drive children out of their homes to seek solace in the streets. Child abuse by step parents and guardians were particularly to blame. Ironically, street life continues to expose children to situations that endanger their lives. Children, particularly girls, were at more risk of sexual abuse and contracting COVID-19 in the streets, while young and weaker boys were at risk of physical abuse by older children. Parenting education should be integrated in all programmes targeting parents and communities, be they developmental or humanitarian. A case by case approach, as compared to the one size fits all, should be the basis for the designing of interventions to address the street children challenge.