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Serving children, Youths and women in street and other vulnerable situations
Serving children, Youths and women in street and other vulnerable situations
According to a headcount conducted by Ghana’s Department of Social Welfare in 2013, there are roughly about 60,000 children living on the streets of Ghana. Kumasi, a significant route in Ghana, is a key transit location for the trafficking of child labour (Ghana Statistical Service, 2014). More so, in a headcount exercise in Kumasi, US Peace Corps identified 20,000 children (including the Kayayei) on the streets of Kumasi (US Peace Corps, 2013). The above statistics illustrate the gravitating problem of children on the streets of Kumasi and Ghana at large. These children have no access to formal education or enterprise training. Many of the children on Kumasi’s streets are from Ghana’s Northern regions. Northern Ghana is characterised by extreme poverty and is known as the poorest part of the country. Consequently, most children leave home, fleeing the hard conditions of poverty to seek greener pastures and better life opportunities in Kumasi and Accra, as well as in other cities in Ghana. Some children and young people further migrate outside Ghana to neighbouring African countries, or to other continents, particularly Asia, Europe, and America in the hope of a better life. According to most of the children we encounter on the streets, their families send them to work for their relatives due to poverty, hunger, and lack of opportunities in remote rural communities. In northern Ghana, especially the Dagomba tribe, it is customary for aunts to take responsibility for the upbringing of their brother’s daughters; thus, at least one girl child of a family must be sent to live with an aunt. Some bring their nieces to Kumasi to exploit their labour while other aunts turn their nieces into house helps, maltreat and abuse them at home. Another reason many young girls go to the street is to flee forced /early marriages which is another way some fathers trade on their girl child. For these reasons, children, in a bid to escape this slavery and exploitation, migrate to Kumasi to work for their survival. When children or young people arrive, they realise they lack the qualifications needed for respectable jobs and end up working as head porters (commonly known as Kayaye or Paao-paa) while others make a living by engaging in commercial sex work, washing plates for food vendors, armed robbery, and other illegal activities. Some become drug addicts, while others endure various forms of abuse at the hands of gangsters they encounter on the street. In Recent times, second-generation street children have emerged. These are children of mothers in street situations. They grow up without any culture except that of the street. Due to the milieu, they were raised in, babies born on the streets are the most vulnerable. They are always at risk of contracting diseases and getting linked to criminal or other illegal activities.
Past Beneficiaries
Current Beneficiaries
Our rehabilitation activities are geared towards restoring children in street situations to normalcy.
Street corner education is an indispensable medium SCA uses to connect with children in street situations. It involves meeting the children in the street at their various places to provide education on relevant matters that concerns their wellbeing.
Value talk sessions are safe space conversations that are conducted at the Drop-in Centre each day to provide the opportunity for detailed discussion on the street corner education topics.
Interviews with children in street situation provide them the opportunity to share their unique stories. Our rehabilitation officer and Client Relation Officers, during these interviews, are able to delve into the backgrounds and circumstances that led each
child to their current situation. The process not only unveil the complex narrative of their young lives but also offer us valuable insights into their perspectives on life amidst the challenges on the street.
The Drop in Centre which is the main Safe-Child Advocacy’s office is located at Roman Hill, Kumasi. This is the administrative seat of the project and the welcome centre for all children living and working on the streets of Kumasi. The centre provides a warm, safe and non-threatening space for all children in street situation to rest during the day. Besides rest; the Drop- in Centre serves as the meeting point with children who decide to quit the street and seek help. In this centre children are registered, interviewed, counselled and talked to about other options rather than street life. At the Drop- in Centre staff provide a range of activities towards motivating children to leave the street. Even while children remain on the street, the Drop- in Centre provides needed support to children, youth and young mothers on the street. Additionally, the centre is where all rehabilitation activities are planned and regulated.
Safe-Child Advocacy as an organization is concerned about the plight of children who live on the streets and therefore considers street outreach very essential in getting children off the street. Street outreach is carried out on daily basis by staff of the project. This activity provides a platform for staff to educate children on various health and social related issues considered vital to their development and growth. Street outreach is carried out within the environs of Kumasi at principal areas like Alabar, Central Market, Railways, Asafo Market, Roman Hill and Adum. After street education children are invited to the Drop- in Centre to participate in the on-going activities in the centre. .
Interviews and interactions are carried out on daily basis for children who come to the centre. These children get the opportunity of speaking to a safe and concerned adult. Interactions help children to build rapport with children while interviews give staff the children to probe and get to know the children better. During interview and interaction, staff members also help children to explore alternative options and enlighten them on steps they could take to change their current life courses.
Playing games with children is another activity that we undertake to bond with the children. In our experience playing games with children is a wonderful activity to build a warm relationship with children. With games children become free to open us to share their stories with staff. Staff members play various games with the children and interact with them as well. Games make children feel recognized and attend to.
With each child we serve our staff, conducts a background investigation to locate and establish contact with their relatives. If a child can be reunited with his or her family that is always our preference. Family is the primary institution where children are nurtured and socialized into adulthood. It is our desire to reconnect children to their families, so in every situation we strive to restore the family unit. If the family is willing to care for the child but unable to do so for financial reasons, we will work with the family to provide the child with an academic scholarship
After street outreach children are invited to partake in the activity value talk. Staff of the project use this opportunity to educate children on how to cope with challenges of street life and family pressures based on well- chosen topics. Topics of education include Child Rights, Dangers of Street Life, Sex Education (HIV/AIDS, Sexual Abuse, STD’s etc.), Child Advocacy, Budgeting and Saving, Benefits of Education and Skill training, Healthy living habits among others, Family reintegration and many more. We believe that value talk helps to enlighten the children minds and that they are made aware of the various opportunities, provided by Street Children Project to build up their capacities.
Counselling is carried out to help children process their situation and issues. To think deeply about their choice to be on the street, consider other possibilities available to develop themselves and decide on rehabilitation activity towards building a future. Regular counselling sessions prepares children to transit from street life into normal living conditions.
Literacy classes are organized at the Drop- in centre to help young children who have no basic literacy to learn how to read and write and as well develop interest in education. During literacy classes children who never had attended school are given an opportunity to learn and in they develop interest in schooling and need help to go to school, the project enrols them under sponsorship. Since 2018, computer literacy has been added to the literacy class curriculum.
Every beneficiary is monitored and supervised through the period of assistance and for a minimum of three years after completion of the rehabilitation plan. Follow-up serves as a support system to beneficiaries because it provides opportunities for them to talk to our staff about issues thy may have with their developmental activities. Staff also use this opportunity to listen to teachers and trainers on the performance of our beneficiaries. During follow- up needed fees are paid and learning materials equally provided. Follow- up is carried out both in schools, training centres and families.
Our empowerment initiative is a dedicated effort to equip beneficiaries with the skills and knowledge needed to become economically independent change agents in their communities and society at large. This comprehensive program encompasses early childhood education, formal education sponsorship, skill training sponsorship.
Watch VideoWelcome to our blog, where we share updates, stories, and insights from our work with children, youths, and women in street and other vulnerable situations. Our organization is dedicated to providing support, care, and advocacy for those who need it most. Through our blog, we aim to raise awareness, share our experiences, and inspire action to create a more just and compassionate world for all.
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