Street Children: Circumstances and Problems of Street Children in North Western Ethiopia Amhara Regional State, Central Gondar Zone

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to show the general circumstance that is accounted for the phenomenon of street children, and problems   in the study area. Thus, it examines the contributing factors that push children to be on the streets, encounters, and their experiences in their endeavour with street life. The study employed a qualitative method to get rich information about the actual life of participants. The study employed a Phenomenological design to investigate the daily life experience of street children. Purposive and snowballing sampling techniques in this study were employed to get participants. The sample size for this study was 23 participants in which 12 of them participated in an interview and 8 participated in focus group discussion and 3 key informants’ interview. The collected data were analyzed thematically. The findings of the study showed that children joined the street due to lack of family planning, divorce, parental detachment, poverty, attending religious education, abuse and neglect, peer pressure. The result also showed that children on street encountered rape, taking away their properties, chased away by Militia patrol and police; they are facing social exclusion, and health problems due to their dwelling conditions and inaccessibility health services. Thus, street children additionally face more troubles once they are on the street that is surely going to have an effect on their development.

Keywords:  street children, circumstances, problems

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-23-01

Publication date: December 31^st 2020