PEACE FOR CHILDREN AFRICA PRESENTATION ON STREET CHILDREN

PEACE FOR CHILDREN AFRICA

Presentation on street children project(vulnerable children) in UGANDA THE PEARL OF AFRICA

proposal title: Street children , whose children?Where are we going children?

CC VV

1 TABLE OF CONTENTIntroductionCategories of street childrenAreas where street children hung outCausesProblemsSolution conclusion

Introduction Warmly welcomes you to the pearl of AFRICA, Uganda is a land locked country located around the Equator that crosses in East Africa countries. It is boarded by Kenya in the Eastern part, Tanzania in the southern part, Democratic republic of Congo in the west part, Sudan in the Northern part and Rwanda in the south western part amongst others.It has decentralized government where by land or areas was divided into districts in total 111 and its capital city is Kampala. Its population is estimated to 30 million people out of that, the children are estimated to 57% living under vulnerable background and therefore regarding law any citizen below 18 years old in Uganda is categories as a child.The existence of vulnerable children is directly related to a number of social problems which includes poverty urbanization(rural to urban migration ) war conflicts, the social problems are resulting from the AIDS epidemics ,lack of basic education and life skills and the breakdown of the extended family systems, communities valves and traditional social and economic structure. The problem is escalating there is lack of comparable surveys and figures documenting this increase.The vulnerable children can be defined as any child who has not reached the age of adulthood but whom the street or unoccupied dwelling has become his/ her habitual place of abode and with no proper care and protection. Therefore, the street children represents one of the most disadvantaged categories of vulnerable children.CATERGORIES OF STREETCHILDRENStreet children are not one homogenous group, but consists of individuals with different backgrounds and difficulties, such as orphans, children from very poor families, Abused or rejected children and run aways.What they have in common are that they are spending most of their daily life on the street and are either partly or fully making their living on the streets.Street children are also characterized by lack of adult guidance, care and protection.they are categorized into two broad categories.

(A) Full Part time children.These are those without contacts with their family who spend day and night on the streets and verandas and actually view the street as their home or sanctuary. (B) Part Timer/ Day Time Children These are those working on the street but living at home such as a school drop outs and children sex workers.NB: Both street youths and street children are names used to describe these children. Street children range from age 0-18years and street youth with 15-25 years according to the standard children statute UN age bracket.These categories are transitional for instance, children may be temporarily forced to help the family earn a living or cater for themselves. Most of them come from families living in difficult circumstances.

STREET CHILDREN FEEDING WITH GARBAGE FOOD

AREAS WHERE STREET CHILDREN HUNG OUTThere are many places where children hung out during survival of day and Night. These areas are located with the city centre and in the down city slums. Street children feel uncomfortable to hung out in the public places because everyone will probably think that he/she wants to steal something they isolate themselves into places that suit their physical appearance.

These places are termed by street children as Ghettos, depots, bases e.t.c. These places are mainly found in slum in Kampala areas like kisenyi, katwe, kibuye, Bwaise among others

Uganda and also other towns have such places and alongside Africa at large as the problem is still escalating.

In these places criminal offence is rampant and street children have chance to do whatever they feel like. The community people are so rude towards these children. Here child labor is practiced directly and law enforces have made slums their daily garden for corruption and these street kids are victims whenever these people appear.However not only street children hung out in these places but also the majority of all sorts of vulnerable people come in these places for their survival .

HAMZA SHARING WITH STREET CHILDREN HIS EXPERIENCE DURING STREET TIMES.

CAUSES OF STREET CHILDRENThere are numerous causes of street children according to their background stories these problems are social, economic and political. The presentation has mentioned a few .The spotted ones include:Aids epidemicPovertyAbusing children rightsRural-Urban migrationArmed conflictsLack of basic education and life skills.Breakdown of extended family systemsCommunity values and traditional social and economic structures e.t.cAs it was mentioned earlier in the introduction due to the above mentioned causes and others the problem is escalating we believe that it can be stopped.

STREET KIDS, FRANCIS MAKING NECKLACE , ALONG SIDE MUBIRU AND JAMES IN THE SLUM.

PROBLEMS FACED BY STREET CHILDREN The problems street children face in the society since the condition is not sympathetic contributing to there future includesChild labour Lack of shelter ,end up sleeping on varanda Lack of food nutrition and balanced diet Lack of medical care and accesses to hospitals No accesses to education or vocational knowledge

FORMER STREET CHILDREN IN THE SHOW..LOOK AT ISMAS ARM!!

PCA vulnerable children performing

OTHER PROBLEMS The are more problems that children face when they live on streets for example Abuse of childrens rightsMistreated by law enforces, Night coldness during rains season.No access to clear waterDrug abuse prostitution resulting into early pregnancy, by young girls.Lack of parental love and care Always criminals suspects peer pressure groups of stealing.

TIME TO COUNCEL AND GUIDE THE CHILDREN .HEALTH OF STREET CHILDRENStreet children are exposed to an environment that puts their health at risk. They often have no access to clean water, soap or medical treatment to maintain personal hygiene is almost impossible under the prevailing conditions on the streets.Many of the children get involved in or are forced to have unprotected sex exposing them to STDs including HIV.Services like washing and bathing facilities as well as medical care must be provided we provide them at PCA Though we still have some challenges at our drop in centre.Counseling also particularly in reproductive health issues into account improving health is an important entry point into the rehabilitation process. The children need information about health issues to understand that street life cannot provide healthy living conditions.

Juma pround of his country DRUGS USED BY STREET CHILDREN

Many street children are drug users. The most common drugs used are:Aviation fuelMarijuanaCigarettesMairungiGlue/shoe shineCocaine

REASON WHY DRUGS ARE MOSTED USED BY STREET CHILDREN ?PART (A)Often more than one drug is used. The drugs are used as stimulants to overcome:No FearNo feeling HungerForget past traumaGive them comfort on the streetsCold nights(in form of blankets)

PART (B)Many street children report that they started using drugs because of peer pressure. Therefore, in order to abandon drug use, the children need individual counseling, a safe shelter and independence from peer pressure.Drug consumption is more likely to stop when the children are resettled with their families. In Uganda there are few children's rehabilitation centres We hope in future; social workers must seek individual solutions to the problem of drug abuse through counseling. The effect of drug consumption must be taken very seriously. Because apart from chest pain, cough and headache the most devastating effect results from continuous use of aviation fuel which causes the permanent destruction of brain cells. The child may develop mental handicaps affecting the rest of his/her life.

CONSEQUENCES OF DRUG USE.

A number of results of drug abuse are:Being addicted to the drugs.Exposed to contagious diseases.Limits on their life spanBeing always in JailCommunity neglect drug usersAviation fuel cause permanent destruction of brain cells which results into mental handicaps.The children suffer from cough,headache,chest pain e.t.c

CONSEQUENCES OF LIVING ON STREETChildren lose all the hope in life.Child abused by the societyChild hates people around him/herChild exposed to all sorts of crimes. Child faces a lot of problems.Always looked at as a hopeless childNB: For more details you can find Hamzas life story and other former street children stories on www.peace forchildren africa-org.ning.com/ blog

Craft made by children to support their education and home needs made by street kids at PCACOMMUNITY VIEW ON STREET CHILDREN PART (A) The community does not welcome street children. They always kept a negative attitude e.g. hopeless kidsBeating them if found doing wrong children are called lumpens (Bayaye)Imprisoning these children for nothing.Abusing their rights as children

Street children gathered for counselling during PCA out reach programPART (B)However, there is another category of community people who have tried their best to voluntarily advocate for these children. These institution include NGOs,Sport Cubs ,churches Other community people tend to be caring for these children but exploiting them to conduct heavy work and paid less. This has exposed a lot of children to go back on streets which has turned into a very big problem of child labor in the city.SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMSThe most important solution is to advocate for childrens rights and this would help to sensitize the communities about the valve in their own children when in Uganda its not so much considered.Educational opportunity Encouraging counseling and guidance Promote skills talents through recreationalResettlement to their destination when possiblePrevent children from using Drugs Provide basic medical care when sick

street kids in the city with their bed sheets used to cover themselves at night when cold REHABILITATION PROGRAMS

These programs are the last resort for street children. These mostly working as full time street children but also part t time ones have full access to the service. There providing these children with food, clothes but no life and practical life skills that can enable them to be self reliant in the future.In Uganda we have like two rehabilitation centres.These are Naguru remand home and Kampiringisa rehabilitation centres.These two are government owned but children always say negatively on them.However there are NGOs like Peace for Children Africa and others who have handled the problem in the right way and have tried to do their best despite the lack of inadequate funds and resource .There is still need to mobilse the resource to fully rehabilitate the vulnerable children living on the street of kampala capital city

VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN THE OUT REACHPROGRAM CONCLUSIONA s explained above ,the factors that causes influx of vulnerable children to live on the streets have resulted into numbers dangerous cases which affect their futureAs PCA continue to work with street children in the slums of Kampala ,number of action plan have been drafted to solve the causes that leads children on street for example .Training children life skill and promoting their talentsProvide quality education,medication,shelter and resettlement as a last resort Therefore ,we are seeking for support to enhance the. matter and to light up out future generation with comprehension integrity

Peace for children africaP.o box 36370 kampalaEmail peaceforchildrenafrica@gmail.comwww.peaceforchildrenafrica-org.ning.comOfficeline+256414573108for more information contact the above address.Hope our proposal will be considered .it is our first time to apply and to know you.Thanks for all you do..Always love and peace