YOUNG PEOPLE STRATEGIES WAYS TO REMOVE CHILDREN FROM STREETS.

Written by 

Elfredah Kevin

Photo Credit: Africa Voices Today Network

Everyday, more than 10 children found themselves on the streets, they make streets their home.

Most of these children left homes due to maltreatment of caregivers, while some all in the bid to seek for daily bread due to lost of parents, no family member to carter for them.

But, the question ask should be what is there means of survival, where will they take shelter, how will they change their clothes, how on earth will they be able to afford at least two square meal a day! These a re rhetorical question that has no answer, but these children have answers to them.

On June 3, 2019, a young girl of 13years who lost her parents in a motor accident relocated from Ugheli flyover in Delta State, Nigeria where she begs alms to Rivers State in search of greener pasture, told the driver to drop her under flyover to continue begging, but the driver refuse and took her to police station, which she was later handed over to  Mother of Good Council Initiative, headed by Doris Onyeneke who also shared the story on her Facebook seeking for assistance as other homeless girls have been given shelter by the organization.

Roaming about the streets, without food, come rain, come sun falls on them, at the end, some  will end up Hawking to make money, for some, stealing by tricks was the only option, because the societal boys(Area big boys) have decided to buy into their hearts, some will end up being an informant to kidnapers against their wish, because they have been promised to be given shelter by these kidnappers, ritualists and many more. Many are not fortunate, they die because they could not stand their cold bridges where they pass the night, some falls into the hands of ritualists, while the girls are sexually harrass every night day. Then, the only option for the girls to be free from these sexually harrassment is to join these cult gang to protect their interest.

It is quite unfortunate that these children will not just end up in life, they will infect the other young ones whose parents are working hard to give brighter future if we fail to bring them out from the streets.

Active citizens participation and Holistic Welfare programs is a panacea in creating enabling environment for streets children.

This is was the findings at a youth gathering in Port Harcourt organized by Africa Voices Today Network on how citizens can participate to rehabilitate migrants, immigrants and Street children.

 

The event which was tagged Port-Harcourt Salon had different youth organizations discussing ways forward in  pulling out children from the streets, adding that total neglect would create more rooms for rascality in the society. 

Vocational skills as rehabilitating and reintegration would create more access to opportunities, according to the Lead Coordinator for Africa voices Today Network, ABRAHAM AUGUSTINE, who further identified lack of public enlightenment as a challenge in developing a better society.

''I believe that a holistic approach will entail mentorship, counselling, family reunification (where possible and feasible) skill and entrepreneurship training and access to education and life shaping opportunities'' according to The Lead coordinator of Africa Voice Today Network.

The problem with street children have always been that there have been limited or no rehabilitation  homes to change their stories, that is why these young people under the aegis of Africa Voices Today Network has decided to create a platform to discuss issues affecting streets children.

''We want to build a platform where like minds can meet and have stimulating discussions that leads to taking actions about issues in and around Port Harcourt. So we created this to serve as a platform where people will interact, learn, connect and hopefully (this is the main thing), create and commit to scalable citizen led solutions'', Abraham Augustine said in an exclusive interview.

He added, ''In a complex society like we have nowadays very little or even nothing is completely exclusive. We all affect each other by commission or omission. It doesn't have to be your child. The streets are a melting pot of society. Such a place is hardly where anybody wants people as vulnerable and easily influenced as children to be raised in. If a child is trained by the wild unlawful streets, do we have any right to want to contain this soldier of the street when he begins his or her war against the society? After all, he is not their child, they are not his parents. He honors only one mother''

The street children do not have a voice, and it appears that we too do not have a voice, which has now becomes an extra problems for the street children, this was recommendations by an Environmentalist, WONNE AFRONELLY, who is the convener of MyEnvironmentMyWealth.

Further speaking, we can spear the government the stress, noting that  more public participation  is the way for engaging government.

''We should spear the government these stress, we need more public participation, we need more active citizens, if the citizens are active that way, they engage the government and solve the issue of the streets children,.we have to speak on their behave, they don't have a voice. And it appears that we too do not have a voice and it becomes and extra problems for the streets children''

Recently, Nigeria celebrated her Children's Day, same with other countries where a day was set outside for children annually based on their countries celebration, different dignatries, organizations both local and international mapped out different activities to celebrate their children. Some take their children to luxuries shop, drive around, visit recreational centres both local and international, yet, these children are still on the road, Hawking, taking risk to survival, the question still remains, what should be done to remove children from the streets? Which organization or organizations will collaborate to remove streets children from the streets beyond organizing seminars, advocacy talks, giving them food on the streets, as well as creating a home for the homeless, meanwhile, what many of them need is just a place to pass the night. Do not just give them a place, assist them with lucrative skills. Education is the bedrock to success, give them education, they will leave the streets. Therefore, it is also recommended that we assist homes for the less privileged.  Think about it !