Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Role of Social Intervention in Addressing Problems of Street Children:Evidences from the Regional State of Oromia, Ethiopia


Affiliations
1 College of Business and Economics, Wollega University, Ethiopia
2 Department of Commerce, University of Burdwan, India
 

Objective: Social intervention programme for supporting street children addresses the problems relating to working and living environment of the target group of population. In this context, this paper seeks to examine the role of social intervention in addressing the socio-economic problems of street children in the regional state of Oromia, Ethiopia.

Methods: A comprehensive survey plan is administered to collect the required information on street children from the 200 selected sample respondents in the study area. For the institution specific survey, only three local NGOs working for social and environmental issues of street children in our survey area are considered.

Results: Our empirical evidence indicate that more than three fourth of the total sample street children are currently supported through social institutions. However, only half of a quarter surveyed children were also supported by these organizations before become street children. Out of the total number of supported children, thirty percent of the children have their parents alive and more than half of supported children have either their mother or father alive. Moreover, sixteen percent children have lost their parents. More than 330 families of vulnerable children have already established their own saving and credit association as a cooperative.

Conclusions: The alternative intervention model is found effective in yielding three broad outcomes: job related, service related and health related outcomes.


Keywords

Street Children, Social Intervention, Ethiopia.
User
Notifications

  • H. Aoki. Globalization and the Street Homeless in Metro Manila. Philippine Studies. 2008; 56(1), 69-76.
  • M.G. Abhay, S.Z. Quazi, W. Lalit, S. Sunita, Z. Sanjay, R.J. Sudhakar. Substance abuse among street children in Mumbai. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies. 2008; 3(1), 42-51.
  • K.A. Jahangir. Causes and Effects of Runaway Children Crisis: Evidence from Balochistan. Pakistan Economic and Social Review. 2011; 49(2), 211-230.
  • S.K. Kebede. The Situation of Street Children in Urban Centers of Ethiopia and the Role of NGO in Addressing their Socio-Economic Problems: The Case of Hawassa City. International Journal of Academic Research in Education and Review. 2015; 3(3), 45-57.
  • A.M. Khalafalla, A.A. Wisal. Factors Affect Homelessness among Street Children in Khartoum State. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly. 2011; 2(2), 98-106.
  • B. Sorre, P. Oino. Family based Factors Leading to Street Children Phenomenon in Kenya. International Journal of Science and Research 2013; 2(3), 148-155.
  • A. Lewis. Are Colombian Street Children Neglected? The Contributions of Ethnographic and Ethno-historical Approaches to the Study of Children. Anthropology & Education Quarterly. 1991; 22(4), 326-349.
  • M. Dejman, M. Vameghi, P. Roshanfekr, F. Dejman, H. Rafiey, A.S. Forouzan. Drug Use among Street Children in Tehran, Iran: A Qualitative Study. Frontiers in Public Health. 2015; 3(279), 1-9.
  • L. Embleton, L . Atwoli, D. Ayuku, P. Braitstein. The Journey of Addiction: Barriers to and Facilitators of Drug Use Cessation among Street Children and Youths in Western Kenya. PLoS ONE. 2013; 8(1), 1-10.
  • B. Edwards, P. Guy-Walls, G. Jacinto, R. Franklin. Findings of a Study Exploring Homeless Street Females in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Need for Community Based Programs. International Journal of Gender and Women’s Studies. 2015; 3(1), 42-50.
  • G. Stefan, S. Kim, M. Marie, B. Ralf, H. Nadine. Tourism and street children in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Tourism and Hospitality Research. 2004; 5(2), 131-149.
  • Y. Beyene, Y. Berhane. Health and social problems of street children. Addis Ababa University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Community Health. 2015.
  • K.M. Ferguson. Implementing a Social Enterprise Intervention with Homeless, Street-Living Youths in Los Angeles. Social Work. 2007; 52(2), 103-112.

Abstract Views: 275

PDF Views: 157




  • Role of Social Intervention in Addressing Problems of Street Children:Evidences from the Regional State of Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract Views: 275  |  PDF Views: 157

Authors

Habtamu Wandimu Alem
College of Business and Economics, Wollega University, Ethiopia
Arindam Laha
Department of Commerce, University of Burdwan, India

Abstract


Objective: Social intervention programme for supporting street children addresses the problems relating to working and living environment of the target group of population. In this context, this paper seeks to examine the role of social intervention in addressing the socio-economic problems of street children in the regional state of Oromia, Ethiopia.

Methods: A comprehensive survey plan is administered to collect the required information on street children from the 200 selected sample respondents in the study area. For the institution specific survey, only three local NGOs working for social and environmental issues of street children in our survey area are considered.

Results: Our empirical evidence indicate that more than three fourth of the total sample street children are currently supported through social institutions. However, only half of a quarter surveyed children were also supported by these organizations before become street children. Out of the total number of supported children, thirty percent of the children have their parents alive and more than half of supported children have either their mother or father alive. Moreover, sixteen percent children have lost their parents. More than 330 families of vulnerable children have already established their own saving and credit association as a cooperative.

Conclusions: The alternative intervention model is found effective in yielding three broad outcomes: job related, service related and health related outcomes.


Keywords


Street Children, Social Intervention, Ethiopia.

References