Unemployment in Cameroon is already high even for those with an education but for children who live, beg and steal on the streets there is little prospect of employment without exploitation. As one teenage street child stated, "A friend advised me to come to Cameroon, telling me there is work and money to be had here, but since I arrived [two months ago], I have seen nothing of that." In fact, most end up foraging for food in rubbish bins and, when they become ill, they can't afford to see a doctor. 44.9% of these teenagers had been homeless for a period of 7–12 months, whereas 35.8% had been homeless for less than 6 months and 19.3% for more than 13 months. In a relatively harsh regime, some get arrested for smoking or begging and find themselves incarcerated in adult prisons often for months, sometimes years at a time before their case is brought to court. In the meantime they are at further risk of catching AIDS related illnesses from older, infected prisoners awaiting trial.

Some of these street children in Cameroon are trafficked into the country from neighbouring Nigeria and Gabon and are forced to work as domestic servants, however some flee this life and, without resources to return home, join the hundreds of others living rough in bus stops and video game houses. Others find refuge on the verandas of off-licences and bars, whilst others find sanctuary in abandoned or uncompleted houses. Of course, even when help is available, some of these street children refuse to be reunited with their families given they fled in the first place to avoid abuse. Cameroon's Minister of Women's Empowerment and the Family has stated these children will be given either education or job training to help them.