Street Children Africa


Street Children Africa

Previous

Auto

Next


Through-out the world hundreds of thousands of children and young people leave their homes for a number of reasons from ill health to abject poverty, or are simply abandoned by adults who are barely able to look after themselves let alone hungry children who may be too disadvantaged to help seek out an existence on the land. Many, too, have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS or have fled domestic violence. These street children are amongst the most disadvantaged in the world and are not only open to financial exploitation, but sexual abuse, kidnap and even death. In some countries they are rounded up and put in prison, charged with not having an adult to provide care for them. In other places they are trafficked and taken across borders to work in domestic servitude or as labourers on the land. All without papers. All without rights. UNICEF currently believes the number of street children across the world runs into tens of millions.



It is hard to imagine for many in the west, a life without any form of social safety net. There is no state provision for these children only non-government organisations who do what they can. If these children do not beg, steal or rob they would literally starve to death. They have no prospect of an education and so no prospect of a job or providing for any children they may have in the future. Unless people like yourself are prepared to help, these children will have no future. Below there are a selection of pages about street children in different parts of Africa which go into more details about the challenges and dangers these children face.


It is hard to get up to date statistics for street children, because, by their very nature they are elusive and different to collect data about. As such statistics for street children are often out of date, but they do show patterns. Here are some recent street children statistics:


  • A study in Ethiopia found that street children normally worked 2-3 hours a day on the streets both before and after school. Most children in Ethiopia start working the streets at around 10yrs old.

  • There are approximately one million children living on the streets of Cairo, although the impact of the recent revolution there is not yet known. 82% of these children cite abuse at home for their circumstances. 30% of these children reported that they took drugs to relieve pain, hunger and violence.

  • There are a reported third of a million children living on the streets of Kenya with girls often forced into prostitution earning just 30p for each client.

  • Over 95% of street children in Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria have been stigmatised as child witches and abandoned by their parents and forced to live on the streets.

  • In South Africa most street children are aged between 13-14yrs and state they end up on the streets because of family poverty, overcrowding, abuse, neglect, family disintegration and HIV/AIDS.


Street children in Africa, like all children on the continent, are technically protected by the provisions of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, also known as ACRWC or the Children's Charter. It came into force in 1999 and amongst its provisions is Article 25 which states "Any child who is permanently or temporarily deprived of his family environment for any reason shall be entitled to special protection and assistance." It also guarantees all children the inherent right to life, education and health and the right to be protected from all forms of economic exploitation.




Street Children Africa: Angola

Street Children Africa: Angola


About African street children in Angola in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Angola.

More >




Street Children Africa: Cameroon

Street Children Africa: Cameroon


About African street children in Cameroon in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Cameroon.

More >




Street Children Africa: Central African Republic

Street Children Africa: Central African Republic


About African street children in Central African Republic in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in CAR.

More >




Street Children Africa: Congo Brazzaville

Street Children Africa: Congo Brazzaville


About African street children in Congo Brazzaville in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in the Republic of Congo.

More >



Street Children Africa: Congo Kinshasa

Street Children Africa: Congo Kinshasa


About African street children in Congo Kinshasa in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

More >







Street Children Africa: Egypt

Street Children Africa: Egypt


About African street children in Egypt in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Egypt.

More >




Street Children Africa: Kenya

Street Children Africa: Kenya


About African street children in Kenya in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Kenya.

More >




Street Children Africa: Madagascar

Street Children Africa: Madagascar


About African street children in Madagascar in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Madagascar.

More >




Street Children Africa: Malawi

Street Children Africa: Malawi


About African street children in Malawai in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Malawi.

More >




Street Children Africa: Mali

Street Children Africa: Mali


About African street children in Mali in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Mali.

More >







Street Children Africa: Nigeria

Street Children Africa: Nigeria


About African street children in Nigeria in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Nigeria.

More >




Street Children Africa: Senegal

Street Children Africa: Senegal


About African street children in Senegal in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Senegal.

More >




Street Children Africa: Uganda

Street Children Africa: Uganda


About African street children in Uganda in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Uganda.

More >




Street Children Africa: Zambia

Street Children Africa: Zambia


About African street children in Zambia in facts, figures and video together with details of projects and programs supporting street children in Zambia.

More >




Back  



Main sections of this site:


Volunteer by Country

Details of current volunteer work
opportunities in each of the
countries of Africa.

More >


Sponsor a Child
Sponsor a Child in Africa

Find how to sponsor a child in Africa
with our list of organisations,
charities, programs and projects.

More >


All About Africa

Discover all about Africa, its tourist
attractions, history, people, culture
and daily life there.

More >


African Resources

A treasure trove of African
resources from webcams to
free downloads and news.

More >