Jacobs Well Child Africa (JWCA) are keen to support interventions towards removing children from the streets – Programs such as providing shelter and rehabilitation through street-based programs to alleviate the worst aspects of street life. Below are some of the key reasons contributing to child homelessness:
Many children become homeless due to the death of a parent, family breakdown, poverty, and sometimes stigmatization encouraged by some traditional beliefs.
There are an estimated 250,000 and 300,000 homeless children in Kenya. Many come from impoverished homes and end up begging in the cities. In Nairobi, the capital, it is estimated to have up to 60,000 street children, (Daily Nation, April 14, 2016). In Nigeria, there are an estimated 100,000 children living on the streets of Lagos.
Homelessness puts children at risk of infection, disease, and exploitation such as trafficking.
Effects for children living on the streets can’t be underestimated. In the UK, child homelessness takes the form of vulnerable children living in temporary accommodation or ‘sofa surfing’. The effects include drug abuse, physical & sexual abuse, and social isolation. There are approximately 131,000 children in this condition (Phillips, ACAMH 2019).
