Background
The population of Ethiopia is characterized by a very young structure. The number of Ethiopian children 0-18 years identified as one parent or two parents orphan was more than five million in 2005. Even though the number of street children in Ethiopia is estimated to be 85,000, this number is not supported by statistics. According to UNICEF Head Count of 2010/2011 conducted in Adama and Addis Ababa, the total of Street Children in Addis Ababa was 11,830. 8506 male and 3,324 female. The UNICEF report also found that out of these, 2177 were beggars, 2,224 shoe-shiners, and 807 of them prostitutes.
Street children are one of the most hidden and invisible populations in the world. Similarly, to Ethiopia’s finding, even though the number of street children in the world is estimated to be 100 million, experts agree that these numbers are unfounded or outdated. Resembling the worldwide and Ethiopia’s discrepancy, South Africa had similar experience. Comprehensive Street level research, completed in the year 2000 in Cape Town proved the international estimation of tens of thousands street children living in Cape Town is incorrect finding only 800 of them. These findings tell us that street children are not included in typical national data collections such as household surveys and censuses, street children lead a transient lifestyle making it difficult to study their lives, and these children are suspicious of adults and prefer to stay hidden.
Problem
Why do children leave home?
- Economic Poverty
- Sexual, physical or emotional abuse children face at home or with in their communities
- Human trafficking (sex trafficking and forced labor)
- Mental health issues
- Substance abuse
- Urbanization
Program Objectives (what to do)
- To facilitate rehabilitation and integration of children and youth into society
- To facilitate rehabilitation and reintegration of children and youth back into their families
- To provide trauma and addiction counseling
- To empower social workers (train addiction counselors)
- To provide means of living for deprived children
Method of Implementation (how to do)
Counseling and training Center
Street children of Addis are known to be back on the streets time and time again. Research shows that unless rehabilitation services work on psychological problems of these children, many will go back to the street because of their unresolved psychological issues. These children often suffer abuse and further trauma on the streets but will go back to it not having the necessary coping skills to establish safe and secure life.
Many of street children suffer from addiction. Glue sniffing is a popular form of drug abuse among these children.
In Addis there is no counseling center that provides tailored addiction and trauma counseling to vulnerable children and youth. Our center will serve as para to other organizations that are engaged in rehabilitation.
Our services :-
- Gateway Services: – Yeamlak Godana counseling and training Center will serve as a gateway to those who are willing to be rehabilitated but not ready. Through counseling, the child/youth will better understand the need to be rehabilitated and will be ready to explore options. When the child is ready for rehabilitation, the center will partner with other service providers and will place him either sponsoring the child or just by bridging
- Counseling Services to partner organizations- As organizations work on rehabilitation, one of their need is finding an independent service that the child will safe enough to discuss his/her psychological, addiction and behavioral problems without fear of retribution.
- Services will be individual counseling, group counseling, and psychoeducational workshops to the children/youth
- The center will also facilitates child development, addiction counseling, and trauma focused intervention workshops to empower social workers and other service providers so that organizations would serve this population better.
Partnership
It is believed that there are only about eight agencies that work directly with full-time street children. Our program will attempt to assess and network with organizations that work with street children. After finding a service that goes with our vision and assessing the effectiveness of the program, Yeamlak Godana will partner with it and start its work on a small level by sponsoring children.
Reintegration
In the long run, Yeamlak Godana will have its own reintegration program facilitating transit group homes, focused on rehabilitation and returning children to their homes.
Levels of Responding
- Individual-level (street children). Working directly with the children
- Local community level –empowering stakeholders
Providing Means to live
- Providing Home/shelter offers security and a chance for developmental processes, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. It can also provide a chance for early intervention. Gives protection from violence and substance abuse. It also provides a chance for education, relationship building, and leisure
- Financial support (through family livelihood or direct support for the child to sustain self through petty trading