Problems of street kids in the spotlight
Single parent or sibling-headed households, alcohol abuse by one or both parents and poverty are just a few of the factors that had caused the youngsters to drop out of school and leave home.
Various governmental organisations and NGOs embarked on a door-to-door campaign in an informal settlement in Wesselton last Thursday in a bid to reunite wayward youngsters who find themselves on the streets, with their families.
Social workers and volunteers earlier identified and questiond youngsters and compiled a list of addresses.
Delegates from the Department of Social Development, Sassa, the police, Department of Correctional Services, Department of Health, COPTA, Department of Labour, Child Line Mpumalanga and the Department of Education as well as representatives of the Vukuzenzele Drop-In Centre called on a number of households in a combined effort to list and iron out problems that had prompted youngsters to leave their homes and opt for a life on the streets.
The campaign uncovered various reasons for this disturbing situation.
Single parent or sibling-headed households, alcohol abuse by one or both parents, poverty, learning problems at school, peer pressure and general rebelliousness are just a few of the factors that had caused the youngsters to drop out of school and leave home.
Many of these youngsters soon fall victim to begging on the street, substance abuse and general mischief and find it difficult to return to their homes.
A data base of case studies will be compiled and relevant departments of social and welfare services will intervene and work together to re-unite families and restore harmonious family structures.
The prime concern of all the relevant stakeholders is to take the children off the streets and place them back in school.
