Submitted by crinadmin on
The research process, described in chapter 2, is most interesting,
being very participatory and involving many organisations who
are actually working with the children. The majority of field
researchers were recruited from these organisations (the field
research team had 51 members). The research process included
involving the management of organisations working in the
research areas and other key players in relation to the children.
The findings are interesting as well, disputing some of the
earlier "guesstimates" and assumptions. For example:
Official estimates put the number of street children in Nairobi
between 50,000 - 60,000 whereas this survey counted slightly
over 10,000 children in the research areas, using a rather
inclusive and wide definition of street children. Although the
research areas do not cover all the locations in Nairobi, and
taking into account some other factors the total number of street
children in Nairobi would not be higher than 20,000.
Whereas previous studies indicated that appr. 11% of the
children were girls, this study noted an average of 25% and in
some areas upto 40%. 45 % of Children counted below the age
of five were girls.
Previous studies suggested that the vast majority of street
children are of Gikuyu origin, wheras this study revealed that
46% of the children were of Gikuyu origin.
The study also reveals that nearly 40% of the children are
attending school in some form.
According to the study 37% of the caretakers of the children are
children themselves, mostly girls.
Also noteworthy is the children's perceptions of existing
interventions:
Children’s perceptions of existing interventions: About half of
children interviewed had some knowledge about various
organisations that offer services to street children. However, this
awareness did not necessarily translate into utilisation of and/or
participation in the same. Education tops the list of benefits that
the children said they derived from their involvement with these
organisations, followed by food and clothes. Few had benefited
from medical assistance or recreational activities such as football.
Among the main reason for non-participation was the dislike
of the mode and degree of discipline enforced in schools and
centres including rigid rules and regulations, and the curtailment
of their freedom of movement and association. Both boys and girls
also noted that while some organisations should be appropriately
rewarded for the good work they were doing, others should be
scrutinised, as their activities did not benefit the street children.
(p.16)Owner: Women Educational Researchers of Kenya (WERK)pdf: www.snvworld.org/kenya/VolPDFs/Street%20Children%20Research%20-%20final%