Second Generation Of Street Children: The Harrowing Experiences

Over the years, the perception which has been ringing in the minds of many Ghanaians is the issue of 'second generation of street children', that is children of street children in the streets of Accra and some major cities in the country.

Children who were born on the street are the most vulnerable because of the type of environment they found themselves. They are always in constant danger of becoming ill, being associated with crime and other unlawful practices. They grow up without any culture except that of the street. Most often, the fathers of these children are not known or do not want to be known, making the women to be the only persons who cater for the children.

These children do not belong to any tribe and therefore do not learn any cultural values since their mothers are survivors themselves and do not have enough funds to cater properly for their children; hence you will see them roaming and making friends while their mothers try to earn some money at the market or the street.

It has been the view of many concern people that unless something was done about the issue of streetism, moral decadence, violence and crime in the country would only increase, including drug abuse, murder, stealing, homosexuality, lesbianism, prostitution, armed robbery and indecent exposure.

The second generation of street children only learn the culture of violence, cheating and illicit businesses. With the influx of children and youth from the rural areas to the urban centres, the perception of people still holds valid that children who were the future leaders of the Ghana precisely, future priests, doctors, engineers, architects, lawyers, journalists and other professions would be having along way to go as about two million Ghanaian of them are engaged in various forms of child labour while about 21,000 are also on the streets.

As one walks or drive along the streets in Accra and its environs, a common spectacle hits one's eyes of how these young ones have one way or the other turned the streets to a supermarket while some as young as between six to 15 years are seen selling while others between 15 to 24 are seen nursing babies which belonged to them or their parents. There are also some children aged between five and seventeen years who prefer to be involved in working in the various sectors mentioned above than being in the school to become great people in the future.

It is also glaring to see these children engage in various sectors of the economy including commercial, agriculture, fishing, weaving, mining, truck pushing, pottery and illegal mining (galamsey) under all circumstances instead of going to School or be apprenticed to a master tradesman or learn some trade or vocation.

The former Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Damongo and now Archbishop of Tamale once lamented that 'unlike the mothers of the second generation of street children who had some cultural background, their children learn only the language of street children which is only survival'.

The activities of the street children and their children in a way could be equated to the slave trade in the ancient day Ghana, after 200 years of the abolishing of slave trade in Africa. As humanitarian sentiments grew in Western Europe with the Age of Enlightenment and the growth of religious groups such as the Quakers, and as European economic interests shifted slowly from agriculture to industry, a movement grew to abolish the slave trade and the practice of slavery.

A research by the University of Ghana in 1990, suggested there were about 4,000 street children in Accra. Six years later, the Catholic Action for Street Children (CAS) ), an NGO established in 1992 to provide support to children living on the streets of Accra, Tema and Ashaiman Metropolis, conducted a head count and the number was closer to 10,400 children. An alarming increase of more than 6,000 children. In 2003, CAS again conducted another headcount and believed the number to be 15,300.

The latest head count, conducted in 2006 by CAS, in the selected areas of Tema and Ashaiman, proved the number of street children to be a horrifying 21,140. In addition to this, there were 7,500 street mothers who were below the age of 20 and another 14,500 urban poor children.

These statistics show the alarming rise in the number of children who live, work and spend at least some of their time on the streets of Accra. These are the children that CAS strives to help.

Situations in other African countries is no different from Ghana, as many children abandoned school and opt to work to earn a living just because of either broken family or single parenthood.

Making rounds through the principals streets of major cities in Ghana, Kumasi, Accra, Takoradi, Koforidua, indeed confirms how some children are neglected by their parents because of either they (parent) are unemployed or financially handicapped.

A lot of these children unpalatably are seen in the hot sun selling biscuits, ice water, toilet roll, toffees, dog chains, pastries, detergents, decorative items, clothing and those who carry luggage for fee (female porters) popularly called 'kayayei' as well as 'truck pushers', just to make a living and the question that comes into mind to a common person is do our children have a future?

When I interviewed some of them on the streets, it was clear indication that some of these children were runaways escaping harsh treatment from their parents or guardians or forced marriages. There are others who out of laziness do not want to succumb to training by guardians or do not want to live in structured environment. Some also were attracted by the notion that the promise of heaven or luxurious life led them to the cities to look for money to fend for themselves.

Nonetheless, there are those who have the good intention of saving money to learn a trade, vocation or to further their education as they have no supporter or helper and those who are from broken homes or single parent homes.

Speaking to a female porter, who only gave her name as Amina, at Okaishie in Accra, who carried my items for a fee, after my shopping, she said she lived on the streets for seven years. She narrated her ordeal while we walked along. According to her, a friend from her hometown at Jirapa in the Upper West encouraged her to move along with her to Accra to look for job.

Amina and her friend travelled to Accra and settled with a long time friend at Agbobloshie, a suburb of Accra, just to realise that it was not easy to get a job as she had anticipated, since she left school at the age of 8. Since their stay became a burden to the friend, she asked them to relocate and fend for themselves. This, she said resulted in her moving to the street.

Asked why she obliged to follow her friend, Amina said 'I do not know what exactly happened but may be because I was in hardship and lost my parents at a tender age'. 'I was going through a lot of hardships and I thought my friend's encouragement will salvage my woes', she added in depressed form.

Speaking in a broken Twi language, she said 'I have to move to the street and at night I sleep under stalls at Okaishie but I do not experience any sexual harassment'. Amina has been a porter since 2002 and has two children, according to her. Asked who the father of the two was, she only retorted 'sine I am able to look after them, the father was not an issue'.

Rev. Brother Jos van Dinther, Director of CAS), states that 'families are unable to cater for their children or do not bother about them. The neglect of children is the highest factor that had led to the many street children in Accra and else where'.

Adding, he said, street children are from all the regions of Ghana including Accra, Ashanti and cape coast but not from the Northern, Upper West and East Regions as is being suggested by certain quarter of the populace.

CAS chose to work with street children, aged between 0 - 18, who are children who mainly live and work on the streets during the day and sleep on the streets at night. Sleeping on the street means sleeping out in the open air, on a thin mat or a thin piece of cardboard. They often sleep together in groups to protect each other.

The main reasons a child will come to the street is usually related to poverty or family breakdown. CAS conducted a study on these issues and published the findings in the "Exodus" report 1999.

Some children left their homes because of abuse or domestic disharmony. In general, they do not feel wanted and supported in the home. Sometimes, their parent(s) sent them to Accra to help with the family. Other reasons are: urbanisation, parental neglect, peer pressure, lack of basic infrastructure in the rural areas and the belief that things in the city must be better and offer more opportunities to their home towns.

In a bid to support children to get out of the streets and also to help them by returning their dignity to develop into respectful citizens of society, Non Governmental Organisations (NGO) in Ghana with special reference to the Catholic Action for Street Children (CAS), are doing their very best to educate the street children so that they can find suitable employment to build up their future lives and getting them out of the streets.

In a way, they are supplementing the efforts of the government through the organisation of stakeholders meeting to address the situation in the country where Children as a matter of interest are known to be the treasures and assets and the ones who will hold the fore in the years to come.

Mr. George Afum-Ansah , Deputy Director of the Catholic Action for Street Children, tells this writer the harrowing experience and success story of Sakinatu Ali, who through the support of CAS has been rehabilitated and integrated back into society.

Sakinatu hails from Bawku in the Upper East Region of Ghana and lost the father at very tender age. Though she had started formal education, she was very unlucky to have come out of school without a formal certificate as she dropped out at primary four due the death of her father, hence followed her stepfather to Accra and she underwent a lot of street experiences, leading a rough type of life.

According to Sakinatu, she spent four years on the street of Accra selling iced water and oranges for money. She left home as a result of the relationship between the stepfather and herself. 'I don't want to recount my story with my stepfather'.

Like most other street colleagues, Sakinatu never enjoyed real parental protection and love because she ended up early in life becoming a parent and also the one responsible for a large family of about ten including her stepsiblings. Eventually she left everything and went to the street.

'I have no regret going to the street because it played a major role in shaping my life'. Her life was indeed shaped when she came in contact with CAS in 1999 during which she was registered as a visiting street child. She visited the CAS regularly and participated in almost all programmes run by CAS.

In 2000, she had the opportunity to benefit from CAS sponsorship package to learn hairdressing. Earlier, she had the ambition to become an actress as she explored in the CAS progamme but couldn't because of her language problem.

According to Sakinatu, 'I needed courage to work under my mistress because I was determined to learn hairdressing profession for my life', adding that 'I could have run away but I stayed because of the motivation I received from CAS. They provided me all I needed to go through the two years training by occasionally working part-time to make a few cedis'.

Currently Sakinatu is running her own training centre in the city with the few cedis she saved during her training with CAS supplying her with hairdressing equipments.

The success story of one George Agyepong, an ex-street child, who is currently a mining engineer, and member of the CAS Board of Directors, is nothing to write home about. He came in contact with CAS in 1995 when he was 16 years when he was roaming the streets of Accra selling carrier bags just to raise money to support his life.

According to his story, he was a brilliant student who never had any serious problem in life as far as his daily needs and education were concerned. His hatred for society started when he went to the streets soon after completing successfully his Junior Secondary education with distinction because the father had lost his job.

George on his part met CAS around this time of his life through a Catholic Reverend Sister fieldworker. To him, he hated society because it was very difficult for him reconciling his two ways of life in terns of the general culture he had already acquired and the street culture had steadily grown in.

After a year and half relationship with CAS, he benefited from a sponsorship, which he termed as 'his whole world changed again', when he had the opportunity in 1996 to go back to the classroom for his Senior Secondary, which he again passed successfully with a distinction.

Finally, in 1999, he enrolled at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and technology via the School of Mines at Tarkwa to read mining engineering through the support of CAS and graduated in July 1992.

The case of Penyin is no difference from Sakinatu and George. He was born in Sekondi and began his life living with his parents in Sekondi. He started at school, but dropped out because his family could not afford him to continue. He also had the chance of learning to become a fisherman. Through his friends, he got to know he may have more opportunities in Accra, thus he left Sekondi and made his way to Accra after being a fisherman for a while and raising the money for his travel.

On arriving in Accra, Penyin remembers his frustration of street life. He tells stories of being robbed of his money and molested by street adults. He was 13 years old. During the following weeks, he struggled to feed himself. Finally, he got a job as a rubbish carrier for an average income of about 15,000 cedis per day (75 pence). During his time on the street, he would do anything he had to in order to survive; he admits that he even stole from other street children.

After almost a year on the street, CAS discovered Penyin during their fieldwork in the city and introduced him to the House of Refuge in July 1998. Here, Penyin joined the demonstration classes and showed a keen interest in ceramics and candle making.

In 1999, Penyin's mother died and since he was too far behind in schooling, he asked to be placed in the Auto Mechanic sponsorship programme. He was sent to Hopeland training centre for a year of preparation before being enrolled in the three year scheme.

Penyin followed a three year training programme in mechanics at Ashaiman and completed it successfully in 2004. After the training, Mssrs. Afum- Ansah and Avevor said, CAS had asked Penyin to train some of his peers so that they can set up a mechanics workshop at Lashibi on a pilot basis.

This opportunity exposed Penyin to handling different vehicles and honing his skills. After a period at Lashibi, he left to find a job in Accra, but it did not last. CAS has employed Penyin to be in charge of the Hopeland vehicles and as an assistant supervisor for the candle unit in the demonstration department. He is married with children, and was thankful to CAS for giving him a chance to live away from the streets.

Interestingly, there is an ardent belief that when the educational opportunities are facilitated to access quality education and training of children and mobilising communities against issue of streetism, Ghana will go a long way to minimise the problems of these children like Sakinatu and George. Therefore talents and time must be invested in them by all and sundry.

The stories of Sakinatu, George and Penyin are three of the many examples of what young people can do despite their difficult circumstances of being on the street, when given the right support.

CAS owns a farm known as Hopeland in Ashaiman for children who are willing to make an effort to leave the streets. Those who have opted to leave the streets and learn a trade are prepared at the House of refuge. In order to prepare them better, those who want to go to school or workshop are first sent to Hopeland Training Centre.

The efforts of CAS alone can never solve the problem so, supported is needed from donors and NGO. There are many more children on the Street out there who need support and help to either start education or complete their education

The government of Ghana has passed several laws and signed a number of treaties to guard against exploitative forms of child labour. Article 28 of the 1992 Constitution prohibits labour that is considered injurious to the health, education, or development of the child. Ghana has also signed three key international treaties that ban certain practices of child labour.

Additionally, Ghana has passed its own laws on child labour. This includes the Children's Act of 1998 and the Labour Act of 2003, both of which address child labour in detail. The Children's Act bans all exploitative labour and echoes the 1992 Constitution's prohibition by defining this type of labour as that which denies a child of health, education or development. The Act additionally bans a number of child labour practices that it lists as "hazardous".

With the efforts of NGOs, Ghanaians need to be guided also by article 28 of the 1992 constitution that 'every child has the right to same measure of special care, assistance and maintenance. This calls for all Ghanaians especially governments, Church leaders, politicians and parents to be submissive to the Children's Act of 1998, which prohibits anybody to subject children to inhuman treatment. Article 8(1) of the Act states that 'no person shall deprive a child access to education, immunization, adequate diet, clothing, shelter, medical attention or any other thing required for his development'.

The provision in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana on the rights of children, led Government to the creation of Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment, Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs, Department of Children, Social Welfare, Special Police Unit for Child Protection.

The African Charter of the rights and welfare of the child also requires that every child has equal rights and freedoms. These rights should be the same for every child, no matter who you are , where you live, what language you speak, what culture or religion you follow, how rich or poor you are or whether you are a boy or girl.

The success story of any government depends on her commitment towards social development policies addressing the needs of young people. Ghana is a leader in children's welfare and protection. In the world, Ghana was the first country to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, hence, a comprehensive Act 560 for the protection of children in Ghana. In Ghana, however children constitute about 52% (0-18 years) of the population.

The fact that we have acknowledged this responsibility as a country and still continue to avoid tackling the problem headlong makes this situation more troubling. If we are not noticing, reporting, or enforcing these infractions, then our well thought out laws will be nothing but meaningless pieces of paper put together.

Creating a society fit for the Ghanaian child means all children should get the best possible start of life and have access to quality basic education. They need to be helped to develop their individual capacities in a safe and supportive environment.

This is the outmost need for every Ghanaian to promote the physical, social, emotional, spiritual development of children to make Ghana one of the countries that have designed programmes for children on the African continent.

Parents who thought the way to lessen their burden was to send their children onto the streets to beg or do filtering and all kinds of menial jobs, must be brought to book to face the rigors of the law. Appropriate authorities and stakeholders on the issues of children should cause government to implement the various Acts and conventions on children

Despite the efforts of government to have a place in Schools for children, there are still indications that children are still dropping out of school before they could complete their Junior Secondary Education.

There is therefore the need for a platform to be created by the Ministry where children's views could be incorporated in the policies. And the Easter school comes in handy for the views of children to be tapped into developing and shaping a policy that will give them a better future.

The Ghanaian street child needs to be protected to sustain the future of the nation.