Children officers in Vihiga County have cited sexual abuse and being orphaned as the main causes of the rising numbers of street children in major towns and marketplaces, posing a major safety concern facing minors.
According to the statistics released on Friday by the county children’s department, Mbale town alone has at least 150 street children.
Mbale town is the seat of the county. It is followed by the largest market of Luanda which has an estimated 100 street children who fled their homes after they were exposed to sexual abuse and loss of parents.
County Children Officer Mr Aggrey Ambwaya said the lack of a rescue centre in the county is hindering efforts to rid the streets of the minors and have them rehabilitated.
He said plans are underway through the partnership with the county government to establish a rescue centre at Lusengeli to serve as a safe home for the minors.
Further, the Vihiga County National Government Affirmative Action Fund is setting up a rescue centre at Vokoli to boost rehabilitation efforts.
Mr Ambwaya said the facility at Vokoli will serve as a fully-fledged rescue centre once it is completed and put into use.
The official also said the numbers of minors in the other townships of Majengo, Chavakali, Shamakhokho, Serem, Mudete and Cheptulu are also on the rise, signalling calls for quick action to control the increasing figures.
He said the government is keen on ensuring all the street children are taken away from all market centres in Vihiga County.
With the absence of a functioning rescue centre, Mr Ambwaya said his office has partnered with St Joseph Children’s Home to accommodate rescued children.
“As a children’s department, we are partnering with children homes so that the minors can be taken in for rehabilitation,” said Mr Ambwaya.
Psychosocial support
He went on: “After rehabilitation, the children are reconnected to their families and are given psychosocial support depending on what triggered the minor to flee from home.”
“We do this so that the children do not return to the streets. It is through identifying the trigger factors that the rehabilitation process is made easier,” added Mr Ambwaya.
Ms Dorcas Moraa, the Director of St Joseph Children’s Home, said the facility is tasked with converting street children into responsible adults.
She said the home has since rehabilitated and educated over 100 street children who are ready to be absorbed into the job market.
She called on employers to also consider the rehabilitated and educated former street children for employment, saying they are fit to serve the country.
Ms Moraa lamented that most of the children are not being considered for employment, a move she said was lowering the morale of others who are undergoing the rehabilitation process.
“We are sensitising the society to accept back the children after they have gone through the rehabilitation process,” she said.
