A FIGHTING CHANCE FOR STREET CHILDREN
Sunday, February 28th 2010
http://www.myggsa.co.za/news/2235/
Do you give to street children? You may be doing more harm than
good, according to Homestead Director, Sandra Morreira. GreaterCapital
researcher, Dylan Edwards, visited The Homestead, a shelter for street
children in Khayalitsha, to find out what works in getting – and
keeping – children off the streets.
“I’m going to be a fighter” says Shelton. He raises his hands
and swerves quickly from side to side, ducking the punches of an
imaginary opponent. “I’m not big, but I’m very fast,” he says. “They
don’t see me coming!”
Shelton is showing me around The Homestead, a shelter for street
children based in Khayalitsha. Like many of the boys here, he loves
sport. He plays soccer, cricket and basketball whenever he has the
chance, but Muay Thai kickboxing is his favourite. He takes me past
the TV room where a group of about 20 boys are dancing to kwaito
bellowing out of a CD-player. They pause only for a moment to smile
and wave as I walk past. “They’re happy it’s Friday” Shelton explains.
Onto the streets
The happy scenes at the Homestead make it all the more difficult
to picture these boys on the street. But they are all here because
they could not be reunited with their families. Sandra Morreira,
Director of the Homestead explains that their strategy is always to
try and reunite children with their families. “The boys are here
either because we can’t find a family member that can take them in, or
because the environment they might go home to is not suitable for
children.”
Children leave home for the streets for a number of reasons. Many
of them come from abusive or neglectful homes, and almost all of them
come from extreme poverty. “Sometimes the problem is as simple as a
school uniform.” says Sandra “If the family can’t afford a uniform,
the child won’t go to school. And with their parents out of the house
during the day, the children take to the streets, where gangsters and
drug-dealers are waiting for them.”
Early intervention
This is why one of the main strategies for reducing the number
of street children is early intervention. Organisations across the
country employ teams of outreach workers who try to find families in
need and to help them before their problems drive their children onto
the streets.
Many people feel compelled to help the street children they
encounter. But Sandra is concerned that despite their good
intentions, PEOPLE WHO TRY TO HELP BY GIVING THE CHILDREN MONEY ARE
ACTUALLY MAKING MATTERS WORSE. “What people must remember” she says
“is that MAKING MONEY FROM BEGGING IS WHAT KEEPS THEM ON THE STREETS”.
The drugs problem
A lot of the money that street children get from begging
inevitably ends up being spent on drugs. According to Sandra, this has
become more and more of a problem in recent years. While previously
the Homestead encountered plenty of children sniffing glue, there has
been a move towards harder, more dangerous and more addictive drugs.
“And the more money they have, the harder the drugs that they get
into.”
Be part of the solution
According to Sandra, “a lot of the time these children have
trouble trusting adults because the adults in their lives have often
been abusive or neglectful.” Simply by treating these children as
human beings, politely and respectfully, might change the way they
think about adults. “Building that trust is always the first step”
says Sandra.
But the best way to make a difference is to support the
organisations that are dedicated to working with street children.
Sandra encourages people to try find out about organisations that work
in their area. “There are good projects working with street kids in
most cities and towns in South Africa. Ask the child if they know
about these places. Suggest that they go there if they need food and
shelter... These organisations have the experience and expertise to
help get children off the streets. Supporting them is far more helpful
than giving money directly to the children.”
Give Shelton a fighting chance
Later, I ask Sandra about Shelton’s ambitions to be a professional
kickboxer. She laughs “Yes, a lot of the boys do very well at
kickboxing. The street prepares them for the fighting!”
But it is places like the Homestead that will give Shelton a fighting
chance.
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