Tanzania: Street kids willing to go to school

  1. Posted on Monday 22 November 2010 - 14:43
    Mugini Jacob Mwera
    Image of Mugini Jacob Mwera
    Mugini Jacob, VoicesofAfrica alumnus in the Mara region, Tanzania
    A number of street children residing in Iringa town which is situated around 600 kilometers from the capital Dar es Salaam are ready to go back to school if they get financial support from well-wishers.
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    The children say in an interview with the voices of Africa at the weekend that they only lack money to enable them peruse primary education.

    ‘After death of my mother I failed to continue with my studies because there was not body to help me. I came to Iringa town and joined other street children but I am ready to go back to school if somebody can help me money to buy uniform’, one of the street kid indentified as Neto from the rural village of Ibogoro says.

    On his side James from the neighbouring Makambo district says he fled home several months ago due humiliation done to him by his father.

    ‘I just need a transport fee to go back home and continue with my studies because I left Kigomeni primary school while in standard six’, remarks James.

    From morning to evening the children move from one street to another begging for money to buy food. At night they find any unused small building and sleep on the dust floor without bed sheets or mattresses.

    Another street kid identified as John Ndete(12) also from Ibogoro says he has been forced to move to Iringa town to find money to buy food.

    ‘We are sleeping in this hat because we have nowhere to sleep and eat if we get money by begging’, narrates John.

    The President for the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs Mr Kennethy Simbaya has challenged the government to put in place effective strategies that will help to cut the number of stree children in towns and cities.

    ‘We need to the source of the problem and find solution such as setting up counseling centers for these children’, Mr Simbaya suggests.

    The number of street children is still high in major towns of Tanzania. Efforts by the government of Tanzania to clear all street children towns are yet to bear fruitful
    Poverty is said to the major problem driving such children from their native rural villages to towns and cities .

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