Ward official explains street children crisis

What you need to know:

  • An official of the Social Welfare Division in the municipality Kiweray Macha said many children were often subjected to hardships and cruelty under the care of step parents.

Moshi. Separation of couples due to domestic conflicts has significantly contributed to the rising number of street children in Moshi and other areas in Kilimanjaro region.

An official of the Social Welfare Division in the municipality Kiweray Macha said many children were often subjected to hardships and cruelty under the care of step parents.

According to her, a recent survey done indicated that at least 85 per cent of the street children or vulnerable children found in Moshi were boys and 15 girls, attributing the low number of females to early pregnancies which push them out of the group.

Excessive consumption of alcohol and constant quarrels among couples and subsequent separation have led to under age children not being well cared, forcing them into the streets to fend for themselves.

“I used to live with my parents but later they separated after quarreling. I followed my mother but I could not withstand the harrassments I was subjected to from my step father.

“Later, I shifted to my father. The situation became even worse,” said one kid who spoke on condition of anonymity.

He he has no option other than going to fend for himself in the streets in the company of other children from the broken families or who are orphaned.

The Social Welfare official could not give the current statistics of the street children in Moshi municipality but said the situation was alarming in Kaloleni ward