Determinants of street children prevalence in Bunda town, Mara region, Tanzania
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Date
2008
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
This study aimed at finding strategies and the way forward for alleviating the street
children problem in Tanzania. The study was conducted in Bunda town, Mara Region. The
study has been prompted by the fact that there has been persistency of children running
from their homes onto the urban streets. This will have negative impact on economic
development if not taken care of. However it should also be noted that children are the
future owners of any country. Therefore ignoring the problem would mean impoverishing
the country instead of developing it. The main objective of the study was to examine the
major factors that lead to prevalence of street children in Bunda town. Specifically the
study aimed to examine the characteristics of street children in the study area, examine the
activities undertaken by the street children in the streets and determine economic, social
and cultural factors that lead to street children. A cross-sectional study design which
employs a survey method and most common design in survey research to compare
variables were used. Data were collected at a single point in time and methods involved
structured interview guides, documentation and structured questionnaires which were
administered to a sample of 100 respondents. Data processing and analysis was done using
SPSS computer software. Research findings showed that a number of factors have
contributed to the street children prevalence in the study area. These include the peer and
parent pressure, abuse and neglecting, orphanage, family conflict, food shortage at
household level and low family income earning. The study recommends that the
government should address well the controversy issue on who is a child and set the child
development policy mainly focusing on how to protect, safeguard and improve the welfare
of children.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Street children, prevalence in Bunda, Mara region, Tanzania