ON THE WEB

Street children speak of their plight

Tired of having other people, NGOs and Churches speak on their behalf, street boys of Arusha recently had a real street talk giving us a piece of their minds.

By Raymond John

My biggest concern is shelter. Right now I sleep at the bus station braving both the rains and chilly weather.

Food is also a major problem, because we have to first beg money to buy our daily meals but we usually get beaten, insulted or chased away instead.

Sometimes we may get money but bigger boys, men or even police men force us to give it to them.

John Edward (13)

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I live with my grandmother in Ngarenaro and only come out to town to play because she cannot afford to take me to school although I very much want to learn.

When I was in Singida with my mother, I managed to reach Standard three so reading and writing is not much of a problem to me.

Mohammed Mussa (11)

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I have been in the streets for over four years. Previously I used to live in Moshi.

It is very risky living the way we do, for you may die any moment. A bigger boy just decides to drop a rock on you while sleeping and you either die or suffer broken limbs.

Plenty of harassment and beating from police men who also rob us of our money or any valuable item.

Women who cook and sell food in the streets sometimes save us from starvation otherwise we get to scavenge garbage at the Central Market.

Shelter and security is what we need most, a place where one can live without expecting a stone to hit him from any direction.

In the streets some boys end up being wives to older ones or perverted men just to get their daily bread and a place to sleep.

As to where we sleep, well in the street, on boxes and cover ourselves with polythene bags.

Abraham Idd alias Juma Shaaban

a.k.a. Baba Ashura, aged 15.

—

I live in Jaluo street at Sinon ward with my grandmother who is a vegetable hawker at the market.

I don’t know who my father is, but my mother used to work as a barmaid in Mbauda.  I am not sure where she is now.

Nobody beats me in the street because I have a big friend who works as a mechanic a job he got through the contacts of Shermin Moledina.

Remmy Charles (10)

Jaluo Street

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Last modified: March 08, 2002.
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