Updated: Aug 25, 2022
Homelessness is traumatic. It affects not just housing but whether or not someone can get enough food, feel safe and maintain relationships with friends and family. The physical and mental health effects often persist long after people are rehoused, and the community and government costs are high.
The side of the phenomenon that has raised to its peak over some years now especially in Africa is children or youth homelessness. Children and youth homelessness has become an increasingly prevalent issue in major African cities. According to UNICEF, in Africa, there are 30 million children and youths living on the streets. In Ghana, estimates suggest that there are about 204,000 homeless youth and children.
Driving through the streets of Accra, it’s certainly inevitable to notice the growing number of young people wiping windshields at the Shiashi intersection, directing traffic at the Boundary road-Adjiringanor road intersection, and begging for money at the Flower Pot and Opeibea intersections. The situation is similar in Kasoa, Takoradi, Kumasi, and Tamale. At night, some of these children sleep in uncompleted buildings, under bridges, and on sidewalks in the open air. The cause of youth and children homelessness include: poverty, disintegrated families and divorce, the quest for freedom from parental control, increase drug use, mental health issues, high unemployment and low employability, unaffordable housing, lack of of education and opportunities, and teenage pregnancy (Oduro, 2012, Orme 2007, Oppong Asante 2019). In Ghana, homeless youths are considered as one of the most vulnerable groups as they are faced with greater risks compared with other young adults (Oppong Asante, 2019). In Accra, homeless children and youths mostly work as porters, sales workers and in some cases commercial sex workers. These activities put them at risk of physical and sexual assaults, road accidents, drug addiction, psychological trauma and diseases such as
HIV/ AIDS and Malaria (Tadesse et al., 2013).
To cope with these challenges some of the children and youths have resorted to the use of drugs, unprotected sex, and criminal activities. Youth and children homelessness is costly to Ghana’s social, political and economic stability as a lot of these individuals do not have access to education, or the skills to contribute to the development of the country. As a result, the implementation of social interventions that will address this issue is crucial. Studies have shown that street youth and children are RESILIENT (Malindi et, al., 2013, Oppong Asante, 2019). Some are able to find means to cope with their challenges by fostering relationships with other youths and creating small scale opportunities and personal resources based on their environment. Specifically, strong religious belief, sense of humour, engagement in meaningful social interactive activities, reciprocal friendship, adherence to cultural norms and support from community- based organisation have also been identified as factors that help homeless youth to survive (Oppong Asante, 2019).
We at JenX Youth Hub International acknowledge and respect the strength and resilience of Ghanaian street youths and children and we are committed to support them in their journey of survival and resilience by providing them a temporary home where they can continue to grow, and be transformed to be leaders, entrepreneurs and agents of change.