Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has recorded a great shift in its population with many people having emigrated to neighbouring countries.  This has a direct result on the occurrence of families breaking down, and leaves children alone with no one to care for them.  It is unsurprising then that children go to the streets in Zimbabwe; a combination of poverty, orphan hood, abuse and socio-economic factors often leave them with little choice.  It is estimated that there are 12,000 street children in Zimbabwe (CSC, 2006), 5000 of whom live in Harare.

Streets Ahead believe that this number has increased and register at least 20 new children in their office every month.  Once living on the street, children are particularly vulnerable, especially the girls, and many present with STIs, HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies.  Girls may seek back street abortions, and will then have to deal with the terrible impact these have on their own health. Other girls keep their children, and Harare is beginning to see second and third generations of street children being born onto the streets. These children are even more of a challenge to deal with, as they remember no community but the streets, and have no community to be returned to.