Intervention programs designed for children living and working on the street: The case of Simukai Child Protection Program.

Abstract

There are a number of organizations implementing intervention programmes for children in Zimbabwe. Their projects and programs have been well documented in literature. Though there is considerable evidence of these intervention programmes in Zimbabwe there is, however, limited exploration and analysis of a single organization on the factors that influence the programming of its interventions. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of children living and working on the street of the intervention programmes designed for them, in this case by Simukai child protection program. It sought to highlight the challenges and the success story of the intervention programmes. It also aimed to establish the factors that influence the programming of interventions with specific reference to Simukai Child Protection Program. The research used the qualitative methodology approach. A total of twenty five in depth interviews were conducted in order to collect data. The study was conducted at Simukai with the children currently living on the street when they came for their daily routines. The same applied to the staff at Simukai with whom interviews were done during their normal working hours. Observations were done at Simukai where the children spent the greater part of the day playing, accessing psycho-social support, doing laundry, bathing and having meals. Their interactions with staff and as peers were also noted. Informal conservations were also conducted with the children at Simukai and in town towards the end of the day. At the end of the day children return to town and begin to beg and do odd jobs such as carrying people’s luggage and minding cars. Interviews with former beneficiaries were conducted at their respective homes while they carried on with their day to day activities. Stakeholders’ interviews were conducted at their workplaces during working hours. The thematic approach to data analysis was utilized to present and analyse the qualitative data. The study established that institutions and programmes simply ignore the context in which they work. 85% of the children who participated in the study felt that they had not been considered in the designing and programming of the interventions. The top down approach used by Simukai was seen as oppressive, where children and communities are forced to make changes in their life according to external values which do not match their real context and values. The study established that the street children phenomenon must not be seen as an isolated phenomenon, but should be approached from the context in which it is located. The rational choice theory was used to explain and analyse the phenomenon under investigation.