THEIR FUTURE IS IMPORTANT!

When one drives around Harare, it’s now a norm to bump into children who will be asking for money. These children are stationed mostly at busy intersections or robots of major roads begging for money or food sometimes.

Young children begging in the CBD

These beggars are as young at three year olds and they manoeuvre their way in between the cars. Some of them are as old as fifteen year olds. These children are both males and females. My main concern is on the girls who are amongst these beggars.

Yes, we are suffering in Zimbabwe but why should a parent risk the future of their child by letting them be in the streets where there are vultures waiting to prey on the young girls. Who knows what these girls are going through to at least go home with $5. Even if they are sexually abused they won’t say a word as they will be given money and this is sort of better than going back home empty handed. These children are at a high risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and further spreading them.

A month ago people were celebrating the court ruling on early child marriages. Yes it is a milestone achievement but let us also work towards removing these children from the streets. They are supposed to be at school but they are on the streets facing a lot of challenges. Some of these children are exposed to drug abuse at a very tender age.

 In most cases these girls are of school going age but they are in the streets begging for money. Their future is already dead as it. My question is where are the parents of these children? Do they care about their children’s future?

Another related case is that of blind people who move around in town with their children begging for money. These blind people are abusing their children and taking away their right to education. A good example is that of a boy who begs by Sam Mujoma and Josiah Tongogara. As early as half six the boy is already there with his father begging for money until around six o’clock in the evening. The boy has to withstand harsh weather conditions every day. The boy no longer has a life that other boys of his same age group have.

Where are the children’s rights activists in the middle of all this?  These groups should be the ones fighting to stop this kind of behaviour. Children’s rights activists may say that child labour is when children are working in farms however I additionally need to contend that the asking in the lanes is likewise tyke work as the kids are sent by their guardians to ask for cash. 

Street kids hanging behind a car

Some of these children are street kids and they are the ones that are abusing drugs and indulging in sexual activities at a tender age. These childern are seen at the back of the cars risking their lives and by the look of things they seem to be enjoying the ride. Can the constables on duty do something on this kind of  behaviour.  

Let us work together to help remove these children from the boulevards and get them back to school. With education their future is better than spending their days in the streets.