Gov’t seeks homes for street children

Children loitering on the streets will soon have a smile following government’s move to launch a programme that will see them integrated into society.

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Children loitering on the streets will soon have a smile following government’s move to launch a programme that will see them integrated into society.The Executive Secretary of the National Children`s Commission (NCC), Zaina Nyiramatama, told The Sunday Times that currently, a survey is being conducted countrywide to identify the main reason why children end up on streets."This will give us a starting point on how we can reduce or protect more children from becoming street kids,” said Nyiramatama.She was addressing the media shortly after a meeting that brought representatives of the Gender ministry, NCC and civil society organisations.They had met to discuss a draft report on the current situation of children living in orphanage centres and to find a solution for them.  Nyiramatama said that they are working integrate street children into the families.The draft report is a product of a survey conducted in 33 recognised orphanages in the country which are home to 3153 children.According to the report, the biggest per centage of children in orphanage centres is a result of death of parents. Others are there because of poor child care in their homes while other were abandoned, among other factors.