The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
Prolonged school holidays and challenges caused by coronavirus-induced lockdowns are making it increasingly difficult for parents and guardians.
The past few weeks have seen major traffic intersections in cities and towns being swarmed by children begging for money.
Many of them are even prepared to offer odd jobs and services in return for cash or food.
The law, however, considers this illegal.
So desperate are some of these children living on the streets that they now unilaterally volunteer their services by cleaning windscreens at traffic-controlled intersections to induce motorists to pay.
Others even ask drivers to pull over for a full car wash.
Some motorists have been unfortunate enough to encounter visibly drunk minors who sometimes turn violent when they refuse to co-operate.
There are fears they could spread the coronavirus as they neither wear face masks nor sanitise their hands.
But authorities are trying their best.
So far, more than 300 children have been rescued from the streets since the beginning of the year.
“The figures of children begging in the streets are worryingly on the increase and we are working tirelessly to come up with a lasting solution to this challenge,” Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Permanent Secretary Mr Simon Masanga told The Sunday Mail Society.
Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo and Gweru account for most of the children.
It has since emerged that most minors are actually forced to beg by their parents and guardians.
“Each time I get something, I immediately surrender it to my mother who will be seated there (pointing to the pavement),” revealed a girl who identified herself as Laina.
However, Section 10 of the Children’s Act (Chapter 5:06) makes this an offence that attracts a fine, jail sentence, or both.
“. . . any parent or guardian of a child or young person who allows that child or young person or any person who causes any child or young person — (a) to beg; or (b) to accompany him or any other person while he begs . . . in a manner likely to be detrimental to the child’s or young person’s health, morals, mind or body; shall be guilty of an offence,” reads part of the Act.
According to Mr Masanga: “Those caught offside will certainly be prosecuted as the law makes it illegal. The Government is in the process of finalising the Children’s Amendment Bill and the Child Justice Bill, which will both go a long way in protecting children.”
Recently, Nigel, who lives and works on the street along Julius Nyerere, escaped death by a whisker as he was almost knocked down by car while brawling for money with his colleague in the middle of the road.
Onlookers panicked, but he was nonchalant.
A spitting distance from the scene, a group of minors operating along Jason Moyo were hurling insults at an elderly motorist after she refused to pay for a windscreen cleaning service.
Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told The Sunday Mail Society that a taskforce made up of Government departments, local authorities, civil society organisations and churches had been set to deal with the growing menace.
“The police only assist the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare in getting the children off the streets. However, if they break the law, which includes interfering with the traffic, we will arrest them,” he said.
The Government, working with First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa through her Angel of Hope Foundation and local authorities, recently placed 70 children previously living and working on the streets at Chambuta Children’s Home in Chiredzi.
At the transit centre, the children undergoing rehabilitation have access to education, vocational training and sporting facilities.
Several children have graduated through the centre to lead prosperous lives.
Also, a $50 million “Children on the Streets Fund” for reuniting minors with their families or placing them in alternative care and rehabilitation centres has been established.
The purse will also be channelled towards advocacy programmes in communities.
“With time and skilled personnel, some of the children can still be successfully rehabilitated even though they have lost hope for life,” psychologist and University of Johannesburg post-doctoral researcher Dr John Ringson said.
Drug abuse, he added, is one of the major reasons why minors escape homes, and there was, therefore, need to create specialist drug rehabilitation programmes in these centres.
“Most children escape from rehabilitation institutions to enjoy the “freedom” that comes with street life, as they are not subjected to strict social control, rules and regulations on the streets,” he said.
The Government is assisting organisations that wish to establish, operate and maintain any service or facility aimed at rehabilitating children living and working on the streets.
“In addition, we have the Identification, Documentation, Tracing and Reunification (IDTR) project in which children identified on the streets will be profiled, documented and their relatives traced. It will also probe families on why their children end up on the streets,” added Mr Masanga.
Placement in institutions is considered a last resort in terms of the National Orphan Care Policy, which is currently under review.
Restorers of Broken Walls Foundation, which has more than 40 children under its wing, is one of the many civic organisations pulling their weight.
“A good number of the children are from Mashonaland East. We are also planning to construct a rehabilitation facility in Chivhu. It is everyone’s responsibility to spare a thought for this group of children.
“We use our own means to provide for them while sometimes well-wishers also come to our rescue, but our wish is to expand into other provinces as well,” said Mr Clever Mazhindu, the foundation’s patron.
Sad tales
A Grade Six dropout who lives and works on the street gave a touching narrative. He left home two years ago after his mother remarried following his father’s death.
He was subsequently left in the care of his aged grandmother.
“This is not what I want, but I have to do it anyway. I have a grandmother back in Karoi whom I need to provide for,” explained the young man, who is now in his early teens.
On good days, he gets as much as US$5 per day, while on worst cases he pockets nothing.
“I visit my grandmother each time I make a killing. She is now my responsibility after my mother abandoned us.”
Epworth-based 14-year-old Tatenda Chingara and his friend Sam commute to and from town every day to beg.
“I pay a US$5 monthly rentals. However, I am unemployed, hence I offer car wash services or even outrightly beg for money or food from motorists. At times we are lucky, but in some instances the situation can turn nasty as some of the motorists are mean,” he said.
“I do not have any form of qualification to secure employment. My parents died when I was still young and from then, I have never known peace. We are not safe on the streets, which is why we decided to rent a room, but staying at home is not an option because we need the money.”
His friend Sam opted to run away from his parents.
“Tatenda (Chingara) always came home with money after spending the day in town and that inspired me to join him. I thought it was an easy killing, but this life is tough. I would love to go back home if it was possible. However, I do not think my parents will take me back because of the way I left. Besides, they are also poor.”
Gabriel (14) started living and working on the streets when he was five-years-old and regrets escaping from home.
“I use drugs of any sort to gather confidence when approaching motorists . . . I made a bad decision when my friend and I escaped from home. We wanted to get drugs and money. But my friend is now late.”
Gabriel feels part of the solution lies in protecting children from abuse to prevent them from running away from home.
