The number of street children and those living under vulnerable conditions in Kagera Region increased from 97,700 in 2011 to over 140,000 last year, calling for concerted efforts to assist them, Kagera Regional Community Development Officer Rebecca Gwambasa, has said.
She noted that broken marriages, poverty and lack of family planning were some of the factors that forced children into the streets at a tender age. She urged NGOs and other stakeholders to supplement government efforts in supporting the increasing number of Aids orphans and street children.
She revealed that the government had constructed a total of 213 low-cost houses for Aids orphans and street children during 2012 and appealed to NGOs to emulate the example. According to Ms Gwambasa, most people were ignorant of the Law of the Child (2009), which protects children from all forms of exploitation and child labour.
This followed a report which indicated that the majority of the 100,000-plus street children were engaged in exploitive forms of labour, including employment in in mining operations. Meanwhile, Kagera Regional Commissioner, Fabian Massawe, has appealed to regional residents to participate fully in ensuring that development projects were completed in time.
He made the appeal recently when he visited Kihanga ward, in Karagwe District, where the residents are constructing three dispensaries on a self-help basis. He commended them for their effort and assured them that the government would give necessary support.
Kihanga Ward Councillor, Mr Joseph Kibate, informed the RC that the decision to construct the dispensaries was reached to save pregnant women from having to walk over 20 kms to get delivery services at Nyakahanga Designated Hospital.
By MEDDY MULISA, Tanzania Daily News
