1. 1
Chapter One
1.1. Background of the study
Streetism is becoming a worldwide phenomenon. The vast majorities of street people work and
live in large urban areas of the developing world. There are no accurate estimates of the number
of street people worldwide, and estimates often vary from one source to another. In 1987
UNICEF estimated that over 50 million world youths and children are exposed to street life,
spending part or whole of their time in city streets working, begging or engaged in other illicit
and criminal activities in their attempt to adapt to street life. Besides, MOLSA (Ibad) and Radda
Barnen reported that the number of street children worldwide ranges from 30 million to 170
million (Barnen, 1997)
As with the global picture on Streetism, the data on street people in Ethiopia is very limited, and
studies and reports on the subject have came up with varying estimates. According to FSCE
(2003), Streetism has become a country wide problem in Ethiopia, with over 100,000 children
living and/or working on the streets of Ethiopian cities. Another 500,000 rural children are not in
school and live in extreme poverty, creating the potential for thousands more children to join the
ranks of the county’s growing number of street life. In a similar way a report by CRDA (2006)
estimated that approximately 200,000 people were working and living on urban streets, of which
150,000 reside in Addis Ababa: making the capital the leading city in the number of street
peoples (CRDA, 2006).
The growing numbers of street people is one of the most serious social problems of at the urban
areas of the world. Likewise, in Ethiopia it is estimated that there are more than hundred
thousand street people. These people are engaged to varying degrees of street life. Higher
proportions of these people are concentrated in Addis Ababa and other big cities like Gondar
(Yohannes, 2005).
As anyone senses, life on the street is an extremely difficult situation and street people are facing
a number of challenges. Hence, it is on this background that this study seeks to emphasize on the
socio economic problems of street dwellers in Gondar city (observation).

2. 2
There are factors for street people as documented by many reports and studies include poverty
caused by many factor. Including unemployment, harmful traditional, practices, lack of
protecting infrastructure in poor communities, HIV /AIDS and social discrimination, fragmented
family structures such as: family conflict, divorce and family isolation and under employments
lack of accessible health care people who have some kind of chronic and weakening disease but
cannot get health care either because they don’t have money to afford it or because the
government was not give it to them are simply too weak to go and work every day (UNICEF,
2002).
The basic problems of street people are the need for personal shelter; warmth and safety other
include medical problems, personal security, cleaning and drying of clothes hostility and legal
powers against urban vagrancy (Sweta S, 2005).
In our study area, Streetism has a difficult socio economic problem around Arada and Piazza in
Gondar town. In addition, its effect was not only for the spread of the town but also for the
peoples, which live on the town. Moreover, the factors that affects the town like expansion of
theft and begging in the city. In Gondar town, there are around 400 streets and from these around
80 was help by the childcare Yenegew Tesfa. (Yenege Tesfa, 2006)

3. 3
1.2. Statement of the problem
The extent and nature of Streetism is possibly one of the most serious challenges in urban areas
of the developing world. Despite the existence of the problem of Streetism in several countries,
its size, nature and cause varies from country to country depending on the levels of economic,
development, cultural and traditional settings, institutional interventions and the level of social
harmony and peace (Veale, 1996:2)
It has been stated that a large number of these dwellers are from single headed households. There
are also those who depend entirely on their relative and acquaintances. Information available on
the issue highlights the exploitative situations these people find themselves in while on the
streets (Wainaina, 1981)
In Ethiopia, Streetism is a common phenomenon, especially in towns of the country and it has
been increasing from time to time in alarming rate. Children and adults who live in streets of the
country have faced many problems such as unconditional mental illness, HIV/AIDS, ignorance
by the people and they have stigmatized social relations. They encountered this problem at early
ages and they are found to remain disadvantageous through their lifetime due to lack of an
organized family life experience, because of lack of access to education and health care (CEDS,
2001).
So far as Gondar was one part and most populace town in the country, there are many children
and adults living on the street, flowing from different corner of rural areas. As the highlight study
conducted by Amhara regional state labor and social affairs bureau shows, before three years
ago, in the town there were about 380 children and adults who lived on the street (ARSLSA,
2006)
As the above study shows, the problem of Streetism was still increasing and becoming the social,
economic and psychological problem of the town. Due to the year-to-year rising nature of the
problem, the researches want to conduct this study with a particular emphasis on PIAZA and
ARADA areas.

4. 4
1.3. Objectives of the study
1.3.1. General Objective
The general objective of the study would be to assess the socio –economic problem of street
peoples in Gondar town.
1.3.2. Specific Objective
The study would have the following specific objectives:-
 To identify the causes of Streetism in the study area
 To investigate the social problem faced by street peoples
 To examine the economic problem faced by street peoples
 To identify psychological effects on the street peoples
1.4. Scope of the study
In this study, focus was being given for the socio-economic problems of street peoples in the
study area. The research was assess the socio economic problems of street people in Gondar
town, particularly in Piazza and Arada areas where there are large number of street dwellers. In
doing so, we employee qualitative research methods, interns of the time the study had been
conducted with street peoples, dwellers and concerning bodies.
1.5. Significance of the study
This study was having a number of significance for various stallholders on the issue. This study
should give insight, government organizations, and voluntary agents including non-governmental
organizations on their effort to alleviate the problem. This study also show intervention gaps in
the study area for further project interventions for these organizations. The study also used as a
beginning work for other researchers who want to conduct further studies on the problem under
study. Besides, it was help planners to give due attention to the growing effects of street and to
get more attention from the researchers and give detection to investigate on the problem of
Streetism in Gondar town. Further, the study would be used as source and reference material in
the libraries.

5. 5
1.6. Description of the study Area.
The study was conducted in Gondar town, which are located 748 km far from Addis Ababa, 182
km from Bahirdar and 220 km far from neighboring country of Sudan. In the town, there are 12
urban, 11 rural and 1 satellite kebeles, with 24 kebeles. The main part of the city was located on
bridges between two rivers Angereb and Keha River. Angerbe was the main sources of water
facilities for the town. The town was largely on the slope of keha river and has a mean annual
rain fall of 1172 m, the mean temperature of the town is between 16 and 20 degree centigrade,
and it belongs to sub-tropical climate zone. The populations of the town are estimated to be
about 303, 815 out of this population about 162,633 are females. Generally, Gondar is a
historical place with different tourist attraction sights (Gondar city Administration, 2010)

6. 6
Chapter Two
2.1. Literature review
2.1.1. Defining Streetism
Streetism is a term need to donate the life style of individuals who for various reason works and
live in the street with its entire sub group, cultural values, norm and expectations. Anyone who is
thinking of working with street dwellers comes up sooner than later against the problem of
definition. Two dominant versions attempt to distinguish between “real” street dweller and
dwellers who has not reached adulthood, for whom the street (in the broadest sense the word,
including unoccupied dwellings, wasteland, etc). More than their family has become her or his
real home, a lead and/or source of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, supervised, or
direct by responsible adult (sueta, 2005:19)
The term “street children” in Ethiopia is a collective and it has been applied to a large number of
youths, all of them spend a great deal of time away from home, but do not necessarily share other
characteristics. In addition to this, USAID taxonomies of street children are also include children
“on” the streets: these children spending most days and some nights working and socializing on
the street because of, for example poverty, euounoluding, sexual or physical abuse at home of the
different categories, this is the most numerous they have regular contact with their families and
an educational system, and may even return every night to sleep at home. Children “of” the
streets: this term refers to children who are both economically and socially engaged in street life.
These children engaged in street life. These children have little or no contact with relatives, are
homeless, and fully lack parental, emotional and psychological support; they often move from
place to place living in shelters and a laundered building (AMOD, 2004)

7. 7
2.2. Conceptualization of casual factors of Streetism
This section critically evaluates the conception of Streetism which has emerged throughout the
literature. The problem of Streetism has become one of the urban problems which call for the
attention of the international community. Experts from various angles proposed different socio-
economic factors, which they had found out as a cause. The existence of street people is a
worldwide phenomenon and is directly related to social network. Instantly, poverty and ensuring
rural-urban migration (MGLS, 1999:2)
Broken family is taken by various experts to be the major cause for Streetism. Family dissolution
is “highly prevalent among family with pooch economic conditions”. The urbanization process
involves rural urban migration. The migrant family overwhelmed with multiple advertises are
forced to join street life for better chance of survival. Hence, family breakdown, urban poverty
and migration brought youth as militating factors which precipitate Streetism (EADE1995:278)
2.2.1. Family Breakdown and the emergence of Streetism
Under normal circumstances, the natural parents, the family, could best afford a suitable family
environment for a child, however, not all family circumstance are normal the parents always
around to offers the comfortable environment. It is true that parents offer the ideal home for the
child to grow. But it is also unfortunate fact in the reality of the world that millions of children
are separated from their parents for a variety of reasons the family institutions is going through a
lot of upheavals. Fewer and fewer child has stale and caring family environments. Many families
have broken up with children lacks to tend themselves. Many families also increasingly
characterized by absent parents, lack of communication between parents and children.
Alcoholism and domestic violence, many children run away to the streets to avoid violence and
abuse in the family (KOPAKA, 2000:9)
Currently it is common incidence to hear frightful stories of abuse of children by family
members. Now a day it is not surprising to see parents using forces or threats to send their
children out to beg, steal and work to earn income for the family. Adults are using children as
source of income and thus violating and drying children their basic rights as human beings. In
the harsh situation, life on the streets may offer more opportunity for the child life at home.
Consequently, may children a rational choice to leave home and live on the streets drawn by the

8. 8
increased economic incentive and independence it affords some claim that street children are
more accurately conceptualized as “ ones who alone their families” rather than a laundered by
them (Brick et al, 2000:135)
2.2.2. Poverty and the emergence of Streetism
Economic factors have been cited most frequently as the reason the majority of children are
engaged in street life. The least developed countries are the richest in children. According to data
of UN population division, 49 percent of the population of the least developed countries was
under the age of 18 while it is 21 percent for developed countries. Urban children are usually
considered to be healthier, better housed, and better educated and with access to a wide range of
services and opportunity than rural children. As shown in several studies children are
inappropriately represented doming the poor, since the least developed countries tend to have the
youngest population, and poor families tend to have more children than affluent once. Hence,
hundreds of millions of urban children live in object poverty (UNICEF, 2002,2)
Poverty in childhood is a root cause of poverty in adulthood. Improvised children grow up to be
poor parent who in turn bring up their own children in poverty. A crucial support for this cycle
was a belief in a cultural inheritance of poverty; it was held that there was a distinct culture of
poverty, which shaped people attitude to work and relief. Unless they were properly motivated, it
was felt paupers would be unable to improve their situation, and their attitude to work and to
welfare would be passed on to their children. Research evidences show the most parents seem to
replicate the basic parenting style they experienced as children (Kopoka, 2000:9)
Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world as evidence by a variety of indicators of
wellbeing. According to World Bank 2004, per capital, life expectancy, educational enrolment,
and access to health services are all very low. Over the last 30 years, life expectancy, educational
has shown little improvement and food production per capital has declined urban problem has
become a significant problem in Ethiopia due mainly to rapid urbanization and population
growth. (Yohannes, 2005:31)

9. 9
2.3. Magnitude of Streetism
The problem of Streetism is becoming a worldwide phenomenon since it is exists in every part of
the world. The past majorities of these street people work and live in large urban areas of
developing countries. Some of the street peoples are part of entire families who live on the street
and others are born to older street girls (UNICEF, 2002)
Individual’s lives in street constitute a marginalized group in most societies. They are people
who have more or less lost the usual reference of social life and their individual identity. They
are in difficult circumstance who struggle to survive in urban or sub-urban areas and who, in
their search for help, often fall foul of law. These people come from: urban families, generally
poor or in marital crisis; more and more the rural areas (rural goudas); minority ethnic groups
from neighboring countries; nomad communities who have settled on the outstrips of towns –
shanty towns- who have fled from natural disasters; political and religious minority excluded
from their own country or rejected by formal schools due to the rigidity of the school system
(Veale, 1996:2)
Many street dwellers live and work on city streets throughout the world. Still many choose street
life as the alternative to poverty or violence at home. It is a harsh choice with constant treats of
hunger, exploitation, violence, abuse and even death. The following are circumstances people
may become involved in work as street traders, shoe shiners, windscreen washers, street vendors
or tea boys; distributed drugs for adults; steal for adults; prostitution; forced to become soldiers;
forced to beat or hack other children to death; and work as bonded laborers (UNICEF, 2002)
2.4. Theories and Models
Two theories and one model which are much related with the research topic are discussed as
follows.
2.4.1. Theories of parenting and poverty
The term “parents” and “parenting” are commonly used to refer to these people who provide
significant care for children. These can be, besides the biological parents, the grandparents, other
relative and also adults who are not biologically related to the child.

10. 10
At the broadest level, parenting encompasses the provision of care directed at children’s
physical, emotional and social needs. Thus the two key task of parenting and nurturance and
socialization (Baumrind, 1991:53)
The other component of the theory is the concept of poverty. There are two basic definitions of
poverty in common use: ‘absolute’ poverty and ‘relative’ poverty.
Absolute poverty normally refers to a state in which income is in sufficient to provide the basic
needs required to sustain life (i.e. to feed and shelter children). Relative poverty defines income
or resource in relation to the average. It may also refer to the wider implications of living in
poverty. Such as the inability to participant or contribute to society on an equal basis because of
a lack of sufficient income (Iohongema, 2002:99)
Underneath the debate about parenting and poverty in the fact that long term outcomes for
children positive than for children in affluent families.
2.4.2. Theory of “culture of poverty”
The “culture of poverty” hypothesis down plays the primacy of parental psychological attributes
in determining the outcomes for disadvantage children. The culture of poverty thesis arose from
the ethnographic work of Oscar Lewis study, five families (1959) examined lower class Mexican
family life, while a later work, la Vida (1966), focused on Puerto Rican families residing in slum
community on both New York City and Puerto Rico. Based on these ethnographies, Lewis
argued that the “culture of poverty” existed (Rank, 1994:27)
Supports of the “culture of poverty” theory contend that a set of values unique to the poor has
based as a direct result of experience of living in poverty.
These attitude and values include alienation from the dominant culture, present time oration, and
a sense of oppression. The problem lied in “the existence of an outlook and style of life which is
present time orientation, and a sense of oppression. The problem lies in “the existence of an
outlook and style of life which is present orientation, and a sense of oppression. The problem lies
in “the existence of an outlook and style of life which is present orientated and the refer attaches
no value to work sacrifice, self-improvement, or service to family, friends, or the community”
(Rank, 1994:27)

11. 11
As Lewis argued, once it [the culture poverty] comes in to existence, it tends to perpetuate itself
from generation to generation because of itself effects on children. By the time slum children are
age six or seven, they have usually abounded the basic values and attitude of their sub-culture
and are not psychologically geared to talk full advantage of changing conditions on increased
opportunities which may occur in their life time the “culture of poverty”. The implications are
that reducing parental stress. The theory asserts that this parenting style is transmitted through
the generations, and thus creates barriers to children emerging from poverty. The implications
are that reducing parental stress by raising income or improving the environments of poor
parents will do little to produce positive outcomes for children. The aim should rather be break
the culture of poverty by changing the attitudes and parenting style of materially deprived
parents (Rank, 1994:28).
2.4.3. The Rational Choice Model
Some authors have argued that many street children have made a measured choice to become
involved in street life, choosing at some level the street, and giving up their life at home. In term,
it may be said that street children are viewed as being agents, not only victims having exhibited
some degree of rationality in choice in the decision to move to the street. Rationality is inherent
in the functionality of the behavior is concerned rational as long as it contributes to meeting the
needs or goal of the individual doesn’t necessary to seek out the set of condition which will
maximally satisfy needs, but the set of condition that are the at least, sufficient (Simon, 1978)
This model implies that involvement in the street, at some level, fulfills certain functions for the
child or youth and that this involvement is a rational adaption to the context of the respective
child’s life, given his or her environment, past circumstance and experiences, and the choice
open to him or her. Adaption in this model however, does not mean that the one state that
involves in somehow “better” than other states of being; but that there exist multiple ways of
satisfying the same needs. Thus adaption is not optimal but merely is good enough or
satisfactory. In this model, a factor in the process of choice in the actor (Simon, 1978)

12. 12
Chapter Three
3.1. Research Methodology
3.1.1. Study Design
The researchers would employ qualitative research methodology. The researchers has inclined to
qualitative research methods which, is usually conducted in a natural setting where the
researcher, openly interacts with participants, gather data in detail, gathers words or pictures,
analyzes them inductively, focuses on the meaning of participants, and describes a process that is
both expressive and persuasive in language (Creswell, 2007; Corbetta,2003 :37).
To this study arise from the exploratory nature of the research and the mobility nature of the
participant. In addition the lack of appropriate total population and defined sample frame forced
the research to entirely depend on qualitative methods. Therefore, for this study we are going to
employee qualitative techniques of data gathering. These data gathering techniques would be
use to collect data on street peoples day to day life, their social problems, their economic
problems, their interactions with themselves and the town population and their past experiences
that can better be captured through gathering qualitative information.
3.2 Study Participants
In this study the study participants would be those street peoples who are selected with purposive
sampling from the general population of street peoples. In addition the participants of the study
would also include those individuals who have expertise knowledge on the issue and who are
selected for key informant interview. Since the research aim is to assess the socio-economic
problems of people living in the street, it would encompass every age category and sex group in
terms of sex composition on the street.
3.3 Sampling Technique
Due to lack of appropriate sampling frame, because of the mobile nature of the study groups, and
due to the nature of the issue under investigation we are use purposive sampling as a mechanism
of selecting the participants for this research In terms of geographical area in the town the
researchers would emphasize on piazza and Arada area of the town. In addition their age,

13. 13
number of years, place of birth, number of years on the street and gender will be used as specific
characteristic for selection.
3.4. Methods of Data Collection
The researchers would employ qualitative methods of data collection. Specifically, in-depth
interview, key informant, focus group discussions methods and case study was used. These data
gathering methods would better help the researchers to collect detailed and valid data on the
research topic. The selection of the in-depth interview, focus group discussions and case study
will follow the basic research criteria.
3.4.1. In-depth Interview
An in-depth interview was made with 20 street peoples which 4 from safe home and 16 street
people who have not safe home or homeless. There peoples were selected for in-depth interview
on the basis of their age estimated from 8-50 which helping as during interviews on giving deep
information about their initiation to street life.
3.4.2. Focus Group discussion
Two focus group discussions were hold with both sexes; each group has 8 participants with 3
males and 5 female streets in the first group and 4 males and 4 females in the second group and
the participants were from Gondar Street around Arada.
3.4.3. Case study
To get more reliable information and to make the study more meaningful and explicable, and we
are closely or friendly approached 3 people and made them free to narrate their feelings and life
histories. This allowed us to gather more information like the reason for their street people, the
status or background of their families and their living conditions.
3.4.4. Key Informant
To get more reliable information and to make the study more meaningful and explicable we use
also key informant method which collected data from experts working on organizations and
peoples who live on the street for many years and street dwellers.

14. 14
3.5. Data Analysis Techniques
In this research a tabular, thematic and narrative analysis would be employed in which the data
was analyzed by themes that emerge from the data in accordance to the objectives. In this type of
analysis, the data collection and analysis take place simultaneously.
4. Ethical Considerations
The first ethical principle that shows the researcher’s respects for participant is asking their
permissions before the research can be started, to get the participants consent. Due to this, the
researchers were first ask for their ascent and informed about the purpose of the research. Its
procedure, risks, benefits, and as they have the right to withdraw at any time when they want to
so that they may not to enforce to participate in the research and within this principle we would
see anonymity and confidentiality about participant.

15. 15
CHAPTER – 4
4. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
In this section the researchers have analyzed the various factors which are responsible for
Streetism in Gondar town starting with the presentation of the socio- cultural background of the
research participants in a tabular form, factors were analyzed with thematic and narrative
analysis techniques. The data is collected from street dwellers, street peoples and experts which
are working on the organizations including labor and social affairs office, police and criminal
justice and “yenegew Tesfa” children’s care center.
The data collected and analyzed in this chapter represents the result of in-depth interview, key
informant, focus group discussion and case study.
N.B - The symbol * which is implies in different names was the implication of that the name is a
pseudo-name (a false name) which was used in our cases in order to make our presentation clear.
4.1. Socio- Cultural Background of the Informants
The demographic profile (age, sex, place of birth, educational status, marital status and religion)
of the informants is presented and described as follows.
NO Variables Number
1 Age range
A. 8 – 30 32
B. 31- 50 6
Total 38
2 Sex
A. Male 21
B. Female 17
Total 38
3 Place of birth
A. Urban 12
B. Rural 26

16. 16
Total 38
4 Educational status
A. Literate 16
B. Illiterate 22
Total 38
5 Marital status
A. Married 6
B. Unmarried 30
C. Divorced 1
D. Widowed 1
Total 38
6 Religion
A. Orthodox 28
B. Muslim 10
C. Protestant -
D. Others -
Total 38
Source: Field Observation
From the above table we infer that large numbers of our informants are youths. Their age range
belongs to the age range of 8- 30. From this we infer that a large number of our participants are
youths and adults and this indicates that young people are more exposed to street way of life in
order to help themselves and somewhat their families. There are also a number of different socio-
cultural and socio-economic variable variables behind this problem.
Item 2, shows that 21 are males and 17 are females. So this indicates that females on the street
are less frequent in number compared to males. In addition researchers witnessed that females
were not confident to provide information about their street way of life. From the above data we
can say that females on the street have faced fear of talking about themselves and their life.
The data on the table above also confirms that the majority of our informants are rural migrants
26 and 12 were from urban (around Gondar town). According to the data presented in the table
from our filed observation the research participants are migrants from rural and urban area

17. 17
because of their poor situation and they opt to join street life as way of life in order to cope,
improve their life and to decide on their own need and choice.
With regard to their education the table indicated that about 22 informants were illiterate and 16
were illiterate. According to the above findings number of our informants are illiterate and there
are literate in somehow who have dropped out their education from grade 4 to 8.
In terms of their marital life one can infer that unmarried peoples are more exposed to street way
of life 30, 6 were married, 1 was divorced and 1 of them was widowed. This data indicates that
unmarried peoples were more exposed in the street of Gondar around Piazza and Arada than the
others.
Religious wise one can the above table confirms that about 10 of our informants were from
Muslim religion followers, 28 were Orthodox religion followers and there were no informants
from the protestant and other religion. This indicate that, majority of our informants are
Orthodox religion followers.
From the above data we can understand that rural peoples are more exposed to street way of life
than urban people, because of the fact that of their poor sanitation and poor standard of living.
Because of the fact that rural peoples are more exposed to the street in order to cope their life and
to improve their livelihood in order to escaping rural poverty.
According to one of our key informant Ato Tewdros* who are the expert of studying on the
street and the manager of “yenegew tesfa” said that “males are more exposed to street way of life
because of their need to see new things, because of their peer pressure and because of that their
interest to cope their life by their own choice.”

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4.2. Social Causes of Streetism
Data from our informants shows that there are many social causes that peoples join Streetism as
a way of life and we describe as follows.
4.2.1. Family Related
Problems occurred in the family of street peoples was one of the major causes that forced
children to leave their home. Another problem was family driven; families were sending
children’s to their relatives because of poor standard of living and for better education in the
urban areas especially from the remote rural area.
As one of the informants, who is living and working on the street due to the fact that her aunt’s
husband has abused her sexually. She noted as follows.
I have been in the street for the last 3 years and I have often worked
around Arada and Piazza of Gondar. I was born in Ayba from farmer parents. I
am 22 years old. Because of my parents have low level of livelihood and for
better education they send me to my aunt’s home to Gondar. After I come to
Gondar I was living in my aunts home for two years but there was a problem. It
was a sorrow to me. my aunts husband raped me and I come out to the street
and I quit my education at 5 to help myself. Because I was so shamed to back to
my families and because I was unable to cope my life I joined Streetism. Now I
was working on the street and I often earn from 40- 50 birr per day. When I join
street life as a way of life I face many social and economic problems like sexual
harassment, robber and other related problems due to my sex and gender role.
Interview time and date 02/05/2014
08: 04 Local time
As one of the focus group participant Amsalu Hailemariam* he joined street way of life because
of his family are elders and cannot fulfill the basic needs of him and the family as the whole.
He further states as follows:-
Because of my parents are tired elders and cannot work I joined Streetism to
help myself and my family. When I join street life I face many social and
economic problems like physical abuse, beaten by the street boys, health

19. 19
problem, ignorance by the society and other psychological problems. Now I am
working around Arada on the bus station by carrying bags and selling “kollo”
to sustain my life and help my parents live.”
Interview data and time; 02/05/2014
08:25 LT
According to the above informant named Amsalu* he explain that families occupational status
accompanied by their age and economic situation can affect their life and leads to streetism and
force them to performing such activities like prostitute and theft to help their families among
others.
Therefore, according to the above informant information children from low income families are
more exposed to street life than children’s of high income families to help their families and
family members.
4.2.2. Harmful Traditional Practices (HTP)
According one of our informant Zenebech* harmful practices can harm negatively and
dangerous specially for females and lead them to unwanted way of life like Streetism and expose
to sexual abuse because of they are not want to marry they leave their home but after leaving
their home they are facing such problems.
One of the informants said that:
When I was at home my family wants to marry in my age of 14 with a man whom
I don’t know before. Because of that reason I left my parents home and I came to
Gondar. After I came, I have no one to go and a boy on the street told me to sleep on
his “plastic” shelter together with him and raped me after that I join street way of
life. I hate my street life because of I face many social and economic problems like,
shelter, ignorance by the society and related problems.
Interview date and time: 02/5/2014
7:10 LT

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According the above informant, early marriage is a harmful practice that affect children specially
females life and expose them to join street way of life in order to get freedom and to decide by
their own self for their own choice.
4.2.3. Marriage Problem
As the data from key informants and focus group discussion indicates marriage problems like
divorce, death of one’s husband or wife could be cause for peoples to expose street.
Hence when we are at the time of gathering data number of peoples on the street has similar
problems to join Streetism but as one of the research participant she noted that:
When my husband is passed away by accident, I fell in economic difficulties
and unable to cope my life after his death and his families were rejecting me because
of I have no Childs. In the time I have not food and shelter. For short time I was
working as domestic servant but I was repeatedly beaten by the wife then I have no
choice and I decide to run away and I joined to the street around paisa. Currently I
am working as prostitute in different night clubs and bars to sustain my life, but I got
help I want to out and to do another work because I hate to be in this life.
Interview date and time: 03/05/2014
04:45 LT
According our informant response, her friends on the street have similar problems and there are
that has the same problem she has. Meanwhile, a number of informant said this type of problem
is rare and mostly they help by their husband family.
4.2.4. Peer Pressure
Peer pressure is another factor that peoples specially children join Streetism. Children join street
way of life because of their friends pressure is laid on different problems and it is difficult to out
from that life even it is highly risky.
One of our informants said:
“I am from rich family. And when I learn at high school I have a boy friend and
I told him every day about my life, I have no freedom and I want to be free from my

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parents decision and to decide by myself then he pressure me to out from my home.
Then he told me that take money and run away from your home and we live together
free. Then I agreed because of my thrust to live free and to decide by my own choice.
Then I theft money and important materials but after that he take my money and he
cheated me and leave me alone. After that I joined street way of life because of my
parents neglect me. And because of I remain the only choice I has I join street to
sustain and to cope my life.”
Interview date and time: 03/05/2014
4:15 LT
According the above informant children join Streetism because of their friends pressure was
more expose to social and economic problems and expose to different addictions like alcoholism
and cigarette. Hence, peer pressure is one of the major factors that affect children and cause for
Streetism.
Therefore, according our informant children from rich family are more vulnerable to peer
pressure and to join Streetism than children from poor family.
4.3. Economic Causes of Streetism
According to our informant who is an expert in “yenegew tesfa” named Ato. Tewdros
information people exposed to street way of life because of economic problems like because they
could not help themselves and because of their parent cannot fulfill their basic and social needs.
There are many economic causes that directly or indirectly affect the street peoples around
piazza and Arada.
Therefore, all the causes and risk factors for different economic problems of street people were
identified below.
4.3.1. Poverty
As one of our key informant information poverty is one of the major factors that expose to street
way of life poverty is related with poor sanitation, shortage of fulfill basic needs their children’s
and their family members.

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One key informant said during our in-depth interview with regard to how she joined the street
and the problem she encountered.
I must work on the street to help myself and to sustain my life unless I could not
survive because my family has not any resource to cope our life I join street way of
life. While working here, I face a lot of problems especially from street boys like
beating and sexual abuse. For your question about my daily work to earn income I
engage in prostitute and sometimes I beg when I didn’t get work.
Interview date and time: 03/05/2014
05: 00 LT
The above quotation and the data from other informants shows that street peoples specially
females engaging in sexual abuse activities in order to get money and to help themselves and to
some extent their families. As our informant children out street because of poverty especially
females are more exposed to sexual abuse.
Generally, poverty in family which in turn affects the living conditions of children can be one of
the factors that expose children to situations that entail risk and make them vulnerable to
different forms of problems.
4.3.2. Shortage of food
As our key informants information shows that people exposed to street way of life due to the fact
that they have not any food to eat and fee to house rent. Because of that they join Streetism or
begging on the streets in order to sustain their live.
As one of our informant: she joins Streetism because of having nothing to eat in her home and
she further as stated as follows:
I join street way of life because I have nothing to eat and to fee for house rent.
Before I join street way of life I was working as a domestic servant but because of a
car accident I lose my hand, after that I am not able to work and to cope my
livelihood. And currently I was begging on the streets in order to sustain my life.
Interview date and time: 10/05/2014

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03: 45 LT
According our key informant peoples join Streetism as a way of life is to sustain their live and in
order to eat at least 2 times per a day and they are working a daily labour to sustain their life and
to help their family members.
4.3.3. Life expectancy and income gap
According to our key informants, people join Streetism because of their gap between the income
they earn and the usage of income.
As our one informant:
I am from poor family and when they rearing me they are not able to fulfill my
basic needs. When I grow up I am hiring in a garage and I began to earn income but
it cannot able me happy because of that I felt in a psychological damage and I join
street way of life. Currently I am in bad situation and unable to cope my life.
Interview date and time 10/ 05/ 2014
04: 15 LT
As one of our FGD participant Ato. Ayalew Tesema*, who is a dweller around paisa explain as
follows:
When the income peoples earn and their needs create a gap peoples can be
lead to such street way of life because of they are lead to a psychological problem
and because of they are facing unexpected challenge when they join Streetism and to
sustain their life.
Interview date and time: 10/05/2014
05: 00 LT
According to the above findings peoples join Streetism because of income in equal was not only
because of the income but also because of their gap between their needs and their income and
this gap leads them to a psychological damage and a cause to join street way of life.

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4.4. Effects of Streetism in the study area
There are many impacts of Streetism which street peoples more exposed to and from these
impacts we are focus on the psychological effect of Streetism.
The psychological effects of Streetism are diverse and leave a fear for the street people who are
living and working on the street. The following testimonies are fundamental to show how
Streetism leaves the victims with continuous psychological effect.
One informant said the following:
I often get money through begging to live tomorrow while I am living on the
street. I don’t have any prospect on the future due to the fact that I am always
worried about my health condition. To think about future, one should be healthy and
happy but, I never get happiness all my life.
Interview date and time: 10/05/2014
4: 35 LT
Another informant added:
For me, it is scary to see boys after two boys raped me when I work on the
street. After that I am totally damaged and I cannot think properly and I was not able
to sleep and eat properly. Generally, I am frightened to men.
Interview date and time: 10/05/2014
04: 46 LT
From the above discussion and the finding of the study shows that street peoples who are living
and working on the street develop and feel various psychological effects including feel
unworthy, being unhappy, depression, angry, shame, fear and blaming themselves and anxiety.
Moreover, they become drug abuser and alcohol addicted to experienced sleeping and eating
problem.

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4.5. Case Presentation
In this section we try to assess the cases of 3 street peoples briefly with their more explained life
histories, their family back ground and their current situation with their interview time.
In our case we explain about 2 males and 1 female life history.
Case One
Gizachew Addisu*, Male Street aged 15. He has 2 sisters and 1 brother but currently he
has not information about his families. He was a young boy and when we see him his
physical, he was not matured enough but he was very intelligent and active when he speak
and response our questions briefly. When he told us about his family background he was
crying and he was totally emotional. He was coming from Amba Giorgis, (Dabat) which far
from Gondar around 87km. His family was poor and they lead their livelihood based on
traditional and rain fed farming method. As he said he join street way of life because of he
did not agree with his parents and because of his interest to live on the city. After he came to
Gondar he face many social, economic and psychological problem on the street of Gondar
around Arada like ignorance by the society, physical abuse, shelter, food insecure and such
psychological problems like feel aloneness when he see children laughing with their parents
and during holiday celebrations. And when we ask him about his feeling being on the street
he told us he feel bad during holidays and good because of his freedom to do whatever he
want and his social life with his friends on the street. Currently, he was working on the street
of Arada around the bus station by selling “kollo”, washing cars and carrying bags of
transporters in order to survive and to sustain his life.
Interview date and time : 02/ 05/ 2014
08: 40 LT

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Case Two
Her name is Almaze Arage*. She was born in Humera wereda and 45 years
old. She isn’t learnt as many rural women. She has 4 children but after husband was
passed away her 2 sons leave her and the remain 2 are came to Gondar with her since
2000 E.C by the cause of her poor livelihood and for better work to sustain her and
her child life. But after she came to Gondar things can not going as she expect and she
face many problem, like lack of money to health treatment, for her children and
housing even though she was so sick and her children weren’t eating an didn’t get
other needs properly. She is try to work as domestic servant but because of having
child’s no one can hire her and she has not money to cope his child’s life and at the
time she decide to join street way of life to survive and to help her child’s. In the time
being she is begging on the street of Gondar around piazza to cope her life and her
children’s life but after she join street way of life she face many social problems like
beaten and insult by the society and economic problems like food and shelter
problems. And she told us that she is happy to be here because of she got food to eat,
money to fulfill her children need and shelter to live. Currently she is begging and she
was cope her child’s life and she is happy because of her child gone to school as other
children. Almaze* was one of our street peoples informant who she glad and happy on
her street way of life.
Interview date and time: 10/ 05/ 2014
05: 00 LT

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Case Three
Nugese Tesfa*, male, he was 42 years old and he was from Maksegnet
which is far 42km from Gondar. And he joins street way of life since 1998 EC.
When he came to Gondar he assumed that he will enjoy better life but it is
stressful and it is rather bad from his home town life. And the cause which is
came to Gondar lead to a street way of life are, for most, his failure to help his
families to cope with the economic crisis and that of his and his families ability
to be saved from their fragmentation. His wife and children’s death by the
reason of clan war in their village is another prominent factor that brought
him to the street way of life. Now, Niguse* is working a daily labour and beg
some times when he was not got work, while he is begin victim of various
health difficulties, hunger and thrust. For him, he has not anybody around, to
help him coping with this life treating situation. Generally, he cannot tell as all
about his life, because at the time he is in normal situation and he is crying
and saying that “I am the only person who killed my family” and he cannot
continue and he leave us.
Interview date and time: 10/ 05/ 2014
05: 20 LT
The above three cases discuss about the socio-economic causes that led peoples to street way of
life and problems that affect their lives after they join street like shelter, food insecure and
related problems. But they have different background and use different mechanisms and face
different problems in order to adapt their street way of life. The cases imply that street peoples
could face many social and economic problems in order to sustain their life.
From the above cases we infer that street peoples expose to such way of life was because of
different reasons that was affect their life and lead them to such unwanted activities in order to
cope their life and to sustain their livelihood.

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CHAPTER – FIVE
5. Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1. Conclusion
The data from informants shows that street peoples are expose to street way of life was because
of many causes such as economic, social and psychological causes and these causes led them to
the street and we are try to see them below.
The study has shown that street peoples are while engaged in a street way of life they face many
social problems. Ignorance by the society, beating, sexual abuse are among others were
interrelated reasons affect and vulnerable them to various risky and the social problems were
committed by the street boys and non street boys on the street of Gondar around piazza and
Arada. These problems led them to such unwanted activities and thrust which challenges them to
cope their life and sometimes their families’ life.
The data from informants show that while street peoples working on the street they are
vulnerable to such economic problems which was unable them to cope their life. Food, shelter,
unable to find work(unemployed) are such economic problems which affect the living of streets
and lead them to such un wanted activities like begging, theft, drug abuse, hung and other related
activities.
As our key informants explained that street peoples who are working on the street develop and
feel effects including fear, depression and blaming themselves are some psychological problems
that affect streets and lead them to alcoholism and drug abuse in order to forget their fearing and
to be happy and to experience eating and sleeping.

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5.2. Recommendation
The findings of our study shows that the increasing rate of peoples engaged in Streetism was
because of low commitment of Government and pay less attention the existing problem. So
throughout the study we would like to recommends the following issues:
 The Government should pay attention for street peoples in order to minimize the problem
committed against street children in the street of Gondar.
 The government and concerning bodies should work together to eradicate the practices
against street people and working on creation awareness to the locality people in order to
have looking on them.
 The Government and other concerning organizations should help them financially and
socially to become psychologically strength and productive in their life and to become
fruit full and to cope their life hopefully.
 Based on the finding of our research shows that street peoples are exposing to many and
different forms of social and economic problems that affect the living of street peoples
and the government should pay attention and try to minimize the problems.
 The government and the local community should work together on giving the awareness
to those who have bad felling and looking on the street peoples and to give them
protection and love for the street peoples.