Street children are among the most physically visible of all children, living and working on various street corners and public squares in our cities ranging from Aflao to Bawku. Ironically, they are also among the most ‘invisible’, considering that they are the most difficult groups to reach with the provision of vital services such as education and healthcare, and thus the hardest to protect. Once on the street, aside from being exposed to the mercy of the weather, they are vulnerable to all forms of exploitation and abuse, a life far removed from the childhood envisioned in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Street children represent one of the most marginalized groups of children worldwide. They face multiple deprivations of their rights on a daily basis.
Causes include Poverty, Parental neglect, Rural Urban migration, Second generational street children, Truancy, etc.
Its associated effects include health hazards, sexual assaults, increase in crime wave.
However, health problems are major problems of street children in Ghana. Street-ism exposes the children to a lot of health problems and other hazards. The children work in unconducive environments and they are vulnerable to defilement.
Major diseases affecting street children include malaria, fever, cold, rashes, cholera, headache and infections. These children are at considerable risk and are more likely than other children to suffer from a serious physical injury due to an accident such as falling, drowning, fire, or ingesting poison.
In our quest to bring hope and smiles to these children, we have taken it upon ourselves to cater for the health needs of the children. To do this, we seek to gather accurate data on street children and register them on health insurance so they can access health care should they be face with health challenges at no cost, all on the foundation.