Children whose early relationships are characterised by violence often end up in a negative cycle causing further poverty, exposure to danger and negative life outcomes
These children and youth are therefore marginalised and experience issues in relation to their social and emotional abilities due to their childhood experiences.
They struggle to be involved in the community, schools, and religious places and also to receive effective support from the authorities.
They live on the street, in squats, in shared rooms in rudimentary accommodation, or at home in extremely disadvantaged families. Many are involved in begging, petty crime and sex work. They may never have been to school or will have dropped out, usually within primary school.
Some will have been out of school for several years. Some will have completed primary school but then dropped out as the costs for secondary school are significantly higher. Others will have dropped out earlier or never attended due to the following reasons:
- Their family could no longer afford the small school contributions/materials, more extreme levels of economic hardship, their caregivers prioritize male children or birth children (if a step parent),
- Family breakdown, violence and abuse at home or they are not emotionally encouraged to attend/continue in school.
It has been reported that the Mwanza region has the highest rate of secondary school drop outs in Tanzania. Through our experience we have seen that school dropout can act as a major push factor for children to join the streets or sex work. These children are therefore extremely vulnerable to child sexual abuse
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