Covid-19 forces more families into streets, says Social dept

Covid-19 has been blamed for the rising numbers of street families in major urban centres searching for basic needs.

The Department of Social Protection says some parents have resorted to sending their children to the streets to beg and put food on their tables.

“Due to the Covid-19, many families are experiencing economic challenges, hence cannot provide basic necessities for their children. Some minors even work as parking boys and car cleaners to earn something little,” according to State Department for Social Department Principal Secretary Nelson Marwa.

The number of street children in Nairobi and Mombasa has been increasing despite measures such as admissions to care homes, Marwa said.

A recently released report shows that economic insecurity due to the pandemic is the reason for the rising domestic violence. The violence is sending more boys to the streets.

The Global Sister’s Report says that boys, unlike girls, are more affected since there are fewer organisations fighting for them.

“Girls are less likely to end up on the streets due to legal protections and help from volunteer organisations working on their behalf. Conversely, boys are being left to take care of themselves,” the report says.

Another setback for street families is cashless money transfer as well-wishers have been forced by Covid-19 to pay for goods and services with credit or debit cards as well as M-Pesa, leaving no loose change for the poor in the streets.

Even those who supplement begging with menial jobs like carrying goods for a fee are not spared.

The department of social protection, in a bid to protect street families from the effects of Covid-19, has partnered with institutions who offer rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration and re-socialisation to the families.

“These institutions usually interact with the street families prior to the rescuing. However, those might not be the safest places given the population and issue on social distancing. The Safest place to be is home,” Marwa said.

Data from the recently launched national census of street families indicates that Kenya has 46,639 street people, with seven out of 10 being male.