STREET CHILDREN MOSHI: A study of the Phenomenon of street children in Moshi-Tanzania

Chamwi, Edith Chenga ; Chamwi, Edith Chenga

4. term

Social Work, Master

2014

2014-10-02

Dette studie undersøger hverdagsliv og perspektiver hos gadebørn i Moshi, Tanzania. Gadebørn findes i hele landet, og oplevelserne kan variere regionalt, men fokus her er Moshi. Formålet var at sætte børnenes egne stemmer i centrum for at beskrive deres erfaringer og pege på former for socialfaglig støtte, som de selv mener kan hjælpe dem. Hvor myndigheder og organisationer ofte definerer, hvad “gadebørn” er, engagerede dette studie sig direkte i børnenes liv. Undersøgelsen bygger på syv uger, hvor jeg tilbragte tid på gaden sammen med børnene. Den metodiske tilgang var et konstruktivistisk forskningsparadigme og hermeneutisk fænomenologi – en beskrivende og fortolkende tilgang, der søger at forstå menneskers oplevelser, som de selv oplever dem. Data blev primært indsamlet gennem semistrukturerede interviews og observationer. I alt blev otte børn interviewet samt tre embedsfolk fra socialforvaltningen i Moshi-regionen, flere socialpædagoger og en repræsentant fra en ikke-statslig organisation. Resultaterne peger på, at fattigdom, forskelle mellem land og by, kulturelle praksisser samt effekterne af strukturtilpasningsprogrammer (SAP'er) direkte eller indirekte bidrager til, at børn lever på gaden. Disse fund stemmer overens med mange andre studier fra det afrikanske kontinent. Noget særligt for Moshi var, at mange børn konsekvent brugte navnet Masoro om sig selv—en lokal selvbetegnelse, der synes at afspejle en delt identitet knyttet til livet på gaden.

This study explores the everyday lives and perspectives of street children in Moshi, Tanzania. Street-connected children live across the country and experiences vary by region, but the focus here is Moshi. The aim was to center children’s own voices to describe their experiences and to identify forms of social work support they believe would help. While government and non-government organizations often define what counts as “street children,” this study engaged directly with the children’s lives. The research involved seven weeks spent on the streets with the children. It used a constructivist research paradigm and a hermeneutic phenomenology approach—descriptive and interpretive methods that seek to understand people’s experiences as they perceive them. Data were collected mainly through semi-structured interviews and observations. In total, eight children were interviewed, along with three officials from the Moshi regional social welfare department, several social educators, and one representative from a non-governmental organization. Findings indicate that poverty, rural–urban disparities, cultural practices, and the effects of Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) contribute directly or indirectly to children living on the street. These results align with many studies from across Africa. A distinctive local feature in Moshi was the widespread use of the name Masoro among the children—a self-label that appears to reflect a shared identity connected to street life.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

Masoro ; Street children ; Moshi ; Tanzania ; SAPs ; Social work

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