ADDIS ABABA – About 300 volunteer youth are set to start campaign today to pick some 10,000 homeless people living along the streets of Addis Ababa. The homeless people gathered by the volunteers would be taken to rehabilitation centers arranged in various parts of the city.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Addis Ababa Youth and Sport Bureau has given trainings to the 300 volunteer youths on how to gather, guide, treat, and counsel the street dwellers. Special Aid Directorate Director at Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Mesfin Hassen said on the launching program yesterday the gathering of street dwellers will start as of today.
The ministry will give clarification on how and why of the occasion to the street residents before taking action. It starts the act of gathering after convincing the children. According to Mesfin, training was given to about 300 volunteer youths of Addis Ababa by doctors in psychology, sociology, and social work at Addis Ababa University.
The trained youths will involve in the gathering, training, and counseling of the dwellers. The children will also be sensitized on the concept of synergy. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has planned to cover the cost of 10,009 street dwellers. Out of the total, the cost of 5009 inhabitants will be covered by the ministry whereas another 5000 will be subsidized by Addis Ababa City Administration, according to the director.
Hayelom Monanaw, a youth from Bole sub-city who had been a street dweller before ten years, suggested that giving psychological trainings to the dwellers is very important. These children need to understand where and why they are taken before gathering them. We need to convince them before taking action. The concerned body of the government should work to bring change of outlook about homelessness in the minds of the children.
These children, perhaps, enjoy the life of homelessness and begging. Parents should not send their children to the street. Hence, training must be given to parents too, according to Hayelom. Bethlhem Tesfaye, a youth from Arada sub-city, on her part says these work is intended to gather, train, and employ the street dwellers.
To do this, she first needs to convince the dwellers. This voluntary activity is enjoyable since it gives psychological satisfaction, according to her. Besides, the children need to be given freedom of movement out of their residence. After, taking them to their residence, the government should not restrict their life to a compound.
The children need to socialize with the people outside of the residence. Hence, they must be allowed to go out of the camp
Herald February 2/2019
BY GETAHUN LEGESSE
