The International street children day

Childhood is about innocence and playfulness, it is about the joy and the happiness that is in every child’s heart. For a child every day is special, every moment is a learning moment. It is no wonder they say as curious as a child.

The 31st of January was when the street children’s day was launched in the year 2011.Austrians celebrate the international street children’s day on 31st of January. This is a day that children who live on the streets are celebrated. A child is one aged under the age of eighteen, in other terms a minor. Jugend Eine Welt launched the international Street children’s day.The international street children’s day in line with the United Nations is celebrated on 12th April.Most countries aligned to the United Nations celebrate the international street children’s day on 12th of April since 2017.

Children who live in the streets find themselves in that situation for various reasons. This may include:

1. Being born to a street family.

 various individuals who have grown up in the streets started their own families in the streets hence, the children are born to the conditions of living in the streets. Some of the kids may be as a result of the lady who is living in the streets being taken advantage of by predators who are usually anywhere and everywhere in this world we live in.

2. Children run away from their homes.

Some homes are unbearable to live in. The toxics environment drives children to run away from home. A child may be mistreated by the parents or guardians a situation that leads the kids to run away from their home in fear hoping to find refuge on the streets.

3. Children who are orphaned

Some kids upon the passing of their parents seek solace in the streets. This environment maybe even more dangerous than leaving with the relatives but it is still one a child would opt for because of the feeling of hopelessness and being alone.

4. Some parents throw away their kids.

We have heard of inhuman cases of kids being dumped in dumpsters. Some are never rescued and are left to grow up on the streets. Parents are not justified to throw their kids away, though some may face financial mishaps and resort to abandoning their kids away.

The world international street children’s day is significant as

1. The street children get to be offered food

2. Some are taken into children’s homes

3. The children are offered clothes

4. They get to play games and interact.

Though these are activities that the children need to be exposed to each day of their lives it is significant and impactful to set a day aside where the children are remembered. This influences the society positively as individuals can experience learn and apply whatever it is that they have seen being carried out.

A success story on the street children is that of ‘BONOKO’ a famous radio presenter. He worked at the Ghetto radio. The story of Bonoko, whose real name is James Kang’ethe is a true definition of Eliud’s famous phrase ‘No human being is limited’.Bonoko was born and raised in the streets, at some point he even lived in Ngara. He came into the limelight when he spoke to news reporters on killings of innocent Kenyans by the s officers. At the time when his comments where trending he got an opportunity to host beside ’mbussi’ a famous radio and reggae singer.’yeye si mwizi,anauzanga nyama hapa Ngara’ meaning ‘that is not a thief he only sells meat here in Ngara’  was what redefined his life.

Truly whether a street child or not each of us is human. This should be significant enough to allow us to learn to respect everyone. Those privileged in society should create platforms to help out the less fortunate.

The significant point of the day is that every child is special and it is upon us to foster a culture of care and love. Let us give time and care to the children living in the streets.