No one home: Village narratives regarding street children in western Kenya

Background: Our 2010 pilot study of street children in Kisumu, Kenya revealed that many youth come from the nearby rural Luanda District. We examine how members of Luandan communities perceive the phenomena of street children with the goal of informing future interventions. Methods: We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews and 5 focus groups with community leaders, service providers, and community members (total n= 69) from 4 villages in Luanda and surrounding areas. Analysis employed grounded theory. Results: Informants attest that many children lose parents to death, family turmoil or neglect and are raised by extended family. These youth often fend for themselves at funerals or marketplaces before moving to the street. Responsibility over youth becomes increasingly ambiguous as the youth move further from their families. Though informants criticize parents and caregivers for being abusive and/or negligent of their children, they also state that many guardians are overwhelmed by poverty. Though informants report that community members once felt a sense of shared responsibility for all local youth, recent hardships, particularly related to HIV-related deaths of productive adults, have forced adults to prioritize their own families. Luandan street children are considered to be the “problem” of the policemen, aid workers and others outside the village. By the time youth reach the city streets, they have left not only the village bounds but also the community consciousness. Conclusion: Though every member of the community traditionally shares responsibility for youth, recent hardships have led to neglect. Ultimate responsibility for street children is left largely unclaimed.