Kitwe District Administration is working on modalities to construct a street kids rehabilitation centre.
The centre which is expected to be used to transform the children from the streets is expected to have education, sports, counselling and skills training facilities for kids who will be withdrawn from the streets in Kitwe.
This was agreed during a special meeting held by selected heads of Government departments chaired by Kitwe District Commissioner Lawrence Mwanza in Kitwe yesterday.
During the meeting Mr. Mwanza noted that the problem of street Kids in Kitwe was getting out of hand.
He said establishing a permanent centre for housing them will create a lasting solution to the problem.
“It is not right that we should continue ignoring the rising number of streets kids to a level where they are also having children among themselves, it’s also a dangerously situation because these same street kids tend to attack people in the night and engage in illicit activities such as prostitution and drug abuse, we need to remove them from the streets and put them in a centre where they can be transformed into responsible citizens,” he said.
Mr. Mwanza suggested that the street kids can temporarily be put in some identified children centres in Kitwe and Mufulira.
He said his office will seek material support from various stakeholders in terms of food, beddings and other necessities before an operation to remove them from the street is conducted.
Me. Mwanza has further appealed to members of parliament in Kitwe and the council to help fund the construction of the street kids’ rehabilitation centre through the Constituency Development Funds (CDF).
And Kitwe District Social Welfare officer Kombe Kamanga cited Friends of the Street Kids and Life Song centre as some of the centres willing to temporarily take up some street kids.
I am not discouraging you but remember this has been tried by taking them at the ZNS near Luwangwa township. Also bear in mind that not all of these children are homeless. Some have parents but somehow find it easier to relate with other street people than with their parents. Others are used by their guardians as bread winners. But keep up with the good work.
The problem of street kids is complex because their situation isn’t the same. Some are on the streets together with their parents and others are from stable homes. It’d be better for you to include the clergy in finding solutions to individual kid’s problems. What started when those that sold companies in the 90s has now become a permanent feature. The kids that came to the streets then are now adults and have since left. Of you do it alone you’ll just create another problem. You aren’t the first to attempt to address this problem. Late Kruger even donated Piano House to accommodate street kids, what happened to that project?
Please show me one rehabilitation centre that is successful. Stop recycling importent plans
You africans have thrown away our culture to adopt European culture so now you are reaping the effecs of that. Kaunda used to say pre- colonial Africans never had old people’s homes or street kids because it was inborn african values to look after family members, extended or secular. Now you have a white man’s problem and African values have been trashed. You will try to use European techniques but since you are only superficial Europeans you won’t carry these out successfully Sort it out or go into decay.