The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has urged members of the public in the Mufulira district to desist from giving alms to street kids because such help enables them to finance their addiction to various drugs.
Senior DEC Investigations Officer in the Education and Counselling Department in Mufulira district, Precious Sakala, said it is disheartening that some people are supplying street kids with resources which only enable them to access substances like bostic and glue, commonly known as jenkem, which they inhale.
Ms. Sakala stated that the substances are dangerous for human health as they impair the brain’s functionality.
She said many street kids in Mufulira are engaging in drug abuse of jenkem which they get using money from well-wishers.
Ms. Sakala has since appealed to well-wishers to desist from giving handouts to the children as it was only being used to finance their substance abuse.
She stated that there is need for collaboration among all stakeholders to help the street kids and desist from worsening the damage caused by drugs.
She noted that drugs can alter human brain structure, functions and make them addicted to the substance.
And Ms. Sakala has cited abuse and financial constraints in families as some of the factors that make children run away from their homes and resort to street life.
She added that here is a need to find better solutions for such children as street life was not a solution.
She further said there is need for all stakeholders to come together to rehabilitate the street kids and send them back to their families.
Evil upnd dec. How evil can you be to say don’t help unfortunate children. Myself I sponsor 20 kids. The oldest is now at unza.
I grew up in Mufulira. We only encountered Street kids when we visited Lusaka. Street kids were unknown in the town in the 80s
Street kids in mafken since when.