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Mashudu Netsianda, [email protected]

IN the bustling city of Bulawayo, amid the cacophony of honking cars and the ceaseless flow of pedestrians, 12-year-old Thembelihle weaves through the crowded streets. Her name, meaning “hope” in IsiNdebele, carries a cruel irony, clashing starkly with her grim reality.

Barefoot and clutching a small tin, she approaches strangers with wide, pleading eyes that silently convey a tale of hardship and resilience.

Thembelihle’s life took a tragic turn when her father, a once-industrious man who worked at the National Railways of Zimbabwe, succumbed to diabetes. Left as the sole provider, her mother, Ms Nothando Ncube, lost her job as a domestic worker in 2022 when her employers relocated to Canada. With their meagre savings exhausted, homelessness became an unavoidable reality.

Forced to seek refuge at the Killarney squatter camp, the family now lives in a makeshift shelter of cardboard and tattered blankets. Despite her circumstances, Thembelihle clings to dreams of a brighter future, a life where she can attend school, make friends and sleep in a warm bed. Each day, she sets out on the streets with a heavy heart, her stomach gnawing with hunger.

Some pass by without a second glance, while others drop a few coins into her outstretched hand. The occasional kind soul offers a piece of bread or a fruit, which she gratefully accepts. These small acts of kindness are a lifeline, but they are not enough to sustain her.

“The streets are unforgiving, especially for a girl child,” says Ms Ncube, her voice heavy with emotion.

“We live in constant fear, not just of hunger and cold, but of predators who see our plight as an opportunity.”

The rainy season brings added misery. Their fragile shelter becomes a soggy mess, leaving them exposed to the elements. But the greater danger lies in human predators lurking in the shadows.

For Thembelihle and others like her, life on the streets is a dangerous tightrope. They face threats of exploitation and abuse while enduring hunger, malnutrition and the harsh elements. The rainy season brings further misery as their fragile shelter becomes waterlogged, leaving them exposed to illness and harm.

Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele

Thembelihle knows the stories of children who have disappeared, lured by promises of food or shelter, only to be exploited and raped.

Thembelihle’s story is not unique. Bulawayo’s streets are home to many children navigating similar hardships.

For a girl child, living on the streets exposes them to numerous risks. They are vulnerable to the harsh weather, from the scorching heat of the day to the biting cold of the night. Rain is particularly cruel and malnutrition is a constant threat, as they often go days without a proper meal. The lack of hygiene and access to clean water makes them prone to diseases.

Bulawayo provincial social development officer, Ms Energy Mlambo, says the challenges street children, particularly girls, face are multifaceted.

“Girls living on the streets encounter not only physical dangers but also profound psychological trauma. While we strive to reach as many as we can, limited resources and the overwhelming number of children in need make it a daunting task,” she says.

Ms Mlambo revealed that of the 27 street children identified in Bulawayo, 10 are girls. She said most of them are driven to the streets by poverty, sexual and physical abuse, or the loss of family support. Others are breadwinners, scavenging for resources to sustain their families.

“Many escape abusive homes, while others accompany disabled guardians or parents. Economic challenges and family breakdowns have significantly contributed to this problem,” says Ms Mlambo.

“Some are school dropouts and orphans living in deprivation then opt for street life to survive or as a coping mechanism. Some are abused by stepfathers and family members,” she says.

Ms Mlambo said there are also delinquency and truancy behavioural issues where families fail to discipline their children.

The Department of Social Development, in collaboration with its partners, has implemented measures to protect these vulnerable children. Awareness campaigns address the risks of exploitation, sexual abuse and trafficking, while initiatives aim to reunite children with their families or place them in safe homes.

“The campaign revolves around education on sexual reproductive health, sexual abuse and exploitation and human trafficking because they are at risk by being on the streets. Working with our partners, we also try to identify places of safety and some are reunited with their families,” says Ms Mlambo.

“Due to these measures that we are implementing, there has been a decline in the number of girls on the streets.”

Ms Mlambo points out that there is a national case management system co-ordinated by the Department of Social Development that strengthens the identification and referral of vulnerable children or those suspected of abuse, including girl children.

“These are referred to the Department of Social Development, which works with other organisations to attend to the children’s needs. As a result, the child will access comprehensive services such as health, education, birth registration, shelter and psychosocial support,” she says.

“There are community structures that respond to violations of children’s rights by reporting such. These include the community child protection committees and community childcare workers.

“We also encourage community sensitisation on early identification of vulnerable or predisposed children. Anyone can identify and report suspected or alleged violations taking place.”

Bulawayo has 11 children’s homes, three Government-owned and eight privately run. These provide crucial shelter and care for abused and homeless children.

Community-based organisations such as Mudi wa Pfulufhelo (Haven of Hope) also play a vital role. Co-founder, Mrs Babongile Gora explains, “We offer temporary shelter, food and counselling for victims of sexual and gender-based violence. But long-term solutions require robust family support and poverty alleviation programmes.”

Mrs Gora says children living on the streets are prone to abuse and trafficking.

“The streets are not a safe place for a child, especially a girl. They are not only vulnerable to sexual abuse but also to trafficking. They are easily taken advantage of and also powerless when it comes to negotiating for safe sex,” she says.

“The solution lies in the Department of Social Development either putting them under foster parental care or taking them to children’s institutions and ensuring that they also benefit from Government programmes such as Beam to enable them to go to school.”

Faith-based groups, such as Scripture Union (SU), complement these efforts by distributing hygiene packs and conducting educational sessions.

“We distribute hygiene packs and conduct awareness campaigns, sensitising these children to the dangers of street life,” says an SU representative.

Acting Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Assistant, Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, said they have handled rape cases involving girls living in squatter camps by vagrants.

“As police, we are concerned about the number of young girls living on the streets. They are vulnerable to sexual attacks and in 2024, we handled rape cases involving girls living at squatter camps,” she said.

“We have on many occasions held awareness campaigns with other stakeholders on the dangers associated with living on the streets, particularly targeting the girl child because of their vulnerability, especially to rape.”

Police statistics paint a sobering picture with 325 rape cases having been reported in Bulawayo last year, of which nearly half involved juveniles.

“Last year, we had 325 rape cases, which were reported in Bulawayo between January and December, of which 160 were juveniles aged 18 years and below.”

As night falls over Bulawayo, the city lights casting faint glimmers of hope in the darkness, Thembelihle sits beside her mother. They clasp hands, their bond, an anchor in an unforgiving world. In their shared silence, there is an unspoken promise to keep fighting, to keep hoping and to survive another day.