Browsing by Author "Wedajo, Nega"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Slum Dweller Children’s Vulnerability to Food Insecurity and their Coping Mechanisms: The Case of Koshe Slum Area in Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa University, 2015-10) Wedajo, Nega; Negeri, Dessalegn (PhD)
    Children whose food and nutrition requirements, or socio-demographic characteristics, may place them at special risk need further study by being members of food insecure slum dwelling households. It is hypothesized that family characteristics influence children’s vulnerability to food insecurity and that food insecurity adversely affects children’s school performance. Data from 2015 were utilized in the age group of 10-18 years from a survey of a cross sectional study in Koshe-the largest Waste Dump, and slum of Addis Ababa. Non probability and probability sampling were utilized. A sample of 112 students and 8 key informants participated in the survey. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected via questionnaire and key informant interview respectively. The USDA’s Household Food Security measures were adapted to measure food insecurity scales specific to the context. The study found that significantly most of the surveyed children suffer from problems of food insecurity, in terms of affordability (M=3.7, SD=1.146); adequacy (M=3.64, SD=1.256) and acceptability, (M=3.45, SD=1.263). Chi-square tests show that there is significant association between vulnerability of children to food insecurity such as income X2(4.710 N=110) df=1, p<0.05; Family Size X2 (2, N = 111) = 7.313, p=0.026; and family employment (X2 (1, N=112)=4.115, p<0.05). The study also found food insecurity is associated with children’s wellbeing (X2(1, N = 107) = 6.689, p=0.01) and school performance (X2(1, N = 107) = 6.689, p=0.01). Qualitative data also supported the above results. Children’s coping mechanisms were identified as scavenging in the dump site (M=4.13, SD=1.4) which has negative effect on their wellbeing