Promoting Socioeconomic Status of Street Youth: Assessing the Rehabilitation Efforts of Addis Ababa Bureau of Labor and Social Affairs (BoLSA)
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Date
2016-11-22
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study was conducted with the purpose of examining the BoLSAs' rehabilitation effo11s on
enhancing the life of the street youth to become economically productive, eventually selfsupporting,
psychologically adjusted and socially integrated. The research used a qualitative
design to collect data. In line with qualitative design this study employed a descriptive approach
since descriptive research is aimed at capturing the lived and told rehabilitated youth stories of
the participant. The primary data was collected through conducting semi structured in-depth
interviews with the BoLSA street youth project staffs and focus group discussions with the
rehabilitated street youth and analyzed qualitatively by descriptive statements. The study results
has indicated that because of the organizations intervention, the youth left behind the street life,
involved in various small business activities or employed, have better communication with their
families and the community. They have also contributed for national development by engaging
in productive activities unlike their previous life and discharged their national obligation by
raising money for the construction of the Renaissance Dam. On the other hand the findings of the
study indicated that the rehabilitated youth have encountered various challenges. Among the
mentioned economic challenges: difficulty to earn sufficient income, lack of employment
opportunities with the skill incompetency, inadequacy of the start-up loan repayment grace
period, the high interest rate of startup loan and lack of follow up, were identified. On the other
hand community misconception and self-imposed social isolation are also their social
challenges which hamper them to live life. The study findings were also evidenced that BoLSA
has faced much challenges in implementing the project and took various mechanism to overcome
those challenges. Finally the researcher recommend that the project should look for ways to
collaborate further with professionals across the primary care, mental health, social welfare and
legal sectors, as well as with colleges/universities, in order to strengthen its' capacity to provide
best psychosocial and livelihood support.
Key words: Street Youth, Rehabilitation, Psychosocial, Livelihood, Ethiopia
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Keywords
Street Youth, Rehabilitation, Psychosocial, Livelihood, Ethiopia