Seid, Yania (PhD)Habtamu, Bekele2019-03-042023-11-042019-03-042023-11-042016-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/16503The purpose of this study is to explore experiences of youth shoe shiners in Arada sub cily, woreda six in Addis Ababa City Adiminslralion Specific intentions of the sludy were exploring causes th{l/ initialed lhem to be shoe shiners, challenging experiences of shoe shiners and strategies Ihal shoe shiners used to cope up with different challenges. The melhodological inquiry was a descriplive phenomenological approach which was appropriale to understand the phenomenon from the lived experiences of participants' slandpoinl. The purposive sampling method was used to select study participanls. Data were collecled through Semi structured and open ended questions by in depth inlerview, focus group discussions and observation. The sample size of in- depth interviews and focus group discussions were twelve and fourteen youlhs respeclively. The data obtained from the parlicipanls were analyzed thematically in descriptive ways participants stand point. The study found OUI differenl initial causes for youlhs shoe shining. These were poverly, family break and peer pressure. Furthermore, the study found different challenges such as challenges of access and recognition to working place, unsuitable working conditions, and basic necessities problems and related health problems. The sludy also found different types of stralegies.lo cope up with urban vulnerabilities such as livelihood diversification, using lower price foods and black markel cloths and using social nelworks among themselves and with olher people in Addis Ababa. The finding of this study implies the need of advocacy of social workers for policy consideralions of youths who are working in precarious informal workers like shoe shiners to provide opportunities of job creations in urban areas 10 transit in beller economic level. The finding also calls for social work intervention of some form of social welfare service for youth shoe shiners by governments and nongovernmental organizations.enChallenging Experiences oflnfonnal Sector WorkersThesis