NCJ Number
201378
Date Published
2003
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This document describes the Street Child Change Initiative Program (S.C.C.I.P.) in Lusaka, Zambia.
Abstract
S.C.C.I.P. is a problem sharing, behavior changing, and goal setting oriented approach. The Peer Outreach Association Against Drug Abuse (PORADA) undertook this program in an effort to combat drug and toxic substance abuse among the street children and other vulnerable children. The main goal of the program was to reach out to 1,000 vulnerable children with an anti-drug education message through outreach programs; counsel 20 drug dependent children; and train 30 vulnerable children in anti-drug peer education and social skills with their integration into orphanage centers. The implementation began in October 2002, followed by outreach programs in Mtendere, Matero, and Bauleni and Lusaka town. The completion date was January 2003. To ensure that anti-drug education reached out to the intended target group, outreach programs were combined with theater. Many children were given audience to relate how much drugs affected them and were encouraged to visit PORADA offices for help. Forty drug dependent children attended counseling sessions, but the number of street children eventually fluctuated to 25. The 2 day anti-drug peer education and social skills training workshop was attended by 10 vulnerable children from centers and 22 from the streets. A total number of 15 street children were placed on a referral to the Ministry of Community and Social Welfare for their integration into orphanage centers. The project had complications due to the fact that the issue of street children is a very complex problem emanating from a diversity of causes such as death of parents, physical and sexual abuse, neglect from parents and other relations, high levels of unemployment, and the ever waning Zambian economy. There is more work to be done to reduce the problem of street children.