Earning a living on the margins: begging, street work and the socio‐spatial experiences of children in addis ababa

Abstract

This paper explores the everyday life experiences of boys and girls who beg on the streets in Addis Ababa. Based on seven months of child-focused research, it discusses begging as an often overlooked but crucial aspect of social reproduction in which children earn resources in order to contribute towards their household livelihoods. It is argued that child beggars are not passive victims of their circumstances, but are aware of the fact that begging is not a perpetual predicament in their lives. Moreover, the activity of begging is complex and fluid, and is based on the changing nature of the children's experiences, livelihoods and socio-economic conditions. Age, gender, social maturity and availability (or lack) of alternative income-generating strategies are important variables shaping both their spatio-temporal participation in and withdrawal from the activity. The perception of the public towards the children's involvement in begging and the children's own perceptions and reactions to it differ. The findings suggest that, as opposed to most children who construct their engagement as shikella, or simply business, the public has an ambivalent attitude, associating children with aspects of the culture of poverty, and considering them either 'at' risk or 'as' risks. The study concludes that interventions to improve these children's lives need to take more seriously their transient experiences, resources and social skills.

Participatory action research: The distress of (not) making a difference

“…The desire expressed by the working children involved in this study to set a minimum age for employment stood in marked contrast to Bourdillon's (2009) observation that child workers generally do not support minimum age standards as they affect their ability to support themselves and ensure their survival in contexts of poverty (see also Woodhead 1999). The strict application of minimum age standards may result in greater harm, pushing children into more precarious occupations in the struggle to survive (Woodhead 1999;Abebe 2008;Bromley and Mackie 2009). I became concerned: if the minimum age of 15 were enforced in Iringa Municipality, the implications for younger girls (with no alternative means of financial support) could be disastrous.…”

Begging as a Livelihood Pathway of Street Children in Addis Ababa

“…Most of these studies situate children's involvement and agency at work within the generally 'acceptable' forms of child labour. In the context of vulnerable children, few studies have explored how boys and girls pursue unconventional livelihood strategies which are 'outside' the mainstream categories of work including commercial sex work (Tekola, 2005;Hoot et al, 2007;van Blerk, 2007van Blerk, ,2008 and begging (Abebe, 2008b). These studies document that, despite Begging as a Livelihood Pathway of Street Children in Addis Ababa 1277 the health risks and also abuse and harassment from the public, involvement in such unconventional forms of livelihood enables many children to obtain life-sustaining necessities for themselves and for their households.…”

Learning and Earning in the Context of Small-Scale Gold Mining: Examining the Compatibility of Schooling and Work in the Lives of Working Young People in Ghana

“…It emphasises the socio-economic variations in societies, pointing that different material and cultural conditions necessitate young people's work. Their work ought to be understood in view of the different material and cultural circumstances giving rise to it (Abebe, 2008).…”