Do you give to street children? You may be doing more harm than good, according to Homestead Director, Sandra Morreira. GreaterCapital researcher, Dylan Edwards, visited The Homestead, a shelter for street children in Khayalitsha, to find out what works in getting – and keeping – children off the streets.

“I’m going to be a fighter” says Shelton. He raises his hands and swerves quickly from side to side, ducking the punches of an imaginary opponent. “I’m not big, but I’m very fast,” he says. “They don’t see me coming!”

Shelton is showing me around The Homestead, a shelter for street children based in Khayalitsha. Like many of the boys here, he loves sport. He plays soccer, cricket and basketball whenever he has the chance, but Muay Thai kickboxing is his favourite. He takes me past the TV room where a group of about 20 boys are dancing to kwaito bellowing out of a CD-player. They pause only for a moment to smile and wave as I walk past. “They’re happy it’s Friday” Shelton explains.

Onto the streets

The happy scenes at the Homestead make it all the more difficult to picture these boys on the street. But they are all here because they could not be reunited with their families. Sandra Morreira, Director of the Homestead explains that their strategy is always to try and reunite children with their families. “The boys are here either because we can’t find a family member that can take them in, or because the environment they might go home to is not suitable for children.”

Children leave home for the streets for a number of reasons. Many of them come from abusive or neglectful homes, and almost all of them come from extreme poverty. “Sometimes the problem is as simple as a school uniform.” says Sandra “If the family can’t afford a uniform, the child won’t go to school. And with their parents out of the house during the day, the children take to the streets, where gangsters and drug-dealers are waiting for them.”

Early intervention

This is why one of the main strategies for reducing the number of street children is early intervention. Organisations across the country employ teams of outreach workers who try to find families in need and to help them before their problems drive their children onto the streets.

Many people feel compelled to help the street children they encounter. But Sandra is concerned that despite their good intentions, people who try to help by giving the children money are actually making matters worse. “What people must remember” she says “is that making money from begging is one of the things that keep them on the street”.

The drugs problem

A lot of the money that street children get from begging inevitably ends up being spent on drugs. According to Sandra, this has become more and more of a problem in recent years. While previously the Homestead encountered plenty of children sniffing glue, there has been a move towards harder, more dangerous and more addictive drugs. “And the more money they have, the harder the drugs that they get into.”

Be part of the solution

According to Sandra, “a lot of the time these children have trouble trusting adults because the adults in their lives have often been abusive or neglectful.” Simply by treating these children as human beings, politely and respectfully, might change the way they think about adults. “Building that trust is always the first step” says Sandra.

But the best way to make a difference is to support the organisations that are dedicated to working with street children. Sandra encourages people to try find out about organisations that work in their area. “There are good projects working with street kids in most cities and towns in South Africa. Ask the child if they know about these places. Suggest that they go there if they need food and shelter... These organisations have the experience and expertise to help get children off the streets. Supporting them is far more helpful than giving money directly to the children.”

Give Shelton a fighting chance

Later, I ask Sandra about Shelton’s ambitions to be a professional kickboxer. She laughs “Yes, a lot of the boys do very well at kickboxing. The street prepares them for the fighting!”

But it is places like the Homestead that will give Shelton a fighting chance.

> Support the Homestead’s work on the SA Social Investment Exchange or browse the Children & Youth causes on the GreaterGood network.