| Summary: | This study examines the urban street child phenomenon in the developing world. It
establishes that in most developing countries Non-governmental Organizations
(NGOs) have assumed the role of the state and have taken action to combat the
street child "problem. They have fashioned public policy and instituted programs to
address this social phenomenon. The study argues that existing development
approaches and policy intervention strategies applied by NGOs are wholly
inadequate to address the complex causes of children leaving home to take up
residence in the urban streets. It posits that the empowerment model of alternative
development, as articulated by planning and development theorists, is far more
likely to: (1) prevent the migration of children to the streets; (2) improve the wellbeing
of children currently living on the streets.; and (3) redress to some extent
imbalances in social, economic and political power that lead children to the streets.
Subsequently, a case study is undertaken of one NGO for street children, Casa
Alianza, Honduras. The model of empowerment is applied to Casa Alianza,
Honduras to evaluate the efficacy of the organization and to offer recommendations
on adjusting their policies and programs to empower to a greater degree their target
population.
|
|---|
