streetism

n. the living of homeless or unmonitored children on the street, especially when related to drugs, disease, crime, or delinquency. Subjects: English, Ghana, Zimbabwe

Editorial Note: This term appears to be specific to Anglophone Africa.

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Citations: 1996 Catherine Bush @ Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Globe and Mail (Toronto, Can.) (Aug. 6) “Circus mania in Ethiopia” p. C1: While Circus Ethiopia has sometimes been described as a street-kids circus, Lachance is careful to point out that this is not quite the case. Although the connection to the street is very strong, “you could say that the circus is a preventative measure against streetism,” Lachance says. 1997 Agnes Banda @ Lusaka Times of Zimbabwe (Aug. 19) “Zambia—70,000 street kids—A day in the life of one of them”: It was estimated that there were 35, 000 street children in 1991 and that a further 315, 000 were at risk of becoming drawn into streetism. 2002 Accra Mail (Ghana) (July 24) “People Should Vote Wisely”: About sixty percent of the youth in the metropolis are unemployed due to lack of skills and the result is “streetism,” drug and substance abuse, immorality and armed robbery. 2004 I.K. Gyasi Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra) (Sept. 13) “Which Way for Education?”: Uncontrolled pregnancies outside the marriage circle have led to a flood of births, with the mothers unable to trace the men responsible. The result is what has come to be known in Ghanaian parlance as “streetism.”

Posted 14 Sep 04 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

The definitions must be detail for further understanding.It should include references names of authors

by Rebecca Kotey 25 Oct 07, 0556 GMT

Please kindly help me with some of the causes of Streetism to enable me write a very good essay on it.

by Benjamin Kwateng 03 Apr 08, 1101 GMT

Your definitions are now more concise and accurate in information dissemination.Congratulat ions and more grease to your elbow.
I wish to join your corporate to also share my views and knowledge.I also hope to participate in other activities that you may have in order to extend my social relations international.
Please send me the necessary requirements to be a part of this dynamic institution.

by Rebecca Kotey 15 Apr 08, 0413 GMT

Children may live on the streets because they were borne on the streets and unto the streets. Children youth fleeing from forced marriages in some parts of the developing economic countries, children who migrate to the urban areas in search of non-existing jobs, etc get inpreganted and bring forth to children. these children add to the numbers on the streets.

A number of other causes should be explored to complete the definition as streetism is very extensive.

Notwithstanding these, your definition has helped me a lot regarding my preparation for an interview.

by Owusu Amponsah 10 Jun 08, 0851 GMT