TITLE:
Street Children Phenomenon: Sociodemographic Characteristics and Associated Factors. Case of the City of Lubumbashi in the DRC
AUTHORS:
Bassema Kindja Marie France, Ilunga Kandolo Simon, Bienfait Mwarabu Much’Apa, Ndayi Kabamba Julie, Malemba-N’Sakila Gilbert
KEYWORDS:
Street Child, Sociodemographic Characteristics, Associated Factors, Lubumbashi
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.12 No.8,
August
19,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: The phenomenon of street children is a consequence of the socio-political crisis affecting many countries. It is difficult to accurately count the number of street children, as they pose a threat to society. The objective of this study is to assess the situation of street children living in Lubumbashi. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study from November 1 to 30, 2021, in the seven municipalities of the city of Lubumbashi with street children present at the time of our survey who voluntarily agreed to respond to our questionnaire. A total of 250 street children were surveyed, and the information collected was encoded and analyzed using Epi Info 7. Proportions, sample sizes, as well as the mean and its standard deviation were calculated. The chi-square was used for associations at a significance level of alpha equal to 5%. Results: The majority of street children are male (85%); the average age is 13 years (±9). The minimum age is 9 years, and the maximum age is 17 years; most of them come from the central part of the country (56.9%). Begging is the most common activity among street children (52.8%). All street children consume psychoactive substances (100%) and cannabis is used in 81.2% of cases for reasons such as: integrating into the group and chasing away fear (36.4%). Conclusion: Proper supervision of these children by the Congolese state, organizations, and parental responsibility would help eradicate the phenomenon of street children in our community.