Youth Alive Holds Workshop on Streetism in Bolgatanga.

Bolgatanga, Feb. 6, GNA - Fifty out of 90 street children in Bolgatanga are receiving formal education, while the rest are in vocational training of various kinds.

The programme coordinator of Youth Alive, a local NGO, Mr. Robert Alagskomah disclosed this at a workshop on streetism in Bolgatanga on Friday.

It was co-organised by Sustainable Intergrated Development Service Centre (SIDSEC ) a Wa-based NGO.

Mr. Alagskomah said SIDSEC was contacted to make a survey on streetism within the Upper East region and the outcome was that the region generated its own street children with Bolgatanga township accounting for 35 percent.

He said the children who were aged between nine to 15 years were either orphaned, had single parents or that the parents were too poor to cater for their needs, and attributed the situation to extreme poverty prevailing in the region.

Mr. Alagskomah said the situation led to the formation of Youth Alive in June last year to aid the children in distress.

He said the problem with the organisation is how to reunite the children with their families because even though they are being exploited and are suffering, 63 percent of the children prefer to remain in the street than go back to their families.

An appeal was therefore made to stake holders who have children's welfare to come to the support of Youth Alive to intervene in the lives of these children adding that there are still over 1,000 children waiting to be salvaged.

Various organisations at the workshop pledged their support to the NGO, with Ghana private road transport union ( GPRTU) promising to raise funds and accommodation for the children who sleep arround the lorry park while the Ghana tailors association promised to train the first batch of 10 children freeof charge.