The global figure is estimated to be 250 million. These unfortunate children, who should have been in school but are rather found on the streets, engage themselves in unproductive ventures like the sale of dog chains, shining shoes, Kayayoo, prostitution, among others. Most of them are migrants from villages and other rural areas in Ghana whose parents cannot afford a square meal, let alone look after them. Some are also from broken homes. Lack of family planning and early marriages also contribute to streetism .
Most girls enter into marriages without knowing anything in life.
They end up bringing forth to so many children whom they cannot cater for in the long run. They thus tend to pass on unnecessary hardships to these innocent children. The children then become African children born to suffer . Children on the street are exposed to many hazards like malnutrition, lack of proper health care, lack of shelter, rape, to mention but a few. A combination of these factors results in the deaths of thousands of street children.