Children in Yemen are increasingly taking up the occupation of begging, as they do not have any other source of livelihood. This has resulted in the increasing number of street children. Due to the inability of the parents to pay the school fees, growing number of children are dropping out from schools.



Children as young as 6 to 8-years-old are seen strolling in the streets. While some have taken up the occupation as a street vendor selling clothes to the passer-by, some are washing cars. Few are making money in restaurant and cafe jobs, while some have no other option but to beg.



While the male child is busy working in line hotels, the girls are selling various eatable items such as eggs and potatoes.



Many factors have led to this emerging social crisis:



Family



Often an unstable family atmosphere forces children to go out to the streets. In the case of a divorced mother or the death of the bread winner of the family, leads the child to device out a way to earn money for the family expenses.



Unsystematic Education



The absence of any vocational education is another fact that has fuelled the large number of street children.



Pre-Existent Customs and cultural practices



A majority of the people in the largely traditional set of Yemeni society is illiterate. Almost 55.7 % of the Yemeni populations are uneducated. This indirectly has to do with the number of school dropouts and child vagabonds.



Another traditional practice of the Yemeni culture is to send the child to work at a very young age. This too adds to the number of unfortunate street kids.



Via: YEMENTIMES