Street connected children spend most of their time in the streets vending (especially older children) and begging (especially younger children). Very few of them attend school. The street becomes the provider of socialisation and social identity. Most of the boys are engaged in vending and other work, while girls spend most of the time just begging and are more prone to sexual abuse and exploitation.
Street connected children are at a greater risk of experiencing health problems. Most of the children eat unsafe food. The level of their personal hygiene is very low and they are prone to diseases like malaria, scabies, abdominal problems, upper respiratory track infections and other skin infections. In these conditions the nutritional status of most of the street connected children is very low. In some areas street connected children (both boys and girls) suffer sexual abuse. Those more at risk to such abuse are children working or begging near rest houses and those found in the streets at odd hours.
Street connected children suffer a number of violations of their rights. They do not enjoy the required parental care as they spend most of their time away from home. Further, street connected children do not enjoy the equal rights to education, good nutrition and health as other children growing up in better circumstances.
