For many young people living on the streets, lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic has made their situation worse. The city of Harare in Zimbabwe was no exception. Lockdown made it difficult for young people to find food and make money in the informal economy. Researchers set up a story map – a map with text, images and multimedia content – to hear their voices and understand their experiences.
It’s part of a three-year project called Growing up on the Streets, which worked with young people living on the streets in three African cities (Accra, Bukavu and Harare) alongside NGO partner StreetInvest. With the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, life on the streets became a lot harder, as young people recount in the story map.
Read more: Young people living on Harare’s streets provide glimpses into life under COVID-19 lockdown
Today’s episode of Pasha has Janine Hunter and Lorraine van Blerk, both at the University of Dundee, discussing the project. With them is the NGO’s Shaibu Chitsiku, with insights from the ground.
Photo: A group of children look with curiosity at a team of police deployed in Mbare township July 31 2020. Photo by Jekesai Njikizana/AFP Getty Images.
Music:
“Happy African Village” by John Bartmann, found on FreeMusicArchive.org licensed under CC0 1.
“Interludium II”, by Spin Day found on FreeMusicArchive.org licensed under Attribution License..
