Resilience and the Re-integration of Street Children and Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Cameroon

152 Pages·2018·2.563 MB·English

by  Walters Mudoh Sanji

SPRINGER BRIEFS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Walters Mudoh Sanji
Resilience and the
Re-integration of
Street Children
and Youth in
Sub-Saharan Africa
The Case of Cameroon
123
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Walters Mudoh Sanji
Resilience
and the Re-integration
of Street Children and Youth
in Sub-Saharan Africa
The Case of Cameroon
123
Walters MudohSanji
Reseda,CA, USA
ISSN 2192-8363 ISSN 2192-8371 (electronic)
SpringerBriefs inPsychology
ISBN978-981-13-2073-6 ISBN978-981-13-2074-3 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2074-3
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Firstly, I dedicate this book which
demonstrates a fight in favor of the plight of
street children to my late parents Mr. Sanji
Elias and Mrs. Sanji Julia for they were
lovers of children. I also dedicate the work to
my wife Mrs. Nicoline Mofor Sanji for her
moral and financial support over the years.
Foreword
Thisbookprovidesafascinatinglookattheproblemofchildrenandyoungpeople
living on the streets of Cameroon’s major cities. It recounts the results of two
unique statistical studies, while also providing rich ethnographic detail that helps
illuminate the results. Much of the story is told directly in the words of the street
children.Itisraretoseesuchaneffectiveandaffectingblendingofquantitativeand
qualitative research.
Thisaccountisallthemorecrediblebecauseitiswrittenbyonewhogrewupin
theenvironmentthatisdescribedinthisbook.WaltersMudohSanjiisanativeson
of Cameroon who was able to make his way to South Korea in order to complete
his education and receive his doctoral degree. While the primary explanatory
mechanisms in this book are psychological, Dr. Sanji also draws on his extensive
knowledge of the colonial past of his region as well as the current political and
economic climate in his effort to understand the prevalence of street children in
Cameroon and throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
While many accounts of the effects of economic underdevelopment stop at
description, and perhaps speculation on causes, Dr. Sanji is also focused on pre-
vention and cure. The final sections of the book detail a number of concrete and
practicalproposalsforbetteringthecircumstancesofthechildrenandyoungpeople
of Cameroon. These proposals include not only providing better education and
housingthroughcooperationbetweengovernmentandNGOs,buttheestablishment
ofcooperativecommercialandentrepreneurialventuresthatwouldgivethosewho
receiveeducationandassistancethechancetothriveandcontributetotheeconomic
life of their countries.
Portland, OR, USA Richard Kettner-Polley, Ph.D.
August 2018
vii
Preface
The phenomenon of street children has been the focus of interest in developing
societiesalthoughnotbypolicy-makers. Even though therehas beenalot ofwork
with them, it has remained a constant and complex phenomenon to eradicate, and
hence must be tackled carefully in all its ramifications. The focus of this book has
been to investigate the psychological condition of street children and youth and to
determine how to reintegrate them into mainstream socio-economic activities.
Acarefulreviewofliteratureonthisphenomenonrevealedthatthereisstilllimited
knowledge,especiallyregardingthepsychologicalconditionsofstreetchildrenand
youth in the developing countries. This book draws attention to the fact that one
cannot expect reform efforts aimed at eradicating the phenomenon to have signif-
icant effects without concrete research that would enable guidelines for sound
therapeutic strategies and preventive policies. Apart from emphasis on therapeutic
strategies,thefirstpartofthebookdwellsondevelopmentpoliticsbecauseeffective
reintegration can only be possible in good institutions and vibrant economies.
While looking at the misery displayed on the streets of major cities in
sub-Saharan Africa, I presumed that the lack of an industrial sector, underdevel-
opment,andpovertyshouldbethefundamentalreasonsforstreetchildrenandyouth
in the major cities. I decided to study developmental issues within the context of
South Korea because I thought that, if South Korea could transform its economy
withinaveryshortperiodoftime despite itscantynatural resources, then whynot
Africa with abundant raw materials. I investigated the secret behind its industrial
development miracle to be able to provide concrete recommendations for the
industrial development of sub-Saharan African countries for I understood that
industrialization is the key to employment in the Sub-Region. Employment oppor-
tunities would help facilitate the reintegration of street children and youth in the
Sub-Region.Furtherinvestigationshavebeengearedtowardrevealingtheeconomic
development history and institutional context of sub-Saharan Africa to enable rec-
ommendationsofthebestdevelopmentmodelthatwouldsuitthepresenteconomic
circumstances of the Sub-Region. I also coordinated a project at Kana Foundation
dealingwiththeenhancementoftheresilienceofformerstreetchildrenengagedin
educational program in a rehabilitation home. Before I left to S. Korea for further
ix
x Preface
studies, I worked at Bamenda Urban Council as assistant chief of communication
Cooperationandlocalpartnershipunit.Duringmyperiodofworkthere,Icarriedout
a journalistic investigation into the problem of children roaming the streets of this
town. I further went on to examine the situation of the two biggest cities of the
country(Yaoundé and Douala).
InthebookIlooked atthedifferences between childrenandyouthonthestreet
(those who have homes to return to at night) and children and youth of the street
(thosewhobothworkandliveonthestreet),ithighlightstheimportanceofhaving
ahome, andofthegreat value ofcooperationbetweenchurch, NGO,andthestate
in working to make better the lives for these young people.
Looking at the research questions and hypotheses below, I have conducted the
research based on the concept of children and youth of the street and children and
youth on the street. Some scholars argue that this concept is not perfect for some
childrenandyouthworkandspendtheirnightsonthestreetduringoneperiodand
spend another period working on the street while sleeping at home at nights. To
workontheinter-lappingwhichexistsbetweenthesetwogroupsofstreetchildren
and youth, in the course of the interview we tried to classify those who spend
limited nights at home under children and youth of the street and vice versa.
Quantitative Research Questions
1. Are there significant differences in the characteristics of children and youth
ofthestreetandchildrenandyouthonthestreetintermsofautomaticthoughts
(dysfunctional thinking), hope, resilience, self-efficacy, and self-esteems in
Yaoundé and Douala, Cameroon?
2. Are there significant linear correlations between automatic thoughts, hope,
resilience, self-efficacy, and self-esteem of the street children in Yaoundé and
Douala, Cameroon?
3. Dochanges inautomaticthought,resilience, self-efficacy,andself-esteemhave
independent effects on hope?
4. Dorehabilitationeducationprogramshaveaneffectonhope,automaticthought,
resilience, self-efficacy, and self-esteem?
Hypotheses
1. Automatic thought is higher in children of the street than in children on the
street.Hope,resilience,self-efficacy,andself-esteemarelowerinchildrenofthe
street than in children on the street.
2. Automaticthoughtisindependentlyandnegativelyrelatedtohope,whileresilience,
self-efficacy,andself-esteemareindependentlyandpositivelyrelatedtohope.
3. Rehabilitation educational resilience program reduces automatic thought, but
increases hope, resilience, self-efficacy, and self-esteem.
Reseda, USA Walters Mudoh Sanji
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I offer sincere gratitude to my Mentor Dr. Richard
Kettner-Polleywhomanifestedagreatdealofkindness,ineditingthebook.Itwas
due to his recommendations and instructions that I have been able to effectively
complete it.
I also thank Prof. Chang Seek Lee who granted me permission to work in his
HopeInstitutewhereIhavegainedawealthofresearchexperience.Furthermore,I
was grateful to the administration of Kana Foundation NGO for granting me the
opportunity and support to carry out a 6 months’ research project within their
institution. Special thanks also go to the staffs and former street children of this
NGO who were recruited to carry out the field survey. Gratitude also goes to my
friend Mr. Mikael Opoku, a fellow statistics student who gave me additional
guidance on how to go about the SPSS statistical aspects of the survey.
xi