MOST of the street children engaged by civil society organisation ARUKA Fiji are from urban settings.
This was revealed by ARUKA founder Inoke Drauna who said the organisation’s long-standing street outreach work has shown that many children and young people living on the streets originate from urban and peri-urban settlements such as Qauia, Kalekana and parts of Lami.
ARUKA Fiji is a Suva-based organisation that supports vulnerable and marginalised people, including homeless children, youth, widows and abandoned teenagers.
Mr Drauna said ARUKA has consistently focused on street-based services but has increasingly recognised the role urban settlements play in pushing young people onto the streets.
“We are focused, we have always been on the streets providing services for people that are on the streets,” he said.
“But then we have seen that there are a lot of people that are in urban settings, as what you have seen today, Qauia, Kalekana, Lami area most of them are from these so-called settlements.”
He said ARUKA was working to raise awareness that challenges such as depression, grief, loss and feelings of abandonment often begin within communities before children end up on the streets.
Mr Drauna says ARUKA’s toll-free helpline 1528 provides psychosocial support for people experiencing emotional distress.
“Anybody who goes through depression, grief and loss, abandonment or feeling pushed aside can always reach us on that toll-free helpline.”
He added that ARUKA is also strengthening networks with stakeholders and designated focal points within settlements to improve early intervention and youth engagement.
“This allows us to know when there is a need to engage youths for employability services or awareness programs.
“It is the focal point, who can escalate issues or work at the grassroots level to help us engage our youths.”
Mr Drauna said collaboration at the community level was critical in addressing the root causes that lead young people to the streets, rather than responding only once they become homeless.
