Belaynesh Abera

Social Network Disintegration: a Phenomenon of Street Children in Ethiopia Belaynesh Abera

The nation's stock of human capital is based on the foundation of the family structure which is a basic unit of society and how each member of the unit's capabilities has an opportunity to develop, so as to enhance the general population's well-being. Therefore , social cohesion is a key component for economic and personal well being as well as the social development of a country. However, the contemporary Ethiopian society faces structural challenges that are no longer able to provide its young generation namely street children, the love, care, respect and dignity they deserve to enhance human development. The persistent natural and human made crisis has weakened the social network structures to abandon its own children to the care of Nongovernmental Organisations and the streets."It was decided that I should work on the street to support my family and myself. I still go to school but it is very hard, because often I go to school straight from the street hungry and tired." Street children have many stories and their images can be portrayed as either helpless victims or heroic survivors or dangerous criminals.