Education: the most common response (49% of children) was the desire to continue
with schooling – during almost the entire year of 2008 and for the first few months of
2009, schools were closed in Zimbabwe. Several of the children said they had left
specifically to come to the Albert Street School, word of which has made its way not
only to Musina, but into remote parts of Zimbabwe.
Poverty: Many other reasons were linked to dire poverty – there was no food at home
(44%), the child felt responsible for others starving at home and wanted to get a job in
South Africa (44%), or they had been reduced to destitution and begging (5%).
Violence – either political (8) or domestic (6) – was mentioned by 17% of children.
One boy reported that his brother had been kidnapped by militia during the 2008 run
off and had never been seen again.
No care at home: 7% of children said they had either been chased from home by a
step‐parent or some other relative, or that there was no adult left at home at all.
3% said that they had left on the advice of peers, and 3% had been brought to South
Africa by a relative who had then disappeared.
Chart x: showing reasons given by minors for leaving Zimbabwe
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