首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
Micro-Enterprise Credit for Street Youth ’I am from a large, poor family and for many years we have done without breakfast. Eve
Micro-Enterprise Credit for Street Youth ’I am from a large, poor family and for many years we have done without breakfast. Eve
admin
2014-08-25
26
问题
Micro-Enterprise Credit for Street Youth
’I am from a large, poor family and for many years we have done without breakfast. Ever since 1 joined the Street Kids International program I have been able to buy my family sugar and buns for breakfast. I have also bought myself decent second-hand clothes and shoes.’
Doreen Soko
’We’ve had business experience. Now I’m confident to expand what we’ve been doing. I’ve learnt cash management, and the way of keeping money so we save for reinvestment. Now business is a part of our lives. As well, we didn’t know each other before - now we’ve made new friends.’
Fan Kaoma
Participants in the Youth Skills Enterprise Initiative Program, Zambia
Introduction
Although small-scale business training and credit programs have become more common throughout the world, relatively little attention has been paid to the need to direct such opportunities to young people. Even less attention has been paid to children living on the streets or in difficult circumstances.
Over the past nine years, Street Kids International(S.K.I.)has been working with partner organisations in Africa, Latin America and India to support the economic lives of street children. The purpose of this paper is to share some of the lessons S.K.I, and our partners have learned.
Background
Typically, children do not end up on the streets due to a single cause, but to a combination of factors: a dearth of adequately funded schools, the demand for income at home, family breakdown and violence. The street may be attractive to children as a place to find adventurous play and money. However, it is also a place where some children are exposed, with little or no protection, to exploitative employment, urban crime, and abuse.
Children who work on the streets are generally involved in unskilled, labour-intensive tasks which require long hours, such as shining shoes, carrying goods, guarding or washing cars, and informal trading. Some may also earn income through begging, or through theft and other illegal activities. At the same time, there are street children who take pride in supporting themselves and their families and who often enjoy their work. Many children may choose entrepreneurship because it allows them a degree of independence, is less exploitative than many forms of paid employment, and is flexible enough to allow them to participate in other activities such as education and domestic tasks.
Street Business Partnerships
S.K.I, has worked with partner organisations in Latin America, Africa and India to develop innovative opportunities for street children to earn income.
The S.K.I. Bicycle Courier Service first started in the Sudan. Participants in this enterprise were supplied with bicycles, which they used to deliver parcels and messages, and which they were required to pay for gradually from their wages. A similar program was taken up in Bangalore, India.
Another successful project, the Shoe Shine Collective, was a partnership program with the Y.W.C.A. in the Dominican Republic. In this project, participants were lent money to purchase shoe shine boxes. They were also given a safe place to store their equipment, and facilities for individual savings plans.
The Youth Skills Enterprise Initiative in Zambia is a joint program with the Red Cross Society and the Y.W.C.A. Street youths are supported to start their own small business through business training, life skills training and access to credit.
Lessons Learned
The following lessons have emerged from the programs that S.K.I, and partner organisations have created.
Being an entrepreneur is not for everyone, nor for every street child. Ideally, potential participants will have been involved in the organisation’s programs for at least six months, and trust and relationship-building will have already been established.
The involvement of the participants has been essential to the development of relevant programs. When children have had a major role in determining procedures, they are more likely to abide by and enforce them.
It is critical for all loans to be linked to training programs that include the development of basic business and life skills.
There are tremendous advantages to involving parents or guardians in the program, where such relationships exist. Home visits allow staff the opportunity to know where the participants live, and to understand more about each individual’s situation.
Small loans are provided initially for purchasing fixed assets such as bicycles, shoe shine kits and basic building materials for a market stall. As the entrepreneurs gain experience, the enterprises can be gradually expanded and consideration can be given to increasing loan amounts. The loan amounts in S.K.I, programs have generally ranged from US$30-$100.
All S.K.I, programs have charged interest on the loans, primarily to get the entrepreneurs used to the concept of paying interest on borrowed money. Generally the rates have been modest(lower than bank rates).
Conclusion
There is a need to recognise the importance of access to credit for impoverished young people seeking to fulfil economic needs. The provision of small loans to support the entrepreneurial dreams and ambitions of youth can be an effective means to help them change their lives. However, we believe that credit must be extended in association with other types of support that help participants develop critical life skills as well as productive businesses.
The main purpose of S.K.I, is to
选项
A、draw the attention of governments to the problem of street children.
B、provide schools and social support for street children.
C、encourage the public to give money to street children.
D、give business training and loans to street children.
答案
D
解析
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/cHNO777K
本试题收录于:
雅思阅读题库雅思(IELTS)分类
0
雅思阅读
雅思(IELTS)
相关试题推荐
Question(1)and(2)arebasedonthefollowingdata.(1)In2003thefamilyusedatotalof49percentofitsgrossannualinc
Almostwithoutinterference,hehasbeenabletocontinuethreatening,challengingandharassinghiscompetitors,andthus,whol
Certainmembersofmyfamilycontinuedtolead______lives,oftenindulginginwildand______behavior.
Aswetraveledtocollegeforthefirsttime,thefamilycarwas______withbooks,clothing,appliances,andothernecessities.
A、ahermeticfieldwithoutpotentialforcollaboration,giventhatitwasalmostexclusivelypopulatedby"misunderstoodgeniuse
HistorianscreditrepeatedlocustinvasionsinthenineteenthcenturywithreshapingUnitedStatesagriculturewestoftheMissi
Theseriousstudyofpopularculturebyintellectualsisregularlycreditedwithhavingrenderedobsoleteaonce-dominantviewt
随机试题
丰田汽车公司进入美国汽车市场的营销策略:20世纪60年代初,日本丰田汽车公司在准备进入美国汽车市场时遇到很大困难。丰田公司进行了细致的市场调研,制定了周密的营销策略,推出了具有特色的产品,经历了艰苦的奋斗,最终取得了很大的成功。1.丰田公司
尿道损伤后,预防尿道狭窄的主要措施是
能改善稳定型心绞痛患者临床预后的药物是()
假设药物消除符合一级动力学过程,问多少个t1/2药物消除99.9%()。
下列哪些事项属于行政机关应当主动公开的政府信息?()
海洋定位方法主要有天文定位、光学定位、无线电定位、卫星定位和()等。
比较汇款、托收、信用证在收费、资金负担、买卖方风险等方面的区别。
下列关于铠装热电阻的说法正确的是()。
只有中国公民才可以申请个人汽车贷款。()
如图所示若数据速率为1kb/s,则载波速率为_____________Hz。
最新回复
(
0
)