Climate change: Scavenging led many out of school children in Kano

– by Hannatu suleiman Abba

“ Stop going to school, we have to focus on what will make us earn money, look at Oga Zubairu who buys these trashed from us worth 300 naira. He knows our value more than the so called “yan boko”. 9 year old boy, in a deep conversation with his peer group who are busy picking scum from waste disposal land in sheka community”

In major streets of Kano state Children at the aged of 9 to 15 were seen roaming around communities, picking trashed from waste bin or disposal land. This has been habitual norms to children including these with parents, orphans and Almajirai.

9 years old Salisu Hassan said, I picked these scraps because it is the only source for me to get money. Many of my friends are Into it and their parent didn’t stop them.

As an orphan, I wake up early to get the scraps from 3 communities, My mom use the money to buy some items for me during an occasions or basic needs says Safiyanu Musa who is at the Age of 11.

Our biggest challenges is some of the scraps are not that expensive, because 300 naira is highest amount we get per day after scraping for 6 to 7 hours. While in some cases we are chase away by people , calling us names or our elder one snatch away important and costly items from us.

“we never feel discourage in what we do as scavengers, because there is nothing good in acquiring western Education these days. The so called western educated ones are not rich like these people who purchase our scraps”. I always tell my peer group that money is the key to success not education if I see some of them going to school, salisu emphasized.

Yakasai community, Yusuf Balarabe said, during raining season he used to inspect all the drainage closed to his house and other neighboring communities to search for unwanted used items.

Any time I go to school , my thought for the whole day is, I missed the opportunity of earning the day money. So I stopped going to school for the whole tern, or I snick out . A day I can get 500 naira from scrapping and it makes me happy.

In Nassarawa GRA Alu Avenue Kano, Muktar and Ayuba were seen picking used charcoal from the waste after been used by a tea seller.

‘ We don’t only picked charchoal , we picked what comes to our way’. Our survival is from scraps, a day me and my brother can earn 700 .

However, in sharada Jaen Gidan mariya, Abdullahi Na Mama said, he love to see how children of his age struggle to make an earn. This has motivate many of us not to go to school because the scrap business can make you get money in a dime.

In Hotoro, Aliyu was spotted at 12 noon picking trashes.when asked, he said, he want to buy clothes that will he will wear on sallah.

During an Interview with scraps purchaser Malam Jibril said, the business of scraps in sheka communities has been in existence for more than 2 decades . According to Jibril, In recent years Children are often at the spot of scrutiny waste materials which discourage them in focusing on their early stage endeavors compare to those days that adult are at the front line of The business.

The scraps business has an addiction to anyone who embark into it without looking at it consequences, been it children or adult and its categories of capital. Almost all the children that brought scrapes children knows the price of the items based on weight. so their potential focus is to get items that are costly.

However, in the process of searching for a costly scraps, many Children engaged themselves in stealing from their parents or neighbour useful items such as domestics or spoiled materials that need a technical assistance. If they are caught on or after the process they got me in trouble but as for now , I quickly predict such materials and refuse to buy or send them away..

Subsequently, Many Children go In Search for scraps from the waste bin door to door or refuse land with the consent of their parent which they ignore school intentionally because picking waste starts in the morning. Some parent relay on the scraps their children picked as a means of earning to the family or other arises demands.

In addition, Scavengers feed on when searching for scraps at the waste bin especially left over snacks, fruits or drinks.

According to Human Right activist in Kano, Khadija Aliyu Ammani highlighted that, last year April a scenario happening of 13 years old boy named Halifa ,who support his family with the trashed materials money . At first , I saw his hands with foul smelling discharge when I asked, it was due to the picking trashed he got an accident for 2 month. I quickly took him to the hospital for proper medical dressing medication for quick healing.

Public Health Practitioner Dr Musa Abdullahi Sufi said, children are at the risk spots of picking trashed which exposed them to Dangerous common and infectious diseases. Subsequently, Some Sharp objects are harmful to the health which includes used hospitals items such as like syringe , bottles etc and are found in the waste bin .

In addition to tackling issues of children Parents are to be very vigilant on what labour their children undergo for supporting family , although it is not recommendable for children to be in this spot but some economic and societal problem led to that.

World Bank report in June 2022 indicates that Nigeria has more than 11 million out–of–school children between the ages of 6 and 15. Kano State with 837,479 out–of–school children closely

In a suggest approach by The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said the out-of-school children phenomenon in Nigeria is multi-causal and will require a combination of interventions. On the demand side, reducing the cost of education by eliminating school fees, providing cash transfers, and shifting socio-cultural norms that prevent school enrollment are critical steps pointed out.