The street is rough and children live outside rain or shine congregating in front of abandoned stalls occupying a small slab of concrete between the building and the sewer that runs along the dirt road. For girls and their babies their troubles are exacerbated by the constant threat of theft, abuse, and rape.
Field work is demanding and can be dangerous, but ten social workers conduct daily visits to all the busy stations and markets in Accra where street girls typically work and sleep. These field workers befriend and form intimate relationships with the children living on the street and thus have a working knowledge of the unique social system of the street. The social workers are instructed to see the girls as individuals and they become acquainted with a child’s friends, leaders, and the environment of the street itself. Gaining a trustful relationship is necessary to successful work in the field.
Staff continually teaches girls about HIV prevention, family planning, child care, and other issues which the girls initiate. The social workers also inform the girls about the many activities that occur at the house of refuge and regularly refer children to other facilities where they can receive alternate forms of assistance.
Staff also conducts social surveys consisting of traveling to the hometown of a street girl on a fact-finding mission. This is done to gain further insight into the reasons for leaving home and the prevalent conditions there in order to facilitate the process of rehabilitation. S.Aid will strive to reconcile a girl with her family if the girl is motivated to do so.