Disability and Children as Begging Guides: For how Long Shall Children be Used as Begging Guides by Visually Impaired Persons in Africa?

This study examines the effect of using children as begging guides by people with sensory disabilities in Africa. It argues that some African countries, visually impaired persons, especially parents and relatives, have devised strategy abusing their or someone very close to them for financial gain. While this has remained a recurrent problem severe social, economic, political, legal implications, scientific research on addressing these implications is scarce. Given this, article rationale guides, its effects parents, mitigation strategies against abuse The qualitative design based key informant interviews (KIIs) complemented social exclusion childhood theoretical underpinnings study. Results from showed poverty, religion, cultural beliefs, profiteering, poor governance, breakdown policy implementation are among why abused used guides. results also experience low academic performance school, harassment, psychological trauma, health complications laborious trekking. At same time, suffer regrets guilt not being able provide good parental care children. concludes rehabilitation, vocational programmes, prompt government supports would lessen use