Community Engagement Report on

Psychosocial Challenges of Transient Destitute or Street Children

Submitted by: Supervised by:

Exam Roll : 2425828 Syed Tanveer Rahman
Registration No : 2021315952 Associate Professor
Session : 2021-2022 Department of Psychology
Department of Psychology University of Dhaka
University of Dhaka

Course Title: Community Engagement

Course Code: 308

Date of Submission:

Signature of the Supervisor

Contents Page No
Executive Summary 3
Introduction 4-5
Methodology 6
Case Study 7-10
Findings and Analysis 11-12
Recommendation 13
Conclusion 14
References 15
Appendix 16-17

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 Executive Summary

Purpose
This report explores the psychosocial challenges faced by transient or street children in Dhaka
city through a small-scale, community-engaged inquiry. Guided by the principles of
community engagement, the study emphasizes the importance of collaboration between
communities and stakeholders in promoting well-being and creating sustainable support
systems for marginalized groups. A total of ten street children were interviewed using open-
ended questions designed to capture aspects of their daily lives, family structures, education,
ambitions, health status, safety perceptions, and emotional experiences. The methodology
relied on direct verbal responses, with notes and audio recordings used to retain accuracy.

Key Findings
The case studies show that most children face poverty, hunger, disrupted schooling, unsafe
living conditions, limited access to healthcare but display striking resilience and ambition.
Many contribute to family income by selling flowers or balloons while expressing dreams of
joining the high-ranking occupation. Emotional experiences varied—some children reported
feeling secure and content, while others described loneliness, insecurity, or unhappiness,
especially those without stable family care. The study identifies a clear gap between the
children’s hopes and the support systems available to them and recommends strengthened
involvement from government, organizations, and the public to provide education, shelter,
protection, and long-term rehabilitation.

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 Introduction

Community engagement is defined as a collaborative process that builds sustainable and

trusting relationships, through which communities and partners work together to strengthen
community well-being and address issues of shared importance.1 It has become a fundamental
component of higher education as it bridges the gap between theoretical learning and practical
social experience. Through community engagement, students are provided with opportunities
to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to real-life situations, allowing them to better
understand complex social realities.

While community engagement varies widely, it identifies three main dimensions/ types by
describing how community members may be involved:
1. Seeking Data – obtaining community information such as health status or trends.
2. Seeking Information, Advice, and Feedback – consulting the community to shape
program or research design.
3. Partnering and Sharing Control – collaborating with communities in shared decision-
making and shared responsibility.1

The goals of community engagement differ depending on contexts but fall into several broad
categories:
● Improve overall community conditions, such as health, infrastructure, or economic
factors.
● Identify needs and assets, especially those requiring action.
● Involve community voices in planning, implementing, and evaluating programs.

Within the disciplines of psychology and social sciences, community engagement is

particularly important, as it allows students to engage directly with social issues such as social
exclusion, mental health concerns, and emotional vulnerability among marginalized and
underserved populations.

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SDG and Topic Relevance

The study topic was relevant to many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are
mentioned below with corresponding alignment with the issue:
Goal 1 (No Poverty): Several of the Children could not afford food, shelter and other basic needs.
Goal 2 (Zero Hunger): Many of them reported hunger, illness due to malnutrition.
Goal 3 (Good Health and Well Being): Frequent illness but no access to medicine, surpassed
by psychological stress and loneliness.
Goal 4 (Quality Education): Most of the children did not attend school or attend non-formal
school but had high ambition.
Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): As the children lived outdoors, they had neither
convenient safe water source nor sanitation.
Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Social exclusion, lack of legal protection, identity support
or secure housing for them.2

Objectives

General Objective: To know the psychosocial challenges that the destitute street children face
in everyday life.

Specific Objective:
⮚ Build trusting and respectful relationships among participants.
⮚ Share power, resources, and decision-making with communities.
⮚ Take collaborative action on priorities identified by community members.
⮚ Strengthen community resilience and improve health outcomes.

Scope

The study targeted the street children who were homeless, out of reach of primary education,
neglected of proper nutrition by depriving of 3 times meals in a day and also not having proper
treatment for ailment. Unfortunately, some of them were orphan also. This study encompasses
from 27 August 2025 till 12 September 2025.

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 Methodology

Participants
Ten Street Child around the campus of Dhaka University, Shahid Minar, Ramna Park.
Inclusion Criteria: Those who gave informed verbal consent and were destitute children
Exclusion Criteria: Those denied to participate and were economically stable children.

Data Collection Tools

 Face to face interview

Procedure
They were interviewed and asked for some personal information and their response was
appropriately noted in both the paper and recorder. The questions were open-ended and they
were allowed to express all their thoughts either relevant or not to the topic. Later excision was
done to extract the necessary information.
Moreover, proper privacy of the collected data was maintained and informed consent was taken
at the beginning of the session with the participants.

Ethical Consideration
Ethical engagement was at the core of the study. The following measures were taken:
 Verbal informed consent was obtained from all participants.
 Participants were informed about the purpose of the study.
 Confidentiality and privacy were respected; no personal identifiers were recorded.
 Emotional sensitivity was maintained, especially when participants shared personal or
painful experiences.
 Participation was voluntary, and participants were free to withdraw at any time.

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 Case Study

Case Study 1
First one of the participants was Arian, a five years old boy from Kamrangirchor. He lives only
with his mother because of the abandonment of his father. He also has one younger sibling
whom he takes care of by selling flowers while his mother sells water bottles. Arian has a
yearning to go to school so that he can fulfill his wish to be an army officer. Though he feels
safe from all kinds of physical and mental harm, he cannot afford to take medicine whenever
ailment shows up. As from his statement, it can be inferenced that he is content with his life.
No loneliness or help from others is sought by him.

Case Study 2
The second participant was Samia, a ten-year-old girl from Shoyarighat who lives with her
parents and two younger sisters. Although she is currently not attending school, she shared that
she plans to return after the book fair and hopes one day to become a doctor. To support her
family, she sells tip in the streets, while her mother sells churi and her father works as an
electrician. Samia occasionally becomes ill, and in those moments her father brings her
medicine from nearby shops. She expressed that she does not face physical or mental harm and
does not feel insecure or lonely. Despite saying she is happy with her life and needing no
particular help at this moment, her expression lacked a smile, hinting at a more complex
emotional state beneath her words.

Case Study 3
Another participant, Maruf, is a seven-year-old boy from Baksibazar who lives with his parents
and an elder sister. Although he once attended a maktab in his village, he is not enrolled
anywhere at present, but shared his hope of joining again soon. He earns a living by selling
flowers—an activity his mother also depends on for income. Maruf dreams of joining the army
one day, yet selling flowers comes with pressure, as he admitted his mother scolds and hurts
him when he fails to sell them all. The boy sometimes falls ill, and in those times his father
brings him medicine. He mentioned feeling insecure whenever his mother threatens to send
him back to the village, though he does not report mental harm or loneliness. Maruf expressed
that he would appreciate help if people bought his flowers, and despite the challenges he faces,
he described himself as happy.

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Case Study 4
Mohammad Ali is a fourteen-year-old boy from TSC who currently lives only with his father,
as he has lost all of his siblings. He attends the Mojar School at Udaan but does not engage in
any work himself, while his father collects bottles to support them. With a strong ambition to
join the army one day, Ali tries to stay focused on his studies despite limited resources. He
shared that his father sometimes hurts him, though he does not face mental harm and does not
feel insecure generally. Ali expressed a need for food and a desire to continue his education.
At times he feels lonely, especially when he remembers his mother, whose loss still weighs
heavily on him. He stated that he is mostly happy, though not completely, as memories of his
mother remain close to his thoughts.

Case Study 5
Mohammad Emon is an eleven-year-old boy from Anondobazar who spends much of his time
around TSC with his friend Ali. He lives with his parents and comes from a large family with
three brothers and two sisters. Emon attends the Mojar School at Uddan and hopes to continue
his education so that one day he can join the army. He does not work to earn money himself,
while both of his parents make their living by selling flowers. Emon expressed that he feels
safe and does not experience physical or mental harm. He also stated that he does not feel
insecure and is happy with his life. His greatest wish at the moment is simply to study and keep
moving closer toward his future goals.

Case Study 6
Jannat is an eight-year-old girl from Wari who lives with her parents and remains close to her
mother throughout the day. She does not attend school at present, though she expressed a wish
to become a doctor in the future. Jannat does not participate in any earning activities, while her
mother supports the family by selling churi. She sometimes suffers from fever, and during
those times she receives treatment at the hospital. Jannat shared that she does not face physical
or mental harm and feels secure because she is always with her mother. She does not seek help
from others and expressed that she is happy with her life.

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Case Study 7
Another participant was Jui, a girl of around five or six years old from Shamoli Flyover. She
lives only with her mother and has two younger siblings. Jui does not go to school and currently
does not earn anything. Her mother works as a beggar. When asked about her future, she said
she has no particular ambition and will simply “work”. Although she sometimes feels ill, she
does not receive any treatment. She is not harmed physically or mentally and does not feel
insecure. At this moment, she needs food. Despite these challenges, Jui is happy with her life
and does not feel lonely.

Case Study 8
Fatema is a ten-year-old girl who lives with her aunty, having lost her mother at birth and later
being abandoned by her father. With no siblings to rely on, she spends her days selling flowers
to support herself. Although she is not currently enrolled in school, she expressed a strong wish
to study and dreams of becoming a doctor in the future. Fatema mentioned that she falls ill at
times but is unable to take medicine when she needs it. She shared that she is not harmed
physically or mentally by anyone, yet she carries a quieter hardship beneath the surface. What
she needs most at the moment is a stable home, and despite not feeling lonely, she openly stated
that she is not happy with her life.

Case Study 9
Mohammad Faruk is an eleven-year-old boy who stays with his mother at Shahid Minar, while
his father lives back in their village. He does not attend school and helps his family by selling
balloons for income. Faruk has two younger brothers, though they do not live with him in the
city. When he becomes ill, his mother provides him with medicine, and he does not report any
mental harm. However, he mentioned that two boys living nearby sometimes threaten to hurt
him, which makes his life more difficult. Faruk shared that he needs work to support himself
and feels lonely whenever his mother travels to the village and leaves him behind. Although
he keeps going, he expressed clearly that he is not happy with his life.

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Case Study 10
Rakib Mia is an eight-year-old boy who lives with his parents and three siblings in Ramna
Park. He does not attend school at the moment, but he shared a hopeful dream of one day
becoming an engineer. Rakib helps his family by selling flowers, while his parents earn their
living by selling water. He stated that he does not fall ill and does not face physical or mental
harm from anyone. Rakib mentioned no particular needs and explained that he does not feel
lonely, as his family is always by his side. Living simply but closely with his loved ones, he
described himself as happy with his life.

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 Findings and Analysis
My topic was psychosocial challenges of transient destitute or street children. I interviewed ten
street children of Dhaka city using open ended questions for this study. Responses were
obtained willingly but pictorial responses were not allowed.

Key Themes

Most of the children were facing hunger with superadded many tragedies in life but still when
asked whether they were happy with life or not, majority chose the first. They were very
ambitious but the miserable matter was their lack of idea about the study needed to fulfill their
ambition. It illustrated a complex blend of vulnerability and resilience.

Table 1: Educational situation of Destitute children in the study (N=10)

Traits Boys (n=6) Girls (n=4)

Goes to school 3 0
Dropped from school 1 1
Never went to school 2 3

I noticed most of the boys wanted to be army officers, a strong influence of the July Movement.
After seeing so many soldiers, their mind might have cultivated the idea that by getting into
the army, they would be as powerful as they saw in the movement. Another thing that struck
me was that they were caring towards street dogs. For instance, one of them said he was scared
to lose Avro (a dog from TSC).

The study also reveals that many children lacked awareness of concepts such as mental harm
or insecurity, despite living in conditions where such risks are prevalent. They do not know
what loneliness, sadness, mental abuse or even sexual abuse is, despite of using Bangla
questionnaire. Thus, the study acknowledges the broader social context, noting influences such
as recent national events on children’s ambitions and their unexpected compassion for street
animals. Limited access to healthcare, irregular nourishment, and occasional physical harm
were recurring themes.

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The discussion highlights the disconnect between the children’s aspirations and the resources
available to help them realize their goals. Emotional support systems varied: while some
children felt securely attached and content, others experienced loneliness, fear, or unhappiness,
particularly those without stable families or caretakers.

Table 2: Distribution of Street Children by Parental Availability and Earning Status (N=10)

Traits Boys (n=6) Girls (n=4)

Have at least one parent 6 3
Have Earning source 4 2

We, the mass people, the government and many volunteer organizations working in
Bangladesh have much to do for these potential youngsters. This study calls for coordinated
efforts by the government, general public, and organizations to provide education, healthcare,
housing, legal protection, and psychosocial support for street-dwelling children.

Impact Assessment
Since my study highlighted street child, whom I was not able to give intervention and make
any further assessment. But the study strengthens the case for rights-based interventions that
protect, educate, and empower street-involved children. Therefore, the result of the study may
create a positive impact in the mind of policymakers and NGOs towards street children for
their personal and holistic development.

Barriers and Challenges

The sample size was inadequate to be considered representative of the general population. The
misunderstanding of questions by the children, lack of cross checking, recorders and
responder’s bias, had a significant impact on the study. Time was also a factor since almost all
the children were busy with their job. As they were all street children recommunication was
not possible with them. Therefore, any intervention as well as further query was also not
feasible. Despite limitations, the study emphasizes the need for coordinated action to ensure a
safer, more promising future for street children in our country.

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 Recommendation

Improvements
 Provide free access to education, healthcare, and temporary shelter for street children.
 Offer immediate legal protection and prevent exploitation through enforcement of child
protection laws.
 Encourage the public to treat street children with empathy and respect rather than
discrimination.
 Launch non-formal education initiatives and emergency rescue services to reach
children living and working on streets.

Follow-up Actions
 Facilitate family tracing and reunification where appropriate and safe.
 Ensure children receive counseling services to address psychological and emotional needs.
 Promote volunteering, donation, and community participation to support educational
and rehabilitation programs on area basis.
 Provide basic knowledges about the children rights and free health checkup campaign.

Long-Term Sustainability
 Implement vocational training and skill-building programs to help children transition
into safe, independent adulthood.
 Develop permanent shelter homes with strong protection, supervision, and access to
education.
 Strengthen the legal and institutional framework so children’s rights are recognized and
consistently enforced.
 Expand NGO and government partnerships to advocate for child rights, reduce social
inequality, and build long-term rehabilitation pathways.
 Create a supportive ecosystem where communities, institutions, and organizations
continuously collaborate to secure a better future for all street children.

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 Conclusion

From my community engagement field work on psychosocial challenges of transient destitute

or street children, I can say that street children are one of the most vulnerable and deprived
population in our country. At the end of the day, they are human beings, hence they have some
basic human rights as per national and international regulations. Unfortunately, they are totally
unaware about their rights. I noticed all of my participants informed no harm either mentally
or sexually but I think they were not true to themselves. One reason of being deceptive can be
they do not know what is the mental or sexual abuse. Another reason may be shyness to express.

The Government, non-governmental organizations, privileged people, general people all have
responsibilities to them. As a citizen of this country, they deserve this care. We have to try to
engage with them and make them engaged in every possible way.

Last but not least, I want to thank all the children who voluntarily participated in these sessions
to make this report possible. Their active engagement can lead to future advancement in
policies and opportunities for children, especially the deprived class in the growing megacities
like Dhaka.

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 References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US), Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry (2025). Principles of Community Engagement (3rd ed.). NIH Publication.
2. United Nations. Sustainable Development Goals [Internet]. New York: United Nations;
2015. Available from: [Link]

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 Appendix
1. Supporting Documents:
Questionnaire for interview

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Questionnaire for interview
1. নাম কী?
2. বয়স কত?
3. িল কী?

জীবনযাপন স িকত
4. কাথায় বসবাস কের?
5. স িপতামাতার সােথ বসবাস কের িক?
6. স েল যায় িক?
7. ভাইেবান কতজন?
8. স উপাজেনর জ কী কের?
9. িপতামাতা উপাজেনর জ কী কেরন?
10. তার জীবেনর ল কী?

া এবং সামািজক িনরাপ া স িকত

11. স িক অ অ ভব কের?
12. অ হেল কাথা থেক িচিকৎসা হণ কের?
13. তােক িক কউ শারীিরক িনযাতন কের?

মানিসক া স িকত
14. তােক িক কউ মানিসক িনযাতন কের?
15. স িক অিনরাপদ অ ভব কের?
16. এই েত তার িক ধরেনর সাহা েয়াজন?
17. স িক একাকী অ ভব কের?
18. স িক তার জীবন িনেয় িশ?

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