Empowering Vulnerable Children through Community Involvement

Mehreen Ashraf, Syed Manzoor Hussain Shah

Abstract

The impediments on the road to development in developing countries
include various socio-economic problems. Amongst them, a grave social
problem is posed by vulnerable children living in abject poverty. In a
number of these countries, such as Pakistan, viability of community
involvement and participation for their support is yet to be fully explored.
This paper attempts to address the empowerment of vulnerable children in
the paradigm of community involvement in the study area. The study was
conducted in the four union councils namely Wahndoo, Kali Subah, Kotali
Nawab and Swawa of tehsil Kamoki, Gujranwala. The methods employed
were both qualitative and quantitative utilizing interview and structured
questionnaires with both open and close ended questions as data collection
technique. The study has investigated 40% (51) mothers/guardians of
orphans were selected by means of simple random sampling and 200
community members using stratified random sampling. A questionnaire
was developed and administered to the community members of Kamoki.
The mothers/guardians of orphans were interviewed. The research
suggested the need to sensitize and mobilize local community to care and
support vulnerable children by strengthening the economic capacity of the
mothers/guardians.