Findings of a Study Exploring Homeless Street Females in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Need for Community Based Programs

Abstract

A qualitative research design using the interviews of five homeless street females was undertaken to understand the meaning of the lived experiences of the homeless street females and their identified need for community based programs. This research design provided the researchers with the opportunity to understand the complexities of homelessness from the homeless street females in Ethiopia using ethnography. The qualitative study was exploratory in nature and utilized ethnographic methods, such as participant observation and semi-structured interviews within both formal and informal social contexts. This ethnographic approach allowed the homeless street female the opportunity to utilize their own point of view to explore their concerns, attitudes, and personal experiences with caregiving relationships, social supports, coping strategies, gender and stigma, and cultural beliefs and practices in how they manage their lives on the street.