Assessment of Poverty Incidence among Almajiri Children in Damaturu Metropolis, Yobe State

Abstract

Poverty is a major socio-economic problem affecting many countries particularly the developing regions of
the world. This study assesses the poverty incidence among Almajiri children in Damaturu metropolis, Yobe
State Nigeria. Both quantitative and qualitative survey was conducted in all the almajiri schools in the study
area. A survey research strategy was adopted which involves the process of collecting data using the
questionnaire as instrument for data collection. The instruments for data collection for this study included
Geographical and Information System (GIS), structured questionnaire using Ordinary Data Kit (ODK)
software. Six thousand one hundred and ninety-three (6,193) represents the sample frame for the study. The
sample size for the study for the children and guardians were 361 and 48 respectively. Similar, for the general
public 100 person who lived close to the Tsangaya were selected for the study. In this study, cluster,
availability, simple random sampling and probability technique were used. The children were selected
randomly from the streets and Tsangaya in various neighbourhoods under study. Data collected from the field
was analysed using descriptive statistics, tables, mean, ratio, and the route mapping was presented inform of
maps about the Origin-destination that is place of origin and destination. Also, data collected were subjected
to Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) method. The findings of this study revealed among others that, the
almajiri children are deprived at least either in all the indicators of a single dimension or a combination across
dimensions of child poverty in Damaturu metropolis. This study therefore recommends, a multifaceted
approach that addresses the complex interplay of economic, social and cultural factors shaping the well-being
of the Almajiri children.