DAR ES SALAAM: EVERY morning and evening on my way to and from work, I see schoolchildren standing by the roadside, raising their hands to stop passing cars, bajajis and bodabodas.
They hope someone will give them a lift to or from school. Some appear to be as young as six or seven.
Occasionally, a driver stops, the child gets in, and the vehicle drives away. Most drivers pass by, perhaps because they, too, are rushing to work or other commitments.
For a long time, I did not think much about it. We have grown up in communities where helping others is considered an act of kindness.
I have stopped to give children lifts myself. I remember one rainy morning when I saw two young children, probably six to eight years old, walking to school without umbrellas.
Since their school was along my route, I stopped and offered them a lift. At the time, it felt like the right thing to do. Lately, however, seeing children depend on passing motorists has made me reconsider.
Is this simply an act of kindness, or is it a child-safety issue that deserves greater attention? I do not believe everyone who offers a child a lift has bad intentions.
Many people genuinely want to help a child struggling in the rain or walking under the hot sun. But the absence of a reported incident does not mean there is no risk.
When a child enters a vehicle with someone they do not know, the adult controls the journey, while the child may have little ability to respond if something feels wrong.
There are also roadsafety concerns, including children standing close to moving traffic and travelling in vehicles without appropriate safety measures.
As a lawyer who has worked on children’s rights, I cannot ignore these concerns. Child protection requires us to recognise potential risks without treating every stranger as a threat.
Tanzania’s Law of the Child Act, Cap. 13, provides an important framework. Section 4(2) states that the best interests of a child shall be a primary consideration in actions concerning children.
Section 9(3) also addresses parents’ responsibilities, including protecting children from neglect, violence, abuse and physical and moral hazards.
These provisions remind us that protecting children is not only about responding after harm occurs. It also involves taking reasonable steps to prevent it.
However, this should not be interpreted as meaning that every informal lift is unlawful. Rather, it calls for greater awareness of children’s vulnerability and the responsibilities adults have towards them.
What role do parents and families have?
This is not about blaming parents. Many families face genuine challenges, including long distances to school, financial constraints, demanding work schedules and limited transport options.
These realities can influence how children travel each day. Nevertheless, parents and guardians need to understand how their children get to and from school and, where possible, establish safer arrangements.
Younger children may benefit from travelling with a trusted adult, walking in supervised groups or sharing transport organised with families they know.
Children should also be taught how to recognise uncomfortable situations, seek help and contact a trusted adult. Such conversations should empower them rather than leave them frightened of everyone around them.
Schools and communities have a role too
A child’s safety should not begin and end at the school gate. Schools can ask learners how they travel, identify those who walk long distances or routinely travel alone, and work with parents to explore safer alternatives.
ALSO READ: In the midst of chaos, kindness exists my son
Communities can also organise supervised walking groups or coordinate reliable transport for children whose families struggle to make daily arrangements.
Most importantly, adults should listen to children. A simple conversation may reveal whether a child asks for lifts because of distance, financial difficulty, convenience or another concern. Listening helps us understand the circumstances rather than making assumptions.
And what about the drivers?
Many of us have seen a child walking in heavy rain or standing alone by the roadside and felt compelled to help. We should not lose that sense of humanity. However, kindness must be guided by safeguarding.
Where a child appears stranded or distressed, a driver can seek assistance from a parent, school official or another appropriate trusted adult, where feasible, rather than automatically taking the child into a vehicle. If immediate danger is involved, getting appropriate help should be the priority.
The responsibility cannot rest entirely on children, who may not have the maturity or power to manage every situation. Families, schools, communities, transport authorities and government all have a role in making journeys to school safer.
The next time we see children raising their hands beside a busy road, perhaps we should look beyond the immediate request for a lift. We should ask why they are travelling this way, what safer options might be available and how we can help without exposing them to unnecessary risks.
A child should not have to choose between reaching school and staying safe. Preserving our culture of kindness means ensuring that our help protects children as well as gets them where they need to go.
The post When kindness needs caution appeared first on Daily News.