Micro-Enterprise Credit for Street Youth Reading Answers

Micro-Enterprise Credit for Street Youth Reading Answers is an IELTS academic reading task. Micro-Enterprise Credit for Street Youth Reading Answers comprising 14 different types of questions. IELTS Micro-Enterprise Credit for Street Youth Reading Answers contains four types of questions, namely-choose the correct letter, complete the table, yes/no/not given, and choose the correct letter. Candidates are required to read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly and choose the correct letter from the given options. To complete the table, candidates are required to choose no more than three words from the passage. Candidates are required to decide whether the given statements match with claims of the writer or not, write not given if it is not stated in the passage. For the last question, they are supposed to choose the correct letter from the given options. To gain proficiency, candidates can practise from the IELTS Reading practice papers

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Micro-Enterprise Credit for Street Youth Reading Answers

“I am from a large, poor family and for many years we have done without breakfast. Ever since I joined the Street Kids International program I have been able to buy my family sugar and buns for breakfast. I have also bought myself decent second-hand clothes and shoes.”

Doreen Soko
‘We’ve had business experience. Now I’m confident to expand what we’ve been doing.
I’ve learnt cash management, and the way of keeping money so we save for re-investment. Now business is a part of our lives. As well, we didn’t know each other before – now we’ve made new friends.’

Fan Kaoma
Participants in the Youth Skills Enterprise Initiative Program, Zambia

Introduction
Although small-scale business training and credit programs have become more common throughout the world, relatively little attention has been paid to the need to direct such opportunities to young people. Even less attention has been paid to children living on the street or in difficult circumstances.
Over the past nine years, Street Kids International (S.K.I.) has been working with partner organizations in Africa, Latin America and India to support the economic lives of street children. The purpose of this paper is to share some of the lessons S.K.I. and our partners have learned.

Background
Typically, children do not end up on the streets due to a single cause, but to a combination of factors: a dearth of adequately funded schools, the demand for income at home, family breakdown and violence. The street may be attractive to children as a place to find adventurous play and money. However, It is also a place where some children are exposed, with little or no protection, to exploitative employment, urban crime, and abuse.
Children who work on the streets are generally involved in unskilled, labor-intensive tasks which require long hours, such as shining shoes, carrying goods, guarding or washing cars, and informal trading. Some may also earn income through begging, or through theft and other illegal activities. At the same time, there are street children who take pride In supporting themselves and their families and who often enjoy their work. Many children may use entrepreneurship because it allows them a degree of independence, is less exploitative than many forms of paid employment, and is flexible enough to allow them to participate in other activities such as education and domestic tasks.

Street Business Partnerships

S.K.I. has worked with partner organizations in Latin America, Africa and India to develop innovative opportunities for street children to earn income.

The S.K.I. Bicycle Courier Service first started in Sudan. Participants in this enterprise were supplied with bicycles, which they used to deliver parcels and messages, and which they were required to pay for gradually from their wages. A similar program was taken up in Bangalore, India.
Another successful project, The Shoe Shine Collective, was a partnership program with the Y.W.C.A. in the Dominican Republic. In this project, participants were lent money to purchase shoe shine boxes. They were also given a safe place to store their equipment, and facilities for individual savings plans.
The Youth Skills Enterprise Initiative in Zambia is a joint program with the Red Cross Society and the Y.W.C.A. Street youths are supported to start their own small business through business training, life skills training and access to credit.

Lessons learned
The following lessons have emerged from the programs that S.K.I. and partner organizations have created.

Being an entrepreneur is not for everyone, nor for every street child. Ideally, potential participants will have been involved in the organization’s programs for at least six months, and trust and relationship building will have already been established.
The involvement of the participants has been essential to the development of relevant programs. When children have had a major role in determining procedures, they are more likely to abide by and enforce them.
It is critical for all loans to be linked to training programs that include the development of basic business and life skills.
There are tremendous advantages to involving parents or guardians in the program, where such relationships exist. Home visits allow staff the opportunity to know where the participants live, and to understand more about each individual’s situation.
Small loans are provided initially for purchasing fixed assets such as bicycles, shoe shine kits and basic building materials for a market stall. As the entrepreneurs gain experience, the enterprises can be gradually expanded and consideration can be given to increasing loan amounts, The loan amounts in S.K.I. programs have generally ranged from US$30-$100.
All S.K.I. programs have charged interest on the loans, primarily to get the entrepreneurs used to the concept of paying interest on borrowed money. Generally the rates have been modest (lower than bank rates).

Conclusion

There is a need to recognise the importance of access to credit for impoverished young people seeking to fulfill economic needs. The provision of small loans to support the entrepreneurial dreams and ambitions of youth can be an effective means to help them change their lives. However, we believe that credit must be extended in association with other types of support that help participants develop critical life skills as well as productive businesses.

Section 2

Solution with Explanation

Questions 1-4
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write your answers in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.

The quotations in the box at the beginning of the article

exemplify the effects of S.K.I.
explain why S.K.I. was set up.
outlines the problems of street children.
highlights the benefits to society of S.K.I.

Answer: A – exemplify the effects of S.K.I.
Supporting Sentence: Ever since I joined the Street Kids International program I have been able to buy my family sugar and buns for breakfast
Keywords: Street Kids International program, family sugar and buns for breakfast
Keyword Location: Introduction Line 2
Explanation:My large, impoverished family and I have gone without breakfast for many years, as was indicated at the beginning of the paragraph. Since I began participating in the Street Kids International programme, I have been able to buy my family’s breakfast of sugar and buns. Additionally, I have purchased myself some quality used clothing and footwear. These sentences serve as an excellent illustration of SKI’s effects. Hence the right answer is option A.

The main purpose of S.K.I. is to

draw the attention of governments to the problem of street children.
provides schools and social support for street children.
encourages the public to give money to street children.
give business training and loans to street children,

Answer: D give business training and loans to street children
Supporting Sentence: S.K.I. has worked with partner organizations in Latin America, Africa and India to develop innovative opportunities for street children to earn income
Keywords: partner organizations, Latin America
Keyword Location: Paragraph C; Line 1
Explanation: The first sentence of paragraph C states that S.K.I. has worked with organisations in Latin America, Africa, and India. They have made an effort to give street youngsters innovative alternatives to make money. This makes apparent what SKI’s goal is. Therefore, the right answer is option D.

Which of the following is mentioned by the writer as a reason why children end up living on the streets?

unemployment
war
poverty
crime

Answer: C poverty
Supporting Sentence: children do not end up on the streets due to a single cause, but to a combination of factors: a dearth of adequately funded schools, the demand for income at home, family breakdown and violence.
Keywords: home, family breakdown and violence
Keyword Location: Paragraph B; Line 1
Explanation: There are numerous factors that contribute to children ending up on the streets, as stated in paragraph B. However, a number of problems have come together, such as violence, inadequate school funding, the need for income at home, and family breakdown. This leads us to the conclusion that poverty is one of the causes. Thus the right option is C.

In order to become more independent, street children may

rejected paid employment.
leave their families.
set up their own businesses.
employs other children.

Answer: C set up their own businesses
Supporting Sentence: Many children may choose entrepreneurship because it allows them a degree of independence
Keywords: entrepreneurship, degree of independence
Keyword Location: Paragraph B; Line 7
Explanation: According to paragraph B, since business allows children to have some degree of freedom, many children may elect to pursue it. This explains why they would wish to own their own company. Therefore, the right answer is option C.

Questions 5-8:

Complete the table below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Reading Passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 5-8 on your answer sheet.

Country
Organizations Involved
Type of Project
Support Provided

5 _____
• S.K.I.
courier service
• provision of 6 _____

Dominican Republic

• S.K.I.
• Y.W.C.A.

7 _____

• loans
• storage facilities
• savings plans

Zambia
• S.K.I.
• The Red Cross
• Y.W.C.A.
setting up small businesses
• business training
• 8_____ training
• access to credit

Question 5:

Answer: Sudan and India IN EITHER ORDER, BOTH REQUIRED FOR ONE MARK
Supporting Sentence: The S.K.I. Bicycle Courier Service first started in Sudan.
Keywords: S.K.I. Bicycle Courier Service, Sudan.
Keyword Location: Paragraph C; Line 2
Explanation: According to paragraph C, the S.K.I. Bicycle Courier Service was founded in Sudan. Thus, the right answer is Sudan.

Question 6:

Answer: bicycles
Supporting Sentence: Participants in this enterprise were supplied with bicycles
Keywords: enterprise, supplied, bicycles
Keyword Location: Paragraph C; Line 3
Explanation: Bicycles were furnished to participants in this business, according to paragraph C. Therefore, the right answer is bicycles..

Question 7:

Answer: Shoe Shine// Shoe Shine Collective
Supporting Sentence: Another successful project, The Shoe Shine Collective, was a partnership program with the Y.W.C.A. in the Dominican Republic
Keywords: Shoe Shine Collective, Y.W.C.A., Dominican Republic
Keyword Location: Paragraph C; Line 5
Explanation: As per paragraph C, The Shoe Shine Collective was a programme for collaboration and was another successful endeavour. The YWCA in the Dominican Republic participated in the collaboration. Hence the right answer is shoeshine.

Question 8:

Answer: life skills
Supporting Sentence: Street youths are supported to start their own small business through business training, life skills training and access to credit
Keywords: business training, life skills training and access to credit
Keyword Location: Paragraph C; Line 8
Explanation: Street kids are provided encouragement to start their own modest companies, according to paragraph C. It is possible through financial education, life skills instruction, and business training. Thus, the right answer is life skills.

Questions 9-12

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage?
In boxes 9-12 on your answer sheet write

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

Any street child can set up their own small business if given enough support.

Answer: NO
Supporting Sentence: Being an entrepreneur is not for everyone, nor for every street child
Keywords: entrepreneur, every street child
Keyword Location: Paragraph D; Line 2
Explanation: Being an entrepreneur is not for everyone, just like being a street child is not for everyone, according to paragraph D. Therefore, it is untrue to say that any street child can launch a modest business if given enough assistance. Therefore, the answer is no.

In some cases, the families of street children may need financial support from S.K.I.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation:The passage does not provide any information that is relevant to the question.

Only one fixed loan should be given to each child.

Answer: NO
Supporting Sentence: Small loans are provided initially for purchasing fixed assets such as bicycles, shoe shine kits and basic building materials for a market stall.
Keywords: bicycles, shoe shine kits and basic building materials
Keyword Location: Paragraph D; Lines 8 – 9
Explanation:Small loans are first provided, according to paragraph D, for the acquisition of fixed assets. Bicycles, shoe polish kits, and the basic components for a market booth are a few examples. Therefore, the argument of the author does not support the assumption that each child should only receive one fixed loan. Hence, the answer is no.

The children have to pay back slightly more money than they borrowed.

Answer: YES
Supporting Sentence: Generally the rates have been modest (lower than bank rates).
Keywords: modest, bank rates
Keyword Location: Paragraph D; Line 11
Explanation: The rates have historically been modest and lower than bank rates, according to paragraph D. Therefore, the assertion of the writer is supported by the stated remark that the youngsters must repay a small amount more than they borrowed. Therefore, the answer is yes.

Questions 13:

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write your answer in box 13 on your answer sheet.
13. The writers conclude that money should only be lent to street children

as part of a wider program of aid.
for programs that are not too ambitious.
when programs are supported by local businesses.
if the projects planned are realistic and useful.

Answer: A – as part of a wider program of aid.
Supporting Sentence: we believe that credit must be extended in association with other types of support that help participants develop critical life skills as well as productive businesses.
Keywords: participants, develop, critical life skills, productive business
Keyword Location: Paragraph E; Last line
Explanation: Credit must be given in conjunction with other types of assistance, according to paragraph E. Particularly those that help participants gain vital life skills and build successful businesses. Hence, the answer is option A.

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