Day 10

A meal and a place to stay for a street child in Rwanda

refuge refuge

A meal and a place to stay for a street child in Rwanda
Day 10
for orphans in Kigali

Even before the devastating war in 1994, there were street children in the capital Kigali in Rwanda. In most cases, they ran away from home because there was nothing to eat or their parents had died. Dafrosa and Cyprien Rugamba wondered how they could help the children. Dafrosa often spoke to them and again and again she heard the desire for a house where they could wash once, where they could get a warm meal, where they could retreat - and for a family. The Rugambas wanted to set up such a house, but were murdered in the war. The war began in 1994. The ethnic group of the "Hutus" murdered over 800,000 "Tutsis" and "Hutus" who had shown loyalty to the Tutsis. A short time later - in 1998 - the second Congo war broke out, in which Rwanda was involved. It was not until 2003 that relative stability returned to the country. In memory of the Rugambas and their intention, friends of the Rugambas implemented their project to create a center for street children in Kigali. They also provided education for children who wanted to get off the streets and looked for parents, relatives or a host family for the children.

for orphans in Kigali
need
Caring for street children in Rwanda
activity
Food and accommodation for street children
Measurable performance
Number of children that can be accommodated in the centre
Result
Number of children who can return to school and be placed with a family
Systemically relevant impact
Fewer street children, child poverty and urban crime
background

In addition to the long-term consequences and horrors of the war in Rwanda, there are various reasons why children have to live on the streets. Poverty obviously plays a major role, but so does the large number of parents suffering from AIDS. Many children have lost their parents and ended up on the streets. Others have left their families because the supply situation in the countryside is often miserable and they hoped for a better life in the city. In Kigali, street children are shown little respect. The citizens see them as criminals and unfortunately many children do indeed pursue a criminal career. The number of children who take cheap drugs such as glue and solvents is also high.

Day 10 Day 10
The good deed

A meal and the opportunity to spend a night in peace and safety are a first step towards the help offered by the center. Feeling that there is more than just the struggle and the deceptive freedom of the street is an important step for the children. The goal of the street children center is not primarily to feed the children. The goal is to give them an education and to reintegrate them into a family. The goal is also to get them off the streets completely.

AboutRwanda
Kigali
Kigali
Capital city
10,537,222 (2012)
10,537,222 (2012)
Population
693 US$
693 US$
Gross domestic product per capita per year
167
167
Human Development Index (Human Development Index)

Unlike many other African countries, there is only one language, Kinyarwanda, which is spoken by all Rwandans. The world's last mountain gorillas live in northwest Rwanda.