These are the nameless faces of an entire community: The Street Children of Rwanda

Why are they on the street?
About 40 percent of the children on the street have families, but their parents cannot afford to feed them.  Hoping for a better life, parents send their children to the streets to beg.  Some of these kids can return home at night to sleep, but the majority must fend for themselves. 

The other 60 percent of kids living on the street are orphans.  They’ve lost their parents to disease such as HIV/AIDS and malaria.  And with nowhere to turn, these young children were thrown into life on the streets, ignored by society.

How do they survive?
Street children must beg to survive. A gracious passerby may hand them a small morsel to eat or a few coins from their pocket.  They travel to a nearby swamp to get a drink of filthy water.  Small shanties are created from garbage to protect them while the sleep.

And there is a pecking order on the street.  Many children are beaten, many steal, many find themselves addicted to glue, and many become gang members or criminals.  And it is a vicious cycle.

For street children, sickness is a death sentence.  Without proper care, even the most treatable diseases lead to death on the street.  Many die without anyone noticing.

How Does Africa New Life Help?
Each week, hundreds of street children make their way to Africa New Life Ministries to receive free meals, safe water and a chance to receive special care.  Caseworkers know these children’s names and pay special attention to their needs.  For a few hours each week, the struggles of street life fade away.

And, these children have other opportunities through Africa New Life, as well.  By providing vocational training in carpentry and a transitional home for those who are interested, Africa New Life is providing a second chance at life for many street children each year!

How Can I Help?
More than 7,000 children live on the streets of Kigali. With your help, Africa New Life Ministries can help even more children.  Help provide food, water and medical care for a child.  Just $15.52 will change the world of one street child for a month.

For thousands of street children there is little hope.  But you can change that by meeting their most basic needs!

2009 | Africa New Life Ministries