Street children's programme, Rwanda

Rwanda has the highest proportion of orphans among its population worldwide; almost a quarter having lost a parent, many to HIV/AIDS. Of Rwanda’s vulnerable children (more than half the population), street children find themselves the most at risk of exploitation and human trafficking. Almost all of Rwanda’s street children had no choice but to go out to the streets to work, their home life one of extreme poverty.

SACCA’s street children’s programme provides a holistic support network for current and former street living and working children in Eastern Rwanda. . This includes shelter and overnight care at its three residential care centres and a network of social workers. SACCA also runs a successful reintegration programme to return children to their families, as well as a programme targeted towards older children supporting semi-independent living that helps reintegrate them their communities and an educational programme providing school fees and vocational training.

There are currently 100 children living in the three centres. Over the next year, the WJR grant will fund their running costs, educational programmes, income generation projects, social work and reintegration.