Protect 100s Children at Tanzania's Bus Terminals

Meet Anna

At 15, Anna spent her days walking the dusty streets of Dar es Salaam – far from the classroom that could have changed her future. 

With her mother working long hours, and having never attended school, Anna faced drawn-out days alone without guidance or purpose. Finally, with finances stretched and tensions at home worsening, Anna felt she’d be better off on the streets.  

Sleeping in a bus terminal, Anna was alone, hungry and exposed to constant danger.  

Thankfully, her life began to change when a concerned member of the public noticed her and reported her to the Social Welfare Desk at Magufuli Bus Terminal.  

These government-run desks, supported by Railway Children, protect vulnerable children at the very places they are most at risk. Bus terminals are hot spots for exploitation – where girls can quickly be swept up into trafficking and abuse. 

But instead of vanishing, Anna was seen.

She was placed in a government shelter and referred to Railway Children for support.  And in the following days and weeks, for the first time in her life, Anna had the space to heal.  

She began to understand the risks of street life, the value of family and how her choices could shape her future. And as she began to talk, reflect and feel heard, her anger and fear gradually gave way to hope. 

Working alongside a government Social Welfare Officer, our team traced Anna’s family and visited her home. They offered practical business guidance and emotional support to her mother, helping to ease the pressures that had pushed Anna away.

And when the family was reunited, our support didn’t stop.

We continued to support the whole family as they rebuilt trust, strengthened relationships and found solutions to their problems together.

Today, Anna is fulfilling her dream of becoming a hairdressing apprentice, while business support has helped improve the family’s income.  

But without your support keeping the support desk at Magufuli Bus Terminal open and enabling the swift action of Railway Children workers, Anna could easily have become another of the many girls who disappear without a trace.  

Instead, because of you, Anna is thriving and building a future full of hope, thank you.