Providing Safe Spaces for Homeless Children

We have been waiting for this opportunity to share our excitement, joy and achievement. Our longtime dream of having a safe space for children and young people from the street has been realized. The children and young people will be kept safe from the many dangers such as bullying, substance use, arrests, and hunger among others that happen to them while on the streets at least for 8 hours a day. While in the safe space they can just be children, just be themselves, just be ….. .

It does not mean that we forget about the ones in the streets, we will still be able to reach them through our street work program. 

“Our safe space signifies osmosis. Through our programs such as sports and education, children and young people will move from areas of poverty and difficult situations to better opportunities and success in life”, said our Director, Bokey.

Safety is key to all of us, however for homeless children and young people it is a privilege to access safe spaces.  “When we are in our base we are surrounded by a lot of things. You could be sitting and someone just comes and hits you, or someone offers you juice not knowing he is drugging you and thereafter you realise they did  bad things to you”, said a 15 year old boy.

“We are happy to be here because we are free from abusive language, bullying, and our money is not taken.  The excercise we do here, help us to sleep better when we go back to town. When i go back in the evening, I cannot move around to beg or use anything else, just find a place to sleep" said a 13 year old boy. 

 Yoga stretches with the young people have given them extra hours of safety while improving their well being. The special thing about our yoga is, the yoga teachers were once on the streets. We are proud of their achievement they are making in their lives and sharing the benefit with those still finding their way out of the street life. 

We are only  able to make these achievements while creating safer spaces to many individuals that come to our  programmes because of your undoubted support and belief in our work.  Be assured, with your support, a child is being kept safe and a positive impact being made in his/ her life. 

On behalf of the children, young people and Glad's House team, thank you so much. 

With schools still shut down, children and young people both in the community and the street have spoken loudly, they need safe spaces.

Because of your continued support and that of others, Glad’s House has started a volleyball club in the community which is mainly for girls both in the community and in the street. In the community, the demand is growing both for the excitement of a new sport and for the much time the girls have at home. Despite encouraging the older ones to come, even the little ones accompany their siblings and friends. The community also enjoys watching the exercise.

From the streets, girls are building the interest and appreciating the time they spend playing volleyball. We spoke to Susy, 16 years old from the streets and she said, “It feels great to be outside maboxini. I am free from insults ,vulgar language and being chased around by boys”, coming to Magongo has made me maintain cleanliness as I can easily   get water. Look at my legs, if I were at Maboxini they would be black as at now because I roam a lot in the street”.

Susy and other young girls are able to access this space because of you kindness. From all of us at Glad’s House we say THANK YOU. Without you, these amazing young lives would not be reached.

Liz

Greetings from Glad’s House,

Times have changed and so has our work. Creating safe spaces for the children and young adults in the streets  has remained core of our activities. Street soccer, street education and mobile school have ceased to run but we have strengthened our street work. Our team has been on the street from 8.00am to 4.00 pm to provide essential services.  The team has provided 1420 healthy meals since the outbreak of covid 19 to those who had nothing to eat.

Through your support and that of many others we were able to set up a water tank in their own space where they are able to access fresh and clean water. “We don’t know how we should express ourselves because this is something that we have never imagined. Fresh water is a luxury in our lives. No one thought this would come true. You have played your part, leave the rest to us. Utilization and management of this resource will be taken care by us to ensure everyone benefits”, said the youth leader in maboxini. 

We continue to thank you for your great support as it changes many lives. 

2019 was a fantastic year four our Outreach Team and we couldn't have done it without your support.

Thanks to your support we were able to work with 667 homeless children and young people during 2019. We worked with 150 girls and young women and 517 boys and young men. 

Over the course of the year we delivered 147 Street Soccer sessions, 184 Mobile School and Street Education sessions and delivered 80 sessions to 69 girls and young women living on the streets. We treated 248 children and young people with First Aid and provded 10,868 hot meals! Pretty amazing stuff!

From all of us, THANK YOU! This year your support really has enabled us to do fantastic things with the children and young people we support.

Vicky