Providing Safe Spaces for Homeless Children

“My mother has since stopped drinking now, the main problem is that she does not have a place to go. She

depends so much on the man. The man does not like us. I have us. I have told her several times to walk out and get a place of our own”, said a 13-year-old boy who was placed in alternative care with his younger brother some months ago.

The young boy, his younger brother and their little nephew were abandoned by their family. The mother is coiled in her own personal issues which have reduced her to the be at the mercies of a “boyfriend”.The two boys were met in the community through our sports programs. At their ages, the boys had never been to school and had the responsibilities of meeting their own basic need.

 Having worked with the boys for over 7 months through alternative care, education and sports, the boys can now read and write simple text. They are happy with the progress and the dream of going to school to learn has been awakened and they are now putting all their efforts in the education so that they can join school at the appropriate classes at the right time.One month after the mother deliberately quit drinking, the boy reported to us. He made sure that everyone knew and started requesting support for his mother.

Efforts to understand the boys statement, reconnected us with the mother.“I really want to move out and live without this man. He threw a stone on my leg and he kicks me out anytime. He has told me that he wants to get rid of me by renting me a house. Although I really want to live with my children, I will have to wait until when he will give me the money to rent a room”, she said sobbing with bitterness as she narrated some of her experiences.

 Intervention: The family has been rented a room and the boys are out of alternative care. The mother and the children are happy to be back together and each one of them will continue to get individual support towards being stable in the community.