Our partnership with Hope for Life

In the surrounding areas of Kigali, Rwanda, it is estimated that 3,000 children experience homelessness on a daily basis. The average child experiencing this is a boy between the ages of 11-14, although children as young as 4 have been identified. In order to survive homelessness, children spend their days begging or performing small jobs, and may resort to violence and petty theft. At night, a common sleeping place is in underground sewer gutters as they provide  protection from both violence and the cold. While the majority of children have at least one living parent, homelessness is especially prevalent due to the presence of abuse, neglect, and/or extreme poverty at home. So, child homelessness may be the result of family disfunction, a child’s choice to run away, or any number of diverse factors.

One Day’s Wages partnered with Hope for Life to equip children with the necessary skills, social support, and resiliency to transition out of homelessness and break the cycle of poverty. During their time in the Rehabilitation Program, each child’s basic needs are met in full including a safe home, food, clothing, medical care, spiritual discipleship, and education. A social worker works with each child to help locate any relatives they have and undergo the process of family reconciliation. On reunification, holistic support continues in partnership with the whole family to ensure ongoing healing; this includes economic empowerment, psycho-social support, and more. Teachers and tutors ensure each child is receiving the attention and developing the skills they need to be able to flourish. In addition, counselors help each child process the trauma of their past and work toward realizing that they are valuable and loved.