written by Aaron Chilunjika from Chisomo, Zambia This is 19yrs old Rose who has been coming to Chisomo Drop-In centre since she was 15yrs old. She is a single orphan since the death of her father and her mother is very vulnerable and lives in poverty. Rose comes from a…
Prince Irakoze lived on the street for 4 years until he met with GNPDR staff who advised him to leave the street life and go back to his family and he accepted to reintegrate on the condition that he would be facilitated to go back to school.Prince decided to go…
Ivan (in school uniform) met GNPDR staff when he was 13 years of age and living on the street. He was very hopeless and unhealthy as he was taking drugs! Our staff advised him to stop taking the drugs, return home and go back to school, which would shape his…
The Mothers Program focuses on empowering women to prevent children from ending up on the streets. Women are trained in various income-generating skills. Skills such as Making reusable sanitary pads, peanut butter making, tie and dye, smoking of fish and chicken, sewing and crocheting are taught so that the women…
The drop-in sessions for street kids continue to be run by GNPDR staff Angelique and Jeremiah. Some of the recent sessions were a bit lower in number, and this was primarily for two reasons. Some weren’t there simply because they gone to look for food, but, more positively, others weren’t…
The Chisomo Drop-In Center, in the heart of Lusaka, Zambia, provides daily support to children still living on the streets, offering food, medical care, counseling, and educational activities. In 2024, the center provided support for 2880 young people, of which 487 were girls and 2403 were boys. 1,382,400 hot meals…
Mateo is 22yrs old, in primary 5 class, and has spent most of his life living on the streets. During that time he did drugs, and glue, and had periods of time in and out of detention. He always had links with his mum and siblings, and sometimes would live…
Umutoni is 16 years old and was just three years old when her parents separated and her mum moved out leaving the girl in the care of her father. Initially it was OK for her living with her dad, but when he remarried, and step-siblings came along, Umutoni’s step-mother wanted…
Ntwari is 15 years old and currently in primary 6 (top year of primary). His mum has been in prison since he was small – just two or three years old. Initially, the neighbours originally looked after him and his sister, but after a few years this got less reliable,…
Supporting children who are living and begging on the streets of Kigali has always been one of the core pillars of GNPDR’s work. Where possible they seek to help the children to return home, or be placed in foster care, and to re-engage with education. But sadly, despite the number…
