Our investigations show that the street kids here can be divided into 3 distinct groups:
a). Small children 2-7 years old more or less, who are abandoned in the streets and markets the entire day while their parents work.
b). Children who are working, more or less 7-13 years of age, in the streets. They are generally sent out by their parents to earn money to help contribute to the family´s expenses. Included in this group are shoe shine boys, street vendors, kids that help park and look after parked cars, etc. Many of these children must spend more than 12 hours a day on the streets to earn sufficient money.
c). Adolescents that do not work or ever return to their homes, spending all of their time, living on the streets are the final group. They survive by robbing in the markets to supply their basic needs of food and clothing; and in many cases to support their drug habits (which include glue sniffing and other drugs) to which they turn to escape the reality of the situation. There are various reasons why these kids wind up on the streets, the most common situation is one where there is such extreme poverty at home, these teens´ families can not support them at home them anymore. Many of these kids have worked in the streets for some years, however as time goes on they have lost hope for a better future, and have resorted to robbing, sniffing glue and using other drugs as a means to escape reality and a future without hope.
Our investigations as well show that those who are in the first 2 groups have the opportunity to receive help through various projects that are functioning within the city. We have discovered however, that for the adolescents there is virtually no social assistance or counseling programs. In short, these street adolescents have been totally rejected by society.
To provide a secure place, where the adolescents can share their needs and fears with people who will show them love and accept them.
To provide for their physical needs like food, clothing and health etc., through a medical post and kitchen.
To provide for their social, emotional, and spiritual needs through the provisional homes where they can be rehabilitated, receive academic as well as vocational education, receive spiritual nourishment from the word of God, and try to reunite with their families.
We need your help and prayer support, for this work with the street adolescents with whom we are working, for workers and resources.
We need continual financial provisions for medicine and medical equipment, nourishment programs, clothes and education expenses, and provisions for more homes.
We need personnel committed to reach these adolescents with the love of God, called by God to touch and change the lives of these young people, who in spite of having suffered rejection in the past need to know the love of God.