WESTERN PROVINCE

KIBUYE — Every time one mentions the word ‘street kid’ many people associate such children with law breaking, drug dealing plus other related crimes. We barely spare time to consider what might have driven them to their kind of life.

Kibuye has a big number of street kids ranging from the age of five to 20 years. Some among them are about 30 years of age, but I wonder whether they still qualify to be called street children. On several occasions they are blamed for petty crimes and disorder in town.

"These street kids create disorder especially in the market and at Shell Petrol Station. But still its good that they have not largely been associated with serious crimes,” said a business man in the market. However, many of these children regardless of their ages have resorted to drugs.

Although drug abuse is illegal, whose users are considered social outcasts, wasted or spoilt, the kids advance decent explanations as to why they have succumbed to drugs.

"I myself smoke but have done my best to dissuade the rest of my friends from cigarettes and they have done it,” said street kid who gave his name as Harerimana, 16.

"I was admitted in Kibuye Hospital for six months after contracting TB but I didn’t quit smoking,” continued Harerimana, adding that he also takes marijuana like many of his friends.

"I wont say that we can’t quit drugs because they are addictive, we just find no viable alternative,” said Phillipe Mudahushwa.

Most children explain that hung largely drives them to take drugs. Those who talked to The New Times explained that they started with ‘spirit’ that they would sniff to induce sleep so that they could forget hung. In sleep, they say one only worries about the next day than dying of starvation when they are conscious.

Mudawushwa’s physical appearance confirms that he has been on spirit for a long time; he is pale, very skinny and totally looks lazy.

"I believe spirit has helped me spend the whole day and night sleeping without feeling hungry, he explained. Given the fact that many of these street kids are orphans, they find no one to run to in case of any problems other than drugs that ruin their health in the long run, "I have none of my parents, to overcome depression I resort to smoking,” said one Alphonse.

"Our accommodation standards can’t favour any sober person,” said Alphonse. As it darkens, Kibuye street kids start loitering in the market looking for empty sacks of charcoal to act as their beddings.

They spread them as mattresses and cover themselves using the same materials as bed sheets. Whenever the market day is winding up the children are more than happy to finally get where to lay their heads. Evening hours is when most of these kids take the drugs, even for those who try hard to avoid it during the day.

"I sleep in Gatwaro forest along with some other colleagues, but the mosquitoes and sleeping out there in the cold makes me take as more drugs as I can get,” said Harerimana.

The kids believe these drugs don’t make one immune to all their challenges but in that sub-conscious state, they dodge their pains at least for a while.

"I only see mosquito bites on my body but don’t feel them biting me,” he said. Mudahuswa recalled a case when he was hit by a vehicle, but he just saw the wounds the following day.

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