Where do they come from?

On every stage, along the roads you will sight a child, spreading out her right hand trying to pass you some message which we seem to ignore most of the time ‘give me some money ………..’ they say. And by the way they are asking from their own yet we have nothing to offer. It is not only happening here but even else where in other countries –and nothing is being done. Shall we get brooms and sweep them off the roads like they don’t matter whatsoever, to keep the city clean or should we just turn our faces and look the other way and pretend we can neither see them nor hear their cries. Young people are usually made homeless because of simple economic pressure so in an effort to earn some money children are taking on odd jobs like carrying loads of luggage or washing cars while many girls have resorted to selling their bodies off as prostitutes. Some parents have shunned their own children because they can’t cater for them yet they are the key parties that are supposed to guide them to have reason to go to schools instead of sending them to work just for small tokens of money. Why treat them like outcasts? They are born here and they live here why can’t they have decent shelters as well?They are dressed in tattered clothes and look so hungry like they have not eaten for some long time and are not sure of what tomorrow has in store for them The authorities in Rwanda are encouraging local officials to look after and cater for an estimated number of 7000 to 8000 children who live on the streets. This has not been the case before in the country but because of the realities in the family after the war and the genocide there’s a number of children that have taken to the street simply because their families have become so fragile for them. The Rwandan government is apparently working with international donors to establish a fund that should be concerned with the welfare of children that have no homes to go to The ministry of education is working to ensure the attainment of the government of Rwanda policy of the universal education come year 2010 and education for all by the year 2015 The government has implemented the policy of fee free education where by school fees have been abolished and replaced by capitation grant which has increased by 2500frw in 2006. Shortfalls in financing at the school level nevertheless persist with parents typically being invited to contribute to finance this gap. Non -fee barriers to primary education also remain and are thought to have some effect on access to education for example the cost of school uniforms and learning materials. The street children are by no means the headache facing the government. It is currently trying to reunite as many as possible 3600 now living in the 25 orphanage homes across the country with their families. With universal education in place, the plight of these young children will be redeemed because the future of the country depends on them; for they are the next generation that needs proper pruning in their early stages if the society is to benefit from them and there shall be light at the end of the tunnel. Email: laura2jos@yahoo.com