Community based reintegration of children in street situation

The main goal of Seruka project is to reduce the prevalence of children in street situation in Rwanda over a period of 5 years through rehabilitation and reintegration interventions in 4 locations where SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda operates.

The findings of the study commissioned by SOS Children’s Villages on the effectiveness of interventions for street children in Rwanda have informed the project intended objectives which are children from street situation are rehabilitated and reintegrated in the families and communities; families and communities cater for the rights of children who are in/at risk of being in street situation; national systems and community structures provide sustainable child care solutions to children who are in/at risk of being in street situation and SOS Children’s Villages and its partners advocate for safer and supportive policy environment for children in/or at risk of being in street situation.

The project will be implemented in the districts of Gasabo, Huye, Kayonza, Musanze, Kicukiro, Nyamagabe, Rwamagana, Rubavu, Nyamagabe, Nyagatare, Gicumbi and Bugesera. The choice of these districts was based on the study findings that indicated high prevalence of children in street situation.

Over a period of 5 years, the project will target to rehabilitate and reintegrate 7,800 children in their families and communities. The project will also prevent recidivism among former reintegrated children as well as children at risk of losing parent care. Tailored family strengthening interventions and sustainable childcare solutions will be implemented to address the push factors and the family social security issues. The project will contribute to building the national systems and community structures to increase ownership and sustainability of project results.

At local level, the project sustainability will be deeply rooted in home grown solutions to the needs of children and response to the push factors that cause many children to end up in street situation.

At national level, the sustainability of this project builds on the partnerships with the national agencies that promote children’s rights (the National Rehabilitation services (NRS) and the National Children Development Agency (NCDA) whose long-term strategic interventions provide sustainable solutions to street children phenomenon.