SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda is implementing a new project namely “Seruka” with the target to rehabilitate and reintegrate 7,800 children from street situations in their families and communities.
The project is targeting to reduce the prevalence of children in street situations in twelve districts over a period of 5 years through rehabilitation and reintegration interventions at four SOS Children’s Villages in Kigali, Gicumbi, Nyamagabe and Kayonza.
Findings of a study commissioned by SOS Children’s Villages on the effectiveness of interventions for children in street situations in Rwanda informed the project’s intended outcomes which are rehabilitation and reintegration of children from the street situations in families and communities; empowering families and street communities to cater for the rights of children who are at risk of being in the street situation; building a national systems and community structures that provides sustainable child care solutions to children who are at risk of being in the street situation; advocating with partners for safer and supportive policy environment for children or at risk of being in street situation.
The project is implemented in the districts of Gasabo, Huye, Kayonza, Musanze, Kicukiro, Nyamagabe, Rwamagana, Rubavu, Nyamagabe, Nyagatare, Gicumbi and Bugesera. The choice of the districts was based on the study findings that indicated a high prevalence of children in street situations.
“We are much honoured to intervene in this area of intervention as a childcare organization. We will reach our target if we work as a strong team composed of local government, other like-minded organizations and security organizations. Those children who spent their lives in the street situation are our children and the future of our nation. Protecting them and guiding them to achieve their goal will be a great achievement, ” said Jean Bosco Kwizera National Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda during the kick-off of the Seruka Project.
The Minister of State at the Ministry of Local Government Assoumpta Ingabire appreciated the support of SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda towards children from street situations.
“Taking care of vulnerable children is a great work that needs synergy between institutions. Rwanda has good policies that can be referred to. As childcare institutions, we have to work as a team to meet our target, ” said Assoumpta, Minister of State at the Ministry of Local Government.
The state minister promised full support from the Government especially support from the Districts where the Seruka Project will be implemented.
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 and will support children at risk of losing parent care.
Tailored family-strengthening interventions and sustainable childcare solutions will be implemented to address the push factors and 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 the 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 the street children phenomenon.
At the local level, the project sustainability will be deeply rooted in homegrown solutions tailored to the needs of children and response to the push factors that cause many children to end up in street situations.