Zimbabwe: Protection for street children

Nyasha was ten years old when he could no longer endure the bullying from the older children at the orphanage. He ran away and made his way to the big city of Bulawayo. He slept on the streets and begged. By the time a street worker from the organization Thuthuka noticed him, he had already experienced hunger, cold, despair, violence, and sexual abuse. Gaining his trust took a long time. But it worked: Nyasha was taken to Thuthuka's shelter and finally—after many conversations with the orphanage director and his former teacher—voluntarily and happily returned to his old school and the orphanage. Today, Nyasha is a smiling child with outstanding grades.

Nyasha's fate is representative of many children in Zimbabwe: poverty, violence, and domestic conflicts drive children and young people onto the streets. Their parents are often unemployed and burdened with their own problems, leaving them with neither the time nor the money to care for and provide for their sons and daughters. Many Zimbabweans migrate to neighboring South Africa in the hope of finding work. They leave their children with relatives who often neglect them or even exploit them. Some children have lost their parents to AIDS or other diseases. Completely on their own, these orphans try to survive by begging and doing odd jobs. Violence and fear are commonplace.

Thuthuka: A community that supports

Thuthuka means "Stand up" and is the name of an organization that cares for street children in Bulawayo: With the support of Terre des Hommes there is a contact center in the city that serves as a point of contact for the children. Every day, ten to fifteen street children come here, find help with questions and problems, get something to eat, wash themselves and their clothes, play, or have a medical examination.

But the contact center is only the first step. On the outskirts of Bulawayo, Thuthuka has a building complex with dormitories, a workshop, and a kitchen. Around 60 street children are housed and cared for here each year. They have the opportunity to attend school or receive vocational training in furniture making, car repair, or agriculture. There is also plenty of time for play and leisure activities. They have their own soccer team and a music band. At Thuthuka, the street children find a community that supports and empowers them. More than half have been able to return to their families from here.

Also read a report about Thuthuka and the street children of Bulawayo (Deutschlandradio)