Proclaiming the redemptive power and love of Jesus Christ for all people

Angel Tree Project

The Problem We See

Children are the most vulnerable members of society and rely upon the care of adults to attend to their physical, emotional, and social needs. The Rwandan government’s definition of an orphan is a child who has lost one or both parents, and in Rwanda after the 1994 genocide, tens of thousands of orphans were left with no means for support or growth. [1] According to a 2003 Rwandan government report, it is estimated that 7,000-10,000 children live on the streets in Rwanda’s urban areas. Many of these children were orphaned by the genocide or the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Still others are effectively orphaned by their parents’ imprisonment and a growing problem exists where many younger children have no other options but to live in prison with their incarcerated mothers. Single parents are often unemployed and too poor to provide for the basic needs of their own children.

In these situations, children are forced to fend for themselves on the streets, seeking food and shelter. In most cases, due to lack of food and basic necessities, many street children resort to theft and the use of drugs to survive and are often themselves victims of crime and abuse. Similarly, a child who lives in prison with the mother due to lack of other housing or family opportunities faces similar neglect and barriers to human development. The marginalization of street children and incarcerated children from their communities and protective family structures significantly reduces their capacity to function in society.[2] Their human right to a livelihood is stripped away by patterns of neglect, abuse, and emotional trauma.

Our Response

In 2007, PFR Executive Director Reverend Deo Gashagaza realized, through continual observation and interaction with Rwandan street children, the urgent need for loving adult intervention in the lives of these children. This led PFR to open a program for the street children. PFR serves on average 85 children once a week with structured programming including meals, counseling, group activities, and Bible teaching. 83% of these children have lost both parents or live in mother-run households. 100% of children who live with one or both parents report that their parents are unemployed and send them to the streets to fend for themselves. Many of these children have no homes and are forced to sleep on the street or with a group of street children in “transitional” shelters. 45% of the children are unable to attend school for lack of funds, and all the children who are enrolled in school are severely behind their proper school grade due to inconsistent access to school fees.

Looking Ahead

Prison Fellowship Rwanda has a goal to open a home for the street children of Rwanda and even for those with incarcerated parents. PFR hopes for the home to be a transitional experience, but whatever the length of time may be for an individual child in the home, PFR wants to provide both a refuge and community of care with educational, nutritional, emotional and psychosocial services, thus opening up the possibility for economic mobility of the children. Most importantly, PFR wants to inspire Christian values of love, service, and reconciliation within these children through this center.

What You Can Do

PFR is beginning the fundraising process to build a home for these children, and we are laying the foundation for increased academic and health care opportunities. Please donate now!