Over 57% of people in East Africa live below the poverty line, with 18.5% living in extreme poverty.
What are the challenges for street children in East Africa?
Street children in East Africa confront numerous hazards, including further abuse, exploitation, traffic accidents, and involvement with violent gangs. Many resort to begging or stealing to survive, while others turn to substance abuse as a coping mechanism.
Addressing this crisis, the Pearl Action Aid Foundation (PAAF) operates in cities like Kampala and Nairobi, collaborating with local partners to rescue and support street children. PAAF’s approach involves proactive outreach efforts, with volunteer teams engaging vulnerable youth through a mobile clinic, classroom, and mentoring center housed in a converted bus. This initiative provides a safe haven where children can access essential services and receive guidance on leaving or avoiding street life. Emphasizing the importance of education, PAAF and its partners work to reintegrate children into school settings, offering mentorship programs designed to empower children to make positive choices and acquire life skills.
The foundation’s day center serves as a hub for children enrolled in the mentoring program, offering academic support, recreational activities, and temporary shelter for those in urgent need of protection. Through these multifaceted interventions, PAAF aims to break the cycle of poverty and exploitation that ensnares street children, offering them a pathway to a brighter future.
How you can help?
By sponsoring a child, you can help cultivate positive relationships, provide access to education, and contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty for vulnerable youth in East Africa.