#Retrak is a #UK-based #charity which enables street children in Africa to realise their potential and discover their worth. It’s been operating since 1994 (when it was just a football club in #Uganda) and now offers a wide range of services to street children in #Ethiopia, #Kenya, #Malawi, #Tanzania and #Uganda. It has also helped train organisations in the #DRC, #Mozambique and #Malawi.
I went to see #Retrak’s drop-in centre in #Addis Ababa last week, where street children can get shelter, food, healthcare, psycho-social support and education, as well as enjoy play activities. There are some 35 children using the centre at the moment, but they have the capacity to take up to around 50 with the necessary funding. (Altogether there is a shocking total of 11,000 street children in Addis.)
Poverty can cause families to break down – children run away from home to Addis, often from distant parts of Ethiopia. But when they get here and end up on the streets they are frequently caught up in a cycle of despair from which it is very difficult to escape. Some suffer terrible injuries or lack the abilities to survive on their own. The Retrak outreach workers engage with the children; teach them skills and qualifications; and where possible (and safe) social workers return them home in cooperation with their families and communities, with the means to earn a sustainable income. 75% of those helped by Retrak remain home with their parents or foster parents subsequently.
The boys I saw at the drop-in centre appeared happy and confident, in relationships of trust with the Retrak staff. One told me that Retrak was their “mother and father”. Another that Retrak was the “foundation for their future life”. Both aspired to run small businesses in the future. Without Retrak, they would probably have no hope: with Retrak, they can choose an alternative to life on the street. I was extremely impressed with the dedication and professionalism of the staff there.
If you want to find out more about Retrak or help with their work, visit www.retrak.org (or for local readers, their office on Level 3, Gibe Building, Abenet, Addis Ababa).
It was a pleasure to welcome Ambassador Dorey to the Retrak Drop in Centre in Addis Ababa. The children appreciated the opportunity to tell their stories and answer questions and the staff are always pleased to explain the work we do to help transform the lives of vulnerable street-connected children. Thank you Greg for your interest and support.