We mentioned in a previous blog that the street children are on the move. Notice has been given on the house they are using and everyone will be out by the end of the year.
Which gives us not long to find alternative accommodation. So this week Jungle, one of the staff, has been down in Nyamirambo looking for something suitable. We have been talking for some time about changing our strategy and a move to cheaper accommodation fits nicely with that.
Over the year most of our children have started going back to their mothers each evening although we are still feeding them during the day. Those still sleeping at the house have nowhere to go. The problem is that the mamas have no income and so cannot feed themselves, never mind their children. We have been working to try getting the women to start some income generation activities but the going is hard.
Only last week, the government clamped down (again) on street sellers. Women caught at this risk arrest and confiscation of their stock. Finding a market stall is expensive, and a small roadside stall even more so. Some of our mamas have said they are prepared to make banana juice (non-alcoholic! unlike the hooch that can be found in these parts) and also raise chickens for eggs. One of them has said she can sell charcoal. We read recently that Rwanda has a shortage of eggs and charcoal is the main cooking fuel here. These activities can be done from their houses.
One of our mamas has no home of her own. The plan is to find some suitable accommodation where she can look after our resident children and use the house as a base to go back to our daily porridge programme for the rest of the children. Once the mamas are earning sufficient, they should be able to take over feeding their children again. Pray for us.