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FOR STREETCHILDREN (C.A.S.) In Lartebiokorshie - Accra, situated on the coast of Ghana, we, the Brothers FIC, are already for a number of years engaged in a big project in connection with the care of street children. During the early days CAS did not have a House of Refuge and the street children were met in the streets. This, however, was an impossible situation, especially to have a good conversation with the children in places where there was a lot of noise and distraction. It took a while before we had found and rented a good place for the children to rest and to keep their belongings in special made lockers, especially their materials needed as shoeshine boys. But some lost their keys and used their hammers and pincers to open not only the boxes of their own, but at times also those of their friends. As metal lockers were too expensive the boys kept their belongings, inclusive their money, with those members of the staff whom they trusted. Another problem was the care for those who became ill. Some members of the staff started to take care of them: cleaning wounds, fixing bandages and giving them the necessary medicine. An improvement was achieved when the Salvation Army Church agreed to run a clinic at CAS and nurses were henceforth daily available. At the same time those nurses took also care of the Street mothers from Konkomba Market. With their babies they visited the House of Refuge for consult. Soon we received more mothers with babies in the house than streetchildren. Crèches for babies from street mothers were opened. The nurses visit them daily. This "Baby care" programme has been handed over to S.AID, Street Girls Aid, our sister NGO for street girls and babies. Most streetchildren have a job and earn a small amount of money so that they are able to feed themselves and can find a place to sleep. As we do not want by any means that these children become dependent on us, we do not give them accommodation or feed or clothe them. Besides, our House of Refuge will be too small when we decide to give them food or accommodation during the night. It is estimated that Accra counts 18.000 street children of whom we registered about 3.500 children. We want to respect them as they are and advise them for their future as soon as they decide to leave the streets. A sponsorship scheme is in place. Proper social supervision is exercised on children who take the initiative to be educated and decide for themselves what they want to learn or to which workplace they want to go. Here we experienced that they need some time in deciding what to do or learn for their future. "Hopeland Training Centre" has been set up for those who want to leave the street but are not yet ready to go to a school or workshop. At the Centre, the staff pays more attention to them. With the assistance of Misereor we are enabled to build a multi purpose hall and an administration block. Also a permanent social worker as well as a literacy teacher have been employed. CAS has 40 permanent members of staff and has plans to employ more fieldworkers. The majority of the street children are on the streets and do not visit the House of Refuge. Therefore CAS' workers want to be with them and advise and educate them in the streets. This programme is called "Street Corner Education". You can find us on the Internet at: http://www.btinternet.com/~CAS/ You can send your E-mail to: ficcas@ighmail.com Brother Jos van Dinther, f.i.c. Accra, September 2001 |