Back to Survey THE SAMARITAN STREET CHILDREN PROJECT in co-operation with CHISOMO CHILDREN'S CLUB The care for street children in the urban area Blantyre / Limbe started in 1993. In 1997 a number of private persons founded the Samaritan Trust in order "to alleviate the problems of the street children in the town of Blantyre and to make their lives more bearable". Since a number of years Brother Henk Munnich FIC has been involved in this project. "STREET CHILDREN" ? There are two main categories: Those coming from families hit by poverty and unemployment sent out to beg to support themselves and their elders; Those whom family breakdown has made homeless with no place to sleep except the streets. All these children are compelled to beg for money and to scavenge for food At present there are three well functioning Centres located in Blantyre and Limbe. Here about 200 children can receive three (hot) meals a day. Some stay on to sleep in the Centres. Two of these centres are so called 'reception centres' for children up to 14 years. Next to the meals and the sleeping facilities the children can get second hand clothes, soap for washing and medical care. Schooling and councelling are also offered. One of these centres still consists of tents. The third centre is located somewhat outside Blantyre and is a 'vocational skills' centre, where boys and girls at the age of 14/15 can get a training. This centre has started in tents but now stone buildings are under construction. Presently a boys hostel is built, with sanitary provisions, a kitchen, a hall / dining room, offices, workshops for carpentry and bricklaying. There will also be a shop where the self-made products can be sold to raise some income. Finally also houses for staff are included in this scheme. As soon as funds are available also a hostel for girls will be built. This will also be the final place for the secretarial offices. It is hoped that this training will provide young persons with a qualification in a certain trade or ability, so that they can earn their own living, either by paid employment or by starting their own enterprise. Some of the boys Boys and girls and some members of staff Starting off in tents A brand new car gifted by a donor-agency The handing over of the car to the left: Bro. Henk Munnich f.i.c. Read more about the SAMARITAN TRUST at their own website: samaritantrust.africa-online.net top