Reaching Out to Street Children in Ethiopia

I recently returned from a trip to Ethiopia and Uganda where I visited the Retrak projects and was able to see our work in action. Driving through the streets of Addis Ababa at night, I saw countless children huddled in corners or under benches, trying to sleep in the cold rain. During the day these children could be seen begging or scavenging for food. At the Retrak drop-in center, children were laughing, playing, eating and learning, and later I visited children who were settling in for the night at Retrak's night shelter. 

Retrak makes a real difference in the lives of street kids.  Here's the story of a set of brothers who recently came to Retrak:

Abebe and Kbede are brothers who were born in the southern part of Ethiopia called Acheber. Abebe is 13 and Kebede is 7 years old. Before they came to street they lived with their parents. Their father was a farmer and their mother was a house wife.

The boys' parents never sent their children to school because of economic hardship. When the hardship became
strong they sent out their first child to their uncle’s house. Abebe used to look after the sheep and received a small amount of money. The youngest boy, Kebede, remained with his parents. Suddenly the father’s behavior changed badly. He began hitting his wife. The neighbors usually tried to intervene when there was a quarrel but he didn’t change his behavior and instead he started to fight with the neighbors.  When the problem became severe the mother left the house

Abebe was always thinking about his family and how to improve their economic situation, and he started saving the money that he got from the job. Abebe bought sheep and brought them to his family.  When Abebe came to see the family he couldn’t find his mother. He only saw his brother and father. When their father saw the sheep he asked Abebe to sell the sheep and to go to Addis Ababa. Abebe consented and they sold the sheep and came to Addis Ababa. When they reached to the bus station of Addis Ababa their father told them to stay at the bus station. They waited but their father didn’t show up. The children became terrified and started to cry.  They didn’t eat  anything for a day because they didn’t know where to get food. The community around the bus station kept
them for the night.

In the morning, Retrak's outreach team found Abebe while he was crying on the street. When they asked why he was crying he said that he was hungry. the outreach team invited Abebe and Kebede to the Retrak drop-in center.They are now getting Retrak’s services including education, medical services, food, shelter and counseling. Abebe and Kebede are now very happy.  Eventually Retrak social workers hope to place the brothers, together, with a foster family. 

Retrak was able to help Abebe and Kebede thanks the the generous contributions of our donors. Thank you for continuing to support our important work.

Many people across the country will be celebrating Mothers Day this weekend. But there are thousands of children across Ethiopia who don't have a loving mother to care for them or a place to call home. Robel was one of those children, until Retrak social workers found him and brought him to the Retrak Drop-In Center, where Robel has been working to overcome his past and have hope for a brighter future.

Robel is fourteen years old.  He was born in the Ethiopian town of Dire Dawa.  Before he came to the street, he lived happily with his parents and two sisters.  But his mother left home, and his father remarried.  His stepmother was abusive, both physically and psychologically. So Robel left his home and lived on the streets of Dire Dawa.  While living on the streets, Robel was sexually abused by a stranger and hospitalized for his injuries.  When he was released from the hospital, Robel decided to leave Dire Dawa and come to Addis Ababa. . He survived by doing
car washing, carrying luggage and getting leftover food from hotels. After staying two months on the street, Robel was again sexually abused.  He went to the police again but no one helped him.

The Retrak outreach team found Robel on street when they were doing their street visit program. Robel was sitting on the bus station fence looking confused. When the outreach team tried to talk with him he started to cry and it was difficult for him to express his feelings through his tears. The team invited him to the Drop-In Center and Robel decided to come.

When he first came to the Retrak Drop-In Center, he told his whole story to the social worker during the counseling
session.  Robel was very suspicious and angry and was often fighting with the other boys and often cried.  While staying in the center, he participated in all the activities, including counseling, food, medical services, life skills, and catch-up lessons. He also got voluntary HIV counseling and testing and fortunately his result was free from HIV. He was sure that he would die because of HIV, and when he heard that he is disease-free, he said that “now I can be a big man and live my own life”.

Robel didn’t want to reintegrate back with his family because of the neglect and abuse from his family in the past.  His plan for the future is to take business training and become independent.  One day he wants to go back to Dire Dawa in order to live his own life by doing his small business.

Robel is now getting regular play therapy counseling which is helping him express his anger and grief and which will in time help him to come to terms with his past abuse and sufferings.  He is now improving and is in a much better
situation than before. 

Thank you for your support of Retrak, which has allowed Robel, and hundreds of boys like him, to overcome the abuse and trauma of his past.  Please consider making a donation to Retrak for Mothers Day so that more boys can feel loved and valued.