The streets can be hard hostile but taking the initiative to leave them is even for a more positive life is even harder and a challenge to street children.
With the help of the Rwandan government, at least 655 former street children now have a chance to live again, after attending a full year of training in various life skills; such as construction, carpentry and tailoring, among others.
Athanase Mbarushimana, 20, a former street children, graduated from Iwawa rehabilitation and Vocational Skills Development Centre (IRVSDC).
He is also part of a Cooperative ‘Ubuzima busha’ formed by graduands from the Iwawa facility. They have set carpentry workshop.
For these former street children, the future is seemingly brighter than before and they are committed to a positive change and promise to play an active role in nation building.
Since the official opening of Iwawa rehabilitation center in February 2010, the school-located on an isolated island of Iwawa on Lake Kivu, has managed to reform over 3,977 youths who have gone through the institution. 2,711 of the have managed to graduate in various skills such as: construction, carpentry, tailoring and general knowledge in agriculture and livestock farming.
Besides getting life skills, most of them have acquired reading and writing skills, religious education. This year, the Iwawa School started an Information Technology (IT) training programme, courtesy of Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Rwanda- which has awarded certificates to 90 of the students.
Because most of the Iwawa students are gotten off the streets under the influence of illicit drugs and narcotics, they have come up with an association-“Anti drug Association Rwanda (ADAR)”- aimed at keeping them sober and straight so that they don’t get derailed.
“We have changed for the best. You can even relate this transformation to the personality of Saul in the Bible- who turned into Paul,” Jean Habimana, former street kid says.
Habimana says they now know the importance of utilizing time for positive impacts and will be responsible citizens.