Too many children in Kenya and Ghana are not given the opportunity to get out of the slums they were born into. Too many children end up living off the same work as their parents – which includes collecting garbage in landfills.
We want to change that.
The children of Kibarani – one of the toughest slums of Kenya
Our school project in Kibarani slums was the organization's first. At that time there was no school in the area - and many of the children worked at the landfill with their parents to ensure income for the family. Kibarani is an extremely poor slum area outside of Mombasa. Most of the families who live here find their food and income at the nearby landfill.
There is a striking difference between the children who go to school and those who do not. The children that have school as a sanctuary are more outgoing and better nourished.
Critical independent thinking as an alternative to memorization is important for e.g., the democratic process which requires that they have the desire and strength to be co-creators of the society in which they live – that they not only have blind faith in authority but dare to and are able to make a personal choice. Most people in and around landfills do not vote in political elections, which means that they are not represented in the political decisions that affect their lives.
At the same time, the children gain confidence through the national exams and the annual graduation parties, where together with the teachers and families their results are celebrated. Our ambition is to ensure that the school continues to be a sanctuary for the children, which in the long run can accommodate even more children - and have more space for creative and artistic teaching initiatives.
The collaboration between 100% and our local partner Sct. Patrick has year by year been getting stronger.
Together we have achieved the following positive results:
Children and young people on the streets of Ghana's capital Accra
"The Ghanaian people must take responsibility and recognize the rights of street children,"
Camilla Legendre, 100% for the Children's daily leader.
100% for the Children and Catholic Action for Street Children (CAS) have for a number of years had a partnership to strengthen and make visible the rights among Accra's many street children. CAS is a key player in relation to the street children in Accra, primarily in the form of direct services aimed at the street children. In collaboration with 100% for the children, CAS has made a great effort to change the public's attitude towards the situation of street children. This work has been funded by CISU – Civilsamfund i Udvikling.
The main goal of the project is for the people in charge (the Ghanaian state) to build up motivation, capacity, and network, in relation to making them take more responsibility for the issues of street children in Accra, supplemented by the efforts of NGO.
The project has also given the street children a voice through media and campaign activities, they have been given the opportunity themselves to share their strong stories about their conditions and life on the streets. Several of the children have had a hard and dangerous job at the Agbogbloshie landfill in Accra, where the boys in the picture are also located. Abass proudly presents his certificate, which he has received for his efforts in our peer-to-peer program, where older street children are educated in working with civil rights on a street level.
Thus, the older street children become a strengthened “mouthpiece” in the cause of getting their issues recognized by the state – but also act as important support for the younger street children.
