Street Kids of Rwanda is open to children of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds, but those currently at our centre fall between the ages of 6 and 20. The children come from different circumstances, but all have suffered severe hardship and abject poverty. Most of the children have been exposed to extreme violence, particularly those over 12 who survived the genocide.

We care for 100 genocide orphans, 42 children whose parents are in prison for genocide crimes, 95 AIDS orphans, and 88 whose parents died from other illnesses. 35 children have living parents who are too poor to provide for them; these children are allowed home to see their parents, but money is needed for their transportation.

Street Kids of Rwanda takes in children from all over the country, and many of Kigali’s street children have come from other areas in the hope of finding food and a better chance at life. We currently care for 365 children: 200 girls and 165 boys, through our centres and foster programs, and this number continues to grow as we take in more. Any traveler to Rwanda will see children begging on every street corner, some of them as young as 4; all of these children need help, and it is our goal to provide for as many as we can.  

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Thanks to Hilda Nanning, Julie Epp, and Pierre Blanc-Sahnoun for taking pictures, writing music and producing the slide show above of their visit to the Centre in November 2010. An English translation of Pierre's lyrics are below.

The Kids of Antoine  (English translation)

The kids of Antoine
are not very rich
but to be very rich
they don't care
Even if they would like
To have enough to eat (bis)

The kids of Antoine
are not very fashion
but to be fashion
they don't care at all
but a few clothes
would make their lives better (bis)

The kids of Antoine
Are some kind of stars
Even if they are not
On TV shows
'Cause the real stars
are in their eyes 
And their real wealth
In their tenderness

The kids of Antoine
All the way up the hill
Welcome us
holding our hands
'cause real happiness
is in their hearts
their generosity
is humanity.

The kids of Antoine
were born in the street
they survived
all the hardship
but the worse horror
that could happen to them
it would be if
you forget them

English Version Recording