Butare, 23 April, 2021 / 12:28 pm (ACI Africa).
Members of the Religious Institute of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) in Rwanda’s Diocese of Butare are seeking to expand their street children Centre to meet the needs of the beneficiaries.
In a Thursday, April 22 report obtained by ACI Africa, SDB leadership in Rwanda says that one of the focus areas in the expansion plan of the Salesian Centre “is to give shelter and opportunity to street children who would otherwise spend their lives on the fringes of society.”
“They come from the street asking to eat, and many choose to stay to take vocational courses such as those for mechanics and shoemakers,” Fr. Remy Nsengiyumva, the Parish Priest of Salesian Parish in Rango where the Centre is located has been quoted as saying in the report, making reference to the youths living on the streets.
He adds, “We offer school supplies and uniforms, but the problem is food. Some, in fact, live completely on the street; others receive food in the host families. Still, others eat only in the evening when they study for technical courses. Making sure youth are fed is a primary concern.”
Towards resolving the feeding challenge, the Salesian Cleric says his parishioners are planning to set up a “small canteen” that will be used to prepare lunch meals for the youths, most of them having showed up at the Centre at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
