Rescue and Recovery Program for Street Children

Street children are some of the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals in society. They are often left to fend for themselves. The Rescue and Recovery Program for Street Children is a vital initiative by Light and Hope Mission, focused on rescuing, rehabilitating, and reintegrating street children into safe and nurturing environments. These vulnerable children, often orphaned or abandoned, face extreme poverty, exploitation, violence, and a lack of access to basic needs like food, shelter, and education. Our program aims to provide immediate relief, followed by long-term support, ensuring these children have the chance to reclaim their childhood and build a better future. Through immediate intervention, we aim to provide them with shelter, education, healthcare, and spiritual guidance, ensuring they are no longer invisible and have the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

The Problem: The Plight of Street Children

The global crisis of street children is staggering. According to UNICEF, there are an estimated 100 to 150 million street children worldwide, with the majority found in developing countries. In countries like Ivory Coast, Madagascar, and many others, the problem of street children is a critical humanitarian crisis. The situation is particularly dire in urban centers of Ivory Coast and Madagascar, where children are often forced into homelessness due to family breakdowns, conflict, and extreme poverty or natural disasters. These children often live in the shadows, abandoned or orphaned, with no family support, forced to survive on the streets.

• In Sub-Saharan Africa, the numbers are particularly high, with nearly 30 million children living without adequate parental care, many of whom end up on the streets. These children are often exposed to violence, trafficking, drug abuse, and exploitation.
• In West Africa, including countries like Ivory Coast, where our program is based, the economic strain, political conflict, rapid urbanization, and loss of parents due to diseases such as HIV/AIDS have contributed significantly to the rise in street children.
• A report by Humanium suggests that Ivory Coast has thousands of street children, particularly in cities like Abidjan, where children live in extreme poverty, often exploited by traffickers or exposed to violent crime and drug use.

These children suffer from malnutrition, lack of education, and exposure to abuse, with no access to even basic healthcare. Without intervention, many are trapped in cycles of poverty, crime, and exploitation. These harsh realities make the need for a rescue and recovery program all the more urgent.

Our Mission: Rescue, Rehabilitate, and Restore

The Rescue and Recovery Program for Street Children is designed to address the immediate and long-term needs of street children. Our holistic approach covers three key areas: rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration.

Rescue

Our first priority is reaching street children where they are. Our trained outreach workers will go into areas where street children are known to gather, building trust with the children and offering them immediate aid. The goal is to create a bridge between the children and the recovery services we offer. We coordinate with local communities and child protection agencies, shelters, and churches to identify street children in the most vulnerable conditions, providing them with immediate rescue from dangerous environments. We provide immediate assistance such as:

1. • Emergency shelter: Safe spaces where children can sleep and receive basic necessities like food, clean water, and clothing. We will establish safe shelters equipped to handle the immediate needs of street children. These shelters will provide not only a roof over their heads but also a safe and loving environment where children can begin the healing process. Each shelter will have trained staff, including social workers and counselors, to assess each child’s situation and create an individualized recovery plan.
   • Medical and Psychological care: Access to doctors and nurses to treat illnesses, injuries, and malnutrition. Many street children suffer from malnutrition, untreated diseases, or mental health issues such as trauma, depression, or addiction. Our program will ensure that every child receives proper medical care, including vaccinations, treatment for illnesses, and psychological counseling to help them overcome trauma and develop resilience.

Rehabilitation

Once children are in a safe environment, the next phase of our program focuses on their rehabilitation. This phase is critical in rebuilding their lives, healing their wounds, and helping them envision a hopeful future.

1. • Educational Support: Education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty and giving these children the tools they need for long-term success. For younger children, we will work to reintegrate them into the formal school system, providing school supplies, uniforms, and any additional support needed. For older children, we will offer vocational training programs in fields like mechanics, tailoring, or agriculture, helping them develop skills to earn a living.
   • Counseling and emotional support: Many street children suffer from trauma, abuse, and neglect. Our program includes counseling services to help children overcome their past and start the healing process.
   • Holistic Rehabilitation: This program will focus on the complete rehabilitation of street children. We will provide medical care, psychological counseling, and addiction treatment if needed. The program will work to address the trauma and emotional scars these children carry due to their life on the streets.
   • Life skills and Emotional Development: Our shelters will also provide life skills training, including basic financial literacy, communication skills, and conflict resolution, problem-solving, and decision-making, helping children develop the social and emotional tools needed for independent living.

Reintegration

Our ultimate goal is to reintegrate children back into society, whether through family reunification or placing them in foster care or group homes. We believe every child deserves the stability of a loving environment.

• • Family reunification: Whenever possible, we will work to reunite children with their extended families or place them in foster care. We will provide counseling and support to the family to ensure a smooth transition and monitor the child’s progress after reunification. For those unable to return to family care, our program will help transition children into long-term foster care or independent living programs.
  • Long-term housing solutions: For children with no family, we provide group homes that offer a stable, loving, and supportive community.
  • Spiritual guidance: As a Christian organization, we also offer spiritual guidance and mentorship, helping children develop a relationship with Jesus Christ and find hope through the Gospel.

Why This Program Matters

Street children are often invisible to society, left to fend for themselves with little to no support. Street children face unimaginable hardships. Many are subject to physical abuse, trafficking, or forced labor. Without intervention, they are likely to remain in a cycle of poverty, marginalization, and exploitation. By rescuing these children and providing them with the support they need, we are not only saving lives but also transforming futures. By implementing this program, we will:

• Reduce the number of street children by providing safe shelter and support services.
• Improve the health and well-being of street children through access to healthcare, nutrition, and emotional support.
• Offer educational opportunities that allow children to break free from the cycle of poverty.
• Create pathways to independence, equipping children with the skills and confidence to live productive, fulfilling lives.

Without immediate action, millions of children remain vulnerable to exploitation, disease, and death on the streets. Through the Rescue and Recovery Program, we can save lives and restore hope, giving street children a second chance at life.

Statistics to Consider:

• More than 100 million children worldwide are living on the streets.
• In West Africa, street children are increasingly becoming victims of trafficking, with Ivory Coast being one of the hardest-hit regions.
• A significant percentage of street children report daily experiences of violence, with more than 90% facing some form of abuse, whether physical, emotional, or sexual.
• Only 50% of street children ever have access to formal education, leaving them trapped in poverty and unable to escape their circumstances without outside help.
• In Ivory Coast, there are an estimated 30,000 street children in Abidjan alone, often involved in dangerous work like begging or scavenging.
• In Madagascar, a significant number of children are forced onto the streets due to extreme poverty and family disintegration, particularly in major cities like Antananarivo.
• Across Sub-Saharan Africa, street children face high risks of exploitation, trafficking, and abuse, and they lack access to basic needs like food, shelter, and education.

How You Can Help

Your support can make a world of difference. By contributing to our Rescue and Recovery Program, you are helping transform the lives of street children who have been abandoned by society. This program cannot succeed without the help of compassionate individuals, organizations, and communities. This program relies on generous donors like you to make an impact. Your financial support will help us:

• Fund rescue operations and provide emergency shelters.
• Provide medical care, education, and counseling to children in need.
• Support long-term housing solutions for orphans and children with no family support.

A donation of just $50 can provide shelter and meals for a child for one week. A monthly gift of $100 can help fund their education, and larger donations can help build or renovate homes for rescued children. Every gift brings us one step closer to rescuing more children from the streets and providing them with the future they deserve.

With your help, Light and Hope Mission can give these children a second chance at life. Every contribution makes a difference, and together, we can break the chains of poverty and restore hope to those who have lost it.

Join Us in This Life-Saving Mission

The Rescue and Recovery Program for Street Children is not just about providing temporary relief—it’s about creating lasting change. By rescuing children from the streets, giving them access to essential services, and empowering them with education and skills, we can help transform their lives. Join us in this mission and become part of a movement that is committed to changing the future for street children, one life at a time.

Street children are crying out for help, and Light and Hope Mission is answering that call. But we cannot do it alone. Join us in rescuing, rehabilitating, and restoring hope to the most vulnerable children. Together, we can give them the future God intends for them—one filled with love, security, and endless possibilities.

Your donation today can help transform the life of a child. Partner with us in this vital mission and make a lasting impact.