I was born in the Musanze district of the Northern Province in Rwanda. I am 14 years old and I went onto the streets when I was 10 years old. I have never seen or known my father. My mother was chased out by her family when she had me as a child because my father was not present. Her family thought the boy was a bastard. My mother tried to go to the family of my father, but they also chased her away. Nonetheless, I was left there with my father’s family.
Some years ago, my mother got married to another man.…
Manishimwe
Bilar Bigirimana
My name is Bigirimana Bilar and I am 11 years old. My father lives in Burundi. Before I came to Rwanda, I was a street kid in Burundi. In Burundi, two things happened to me that I’ve always worried about since that time. First, I was captured on the street along with some killers by policemen. They took me to prison, and had to share the same cell with them. I didn’t sleep the whole time I was in that prison. Second, one day, Doctors Without Borders came and told me I had to be circumcised because I had developed a disease.…
Jean Paul Mugisha
Nickname: “The Question Asker”
Age: 10 years old
Time spent at FidesCo: Approximately 1 year
Jean Paul Mugisha is the oldest of three siblings. He lived with his parents, but his father severely beat his mother and one day he beat her so much that he was taken to prison.
“I didn’t like being home when my father was beating my mom, so I used to stay on the street and then go home late at night. I didn’t go to school.”
The police picked up Mugisha from the street one day and took him to the transit center. From there, FidesCo came and transferred him to the temporary shelter and re-integration center.…
Valens Kubwimana
I’m 13 years old, and I live at FIDESCO.
I have my mom, but my dad past away. He died of aids in 2011. I have two sisters and one brother. I’m the youngest. My older sister got married and she lives with my second sister. I never wanted to stay at my sister’s place because I was burdening her husband and I cannot stay at my mom’s because she’s really sick too.
I used to stay on the street, and I used to steal things for a living. That’s where I got caught by the police, and I was taken to a place where they keep kids who have nowhere to stay. …
Innocent Mugenga
I’m 13 years old and I live at FIDESCO. I come from the street.
I was encouraged by fellow kids to come to Kigali. During that time, I got caught by security guards, and my two friends and me were taken to a place where kids who have nowhere to stay are put.
I have my mom. My dad lives in another country. I have only one arm. I lost my left arm in an accident.
But I love to dance, though there some moves which I cannot do perfectly because of my lost arm. I really believe I can dance.…
Make a Difference
Read these selected stories and learn about the struggles and dreams of children living in the street in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, still feeling the effects of the Rwandan Genocide. You can also comment on the stories and the children will answer you; and please consider supporting a child to permanently leave the streets and attend boarding school in Rwanda”
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Recent Comments
- Twagirimana Olivier { Hi Thank you maybe my dreams will come true!! } – Sep 07, 6:42 PM
- twagirimana olivier { Hi,Sara I enjoy what you wrote to me,thanks for sake of God I hope like you that my dreams will come true on my side,I feel that I never give... } – Sep 02, 4:19 PM
- twagirimana olivier { Hi, I enjoy what you wrote to me. thank you right now we completed our holidays we are going to back to school in general holidays was not very good... } – Sep 02, 4:02 PM
- Twagirimana Olivier { Hi, I enjoy what you wrote to me,thank you I realize that I'm not lucky like you,but I'm lucky that I am studying and I met with Rebecca! You have... } – Aug 24, 7:20 AM
- Lisa { Hi, I enjoy what you wrote to me.thank you I realize that I'm not lucky like you but I'm lucky that I am studying and I met with Rebecca! You... } – Aug 24, 6:42 AM
- Name { Hi, I enjoy what you wrote to me.thank you I realize that I'm not lucky like you but I'm lucky that I am studying and I met with Rebecca! You... } – Aug 24, 6:38 AM
- miela { I wanted to thank you for this execllent read!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it. I have you bookmarked your site to check out the new stuff you... } – Jul 01, 7:33 AM
- Yokoyama { I've been following the blog, and thkans for sharing the experience. Catalyst Rwanda has been a wonderful dream and a great success. Congratulations everyone!I'm sure the inspiration and energy will... } – Jun 29, 8:20 AM
- Supriya { Thank you for sharing this iinrsping story. I travelled with Marsha to Croix de Bouquests in June. A GO employee (Jake) mentioned that you would post info about how to... } – Jun 28, 11:13 PM
- Joshua { Heh they are something, aren't they? I saw antheor one once where the students were playing by memory and they weren't just playing the notes you could really see that... } – Jun 28, 9:59 PM