Returning to Rwanda part 2 – the kids

The children I left behind 18 months ago have, in general, progressed amazingly. The investment and challenges of those first 6 months to change behaviours and get the children back on track, has paid off remarkably. The things that the boys initially struggled with – washing regularly, cleaning, cooking together, stopping stealing, stopping going to the market, stopping fighting, stopping smoking and drinking – have over time become natural and they are going to school. All are in the top 10 in their classes. The community’s attitude has changed towards them. The kids are proud of themselves. They’ve asked for the old photos of them to be taken down off the walls. Admittedly some have fallen by the wayside. Mostly these are the older boys whose experience of vocational training was bad and disheartening. About 10 new, young, boys had come into the centre. That was interesting too because they fitted straight into the routines and expectations, largely I think because there were examples unlike first time around.


And now in addition to the boys, the centre is working with 15 girls, along with their 11 babies, which is a wonderful achievement. When I left we’d only been conducting outreach at night and holding twice weekly meetings with the girls.

Sadly the centre is bare and shadow of what is was when I left, and staff morale is low. More issues with funding and the senior management, just like before…

As for Bristley... well he's gone on from strength to strength. He came top of his class in mechanics, passed his motorcycle driving course first time, finally passed his vehicle driving course on the sixth or seventh attempt, started working as a motorcycle boy, has settled down and has found his parents via ICRC in Zimbabwe! It's been such a transformation from the kid I knew in Zaza, living in the middle of nowhere, with few prospects ahead of him...