At-risk Children Living with Relatives and Friends

The problems facing families struggling to care for children are many. In many instances, families just cannot provide for their own children and ask other for help, or others step in to do what they can.

On Januray 21st, 2023, one of the PoHEO directors, Zakayo, and one of our PoHEO volunteers planned a visit to a local family reportedly in need. The family lives in Salasala, which is in Dar es Salaam. While Salasala is a relatively well off community, there are families in need everywhere.

PoHEO was visiting two children who are twins living with another family. Their mother did not have the resources to take care of them and she left her children with the family. The twins are just 3 years old and vulnerable. The family they live with offered to help, but is also under privileged and has multiple children of their own to care for. It is a huge struggle to take care of everyone, but at least the twins have a safe place to sleep and get their basic needs met. If they were on the street they may not be able to make it at such a young age, even with their mother.

When we talked with the father of the house he explained to us that they face many struggles having to care for their children. There are expenses they just cannot afford, including school fees, supplies and clothes. PoHEO connects these families with orphanages that offer education, school supplies and sometimes clothing resources. The orphanages can also serve as moral support, providing counseling and advice to the families. These supports are what will keep the children off the street where they face an uncertain fate.

Giving families a few options makes all the difference, and just knowing they are not alone in their struggle can keep them doing what they can for the twins. Furthermore, just being there to listen and offer support can be the difference between giving up and continuing forward.