Temporary care and family reintegration for children in street situations: A new child protection solution in Burundi

 This new initiative is designed to strengthen existing child protection mechanisms and provide an effective response to the growing needs of vulnerable children.

 In its initial phase, the programme will primarily target children in street situations, offering them immediate protection while preparing them for sustainable reintegration into their families and communities. The programme is intended for children up to 12 years of age, or up to 15 years in the case of siblings, in line with efforts to keep brothers and sisters together whenever possible.

 Responding to growing child protection needs

 This new approach expands the range of alternative care services already provided by SOS Children’s Villages in Burundi. It aims to meet the specific needs of children who have lost parental care or are at risk of losing it.

According to Dr Elvis Ndayisenga, National Programme Development Coordinator at SOS Children’s Villages in Burundi, the initiative represents a practical and timely response to current child protection challenges.

“This alternative care service helps address the ever-increasing need for quality care solutions for children who have lost parental care or are at risk of losing it. It targets children in street situations, children separated from their families, and children abandoned during humanitarian emergencies. The programme will provide immediate, structured protection to school-age children who are temporarily deprived of a protective family environment, while preparing them for sustainable reintegration into their families and communities,” he explained.

An initiative welcomed by the Government

During the launch workshop, Mr Jean Christophe Ndikumana, Director General in charge of the Social Protection Programme within the Ministry responsible for Social Protection, welcomed the initiative and described it as an important contribution to Burundi’s national social protection system.

He reaffirmed the Ministry’s confidence in SOS Children’s Villages and assured the Government’s continued support to ensure the programme’s success. According to him, the initiative will contribute to the progressive withdrawal of children from street situations, their sustainable family reintegration, and the strengthening of child protection interventions across the country.

More than 7,000 children living in street situations 

The situation of children living and working on the streets remains a significant concern in Burundi. In 2021, the number of children in street situations was estimated at more than 7,000 across the cities of Bujumbura, Gitega, and Rumonge, including approximately 5,000 in Bujumbura alone.

Participants at the workshop identified several underlying factors contributing to this phenomenon, including:

• Household poverty;
• Food insecurity;
• Family conflict;
• Loss of parents or caregivers;
• Domestic violence ;
• Limited family capacity to provide adequate care and education for children.

According to Goretti Minani, National Alternative Care Coordinator at SOS Children’s Villages in Burundi, children in street situations face multiple protection risks.

“Children in street situations are exposed to various forms of violence, exploitation, neglect, and social exclusion. They are also vulnerable to health-related challenges and the use of psychoactive substances,” she emphasized.

A care approach focused on family reintegration

The Temporary Care programme seeks to provide quality care and protection for the most vulnerable children through a comprehensive package of services covering child protection, education, health, and family strengthening.

Its primary objective is to ensure responsible and sustainable family and social reintegration, preventing children from returning to the streets once the intervention is completed. To achieve this, children will be accommodated in Temporary Care for a maximum period of six months, while their families receive tailored support and guidance to prepare for reintegration.

Following reunification, families and children will continue to receive support through a six-month post-reintegration follow-up process to help ensure long-term stability and well-being.

 Comprehensive support for children and families

Before, during, and after the care period, children and their families will benefit from a range of integrated services, including:

• Psychosocial support ;
• Access to education and vocational training;
• Healthcare services and health insurance coverage;
• Family tracing and mediation;
• Parenting skills strengthening;
• Economic empowerment and support for income-generating activities;
• Legal assistance ;
• Regular community-based monitoring and follow-up, to name but a few

Through this new initiative, SOS Children’s Villages aims to strengthen the protection of children who have lost adequate parental care and to contribute sustainably to reducing the number of children in street situations in Burundi. 

By combining immediate protection with family strengthening and long-term reintegration support, the programme seeks to ensure that every child can grow up in a safe, caring, and supportive family environment.