Arusha residents volunteer to feed street children
Mkombozi Centre of Moshi and CCF are also in the programme
by Staff Reporter
Street children in Arusha municipality will no longer have to starve, as free meals are now being provided to them at the Calvary Temple Church daily from Monday to Thursday.
This feeding programme is being organized and sponsored by well-meaning residents of Arusha who have teamed up to form the Friends of Children Organizations.
Consisting mostly of volunteers, according to the coordinator, Shermin Moledina, Friends of children work closely with the Arusha based Children for Children Future (CCF) and the Moshi based Mkombozi Centre for Street Children (MCSC).
Between 50 and 100 street boys turn up for the meals at 1.00pm on the said days, some eating while others preferring to carry the food and eat later.
Ms Moledina told Arusha Times that apart from providing the kids with meals they also give them health checks and where necessary some medical treatment as well.
“It costs about Tsh.400,000 per month on food alone”, she said adding that, apart from buying the food, fuel and paying the cooks, the rest of the work is usually done by volunteers.
The Director of Mkombozi Centre, Kate McAlpine said her centre plans to work closely with both the Government and other children related NGOs to formulate some year to year strategies as far as the street children syndrome is concerned.
Mkombozi, CCF and Friends for Children also take time to have meaningful talk to the street children three times a week and they are planning to introduce classes for them at the same Calvary Temple venue.
