Supporting the Transition of Older Youth to Self-Reliant Adulthood in Tanzania

In the absence of child protection policies and effective social service institutions, Amani Centre for Street Children (Amani), together with other non-governmental organizations, provides basic needs to and advocates for this at-risk population. While Amani’s main goal is family reunification, serving primarily younger children, it has begun to graduate some of its youth and has recognized shortcomings in programming with respect to transition to adulthood. The objective of the workshop was to assess the challenges that Amani is facing with older street children who return to centers that have sheltered them or to life on the streets. The team conducted a background review before spending three weeks in the field to better contextualize the issues surrounding street children and the resources available in Tanzania. They also interviewed staff from several centers serving street children, including Amani, other NGOs and civil society organizations.