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M.R (Male, 20 Yrs Old)
My name is M.R. I stay in Arusha. I would like to briefly tell you the kind of life I go through. It's a very miserable life. I am a total orphan: no father, no mother, no sister or brother. I only have friends. I have suffered a lot and I am now asking for help from well wishers so that I can get a better life. I have gone through all sorts of harassment but one day God will help me. I was born in 1988 and I am now 20 years old and ask God to give me a longer life.
H. (Female, 18 Yrs Old)
I am H. I stay at the Mkombozi Centre for Street Children in Arusha. I was born in Moshi from the Mkwaya tribe but my mum was from the Chaga tribe. I loved my Dad more that anything else in the world. I was born on the 23rd October 1989. Unfortunately my Mum died when I was still a small kid that I can't remember the day. I was only 6 months old.
As a result I was taken in by my aunt. In 1998 I started class 1 and my father encouraged me to work hard so I could become a pilot. When I reached class 3 my aunt fell sick and needed an operation, therefore my Dad decided that I join my step-mother and later joined Burka Primary School in Arusha.
When I reached class 6 my Dad joined us where we were but fell sick too and he was to suffer a great deal from stomach cancer. He later passed on and was buried in Musoma. Later my aunties suggested that I be moved to another school in Musoma which I accepted. After completing class 7 I could not continue due to lack of school fees. Life was very difficult and as a result I started hawking oranges. It became difficult until I sneaked back to Arusha to join my step-mother. After a while, examination results come out and I was one of those who had passed very well. My step-mother told me to leave and go back to my sister but I refused and later decided to seek help from the a Children's Centre and I was admitted there and I am now taking a Hotel Management Course. I am determined to complete he course and get a job which will later enable me to assist my brothers and sisters to live a better life.
A. (Female, 17 Yrs Old)
I am A., born and brought up in Arusha where I stayed with both my parents, but unfortunately they both died. They had seen me through my primary education up to class 7. I stayed at home waiting for my results and at the same time doing small business. Results were out but I did not pass and continued staying at home until I came across a good Samaritan who accepted to take me to a Children's Centre and support me further in my studies. I am happy at the Centre and pursuing a Hotel Management Course.
F. (Male, 21 Yrs Old)
I am F., born in April 1987. I stayed in Arusha under a very difficult environment in the ghetto. I studied at Tuvailaa Primary School from class 3 up to class 6. I joined street life in 1997 until the year 2004 when a Children's Centre offered to assist me with a job opportunity that has greatly changed my life. I can now pay house-rent on my own and get money for other basics.
A. (Male, 23 Yrs Old)
1986 is the year I was born. 1998 is the year I joined the other street kids. What makes us suffer most is the lack of education. I am 23 years old. Life in the streets is very difficult.
F. (Female, 22 Yrs Old)
I am F. born and brought up in the Kilimanjaro province in the Republic of Tanzania. The first born in a family of 6. I completed my primary education in the year 2000 and passed so well but unfortunately my parents were unable to pay school fees due to their very meagre earnings. And so they could not do anything about it. To make matters worse my parents divorced due to my father's bad habit of drinking from sunrise to sunset and fighting all the time. At one or so occasions he almost burned our house when we were asleep. We could go without food for so many days but he could not care. It was untold suffering.
Our Grandma decided to take us away to stay with her but she could not meet our needs because she had no job. Things didn't change even after our Grandma had taken us, since her children would not allow us to stay with her for long as they termed us an added burden, because she was depending on them for survival. We were chased and taken back to our alcoholic father who could from time to time again harass us till we were forced to sleep out in the cold and get food from our neighbours.
One cold night as we were sleeping out in the cold, a stray dog chased me and bit my finger. I decided to take my life but turned to God and sought his help. I sought help from a Children's Centre who accepted to take care of me and took me to school. Luckily enough I completed my form six studies and currently I am looking for a well wisher who could enable me to accomplish my university studies because my agreement with the Children's Centre is over. When I succeed I will assist the less fortunate in society. Bye.
F. (Female, 25Yrs Old)
My name is F. and I am the first born in a family of three children. My father used to work in a coffee factory called Bluka. Unfortunately our beloved Mum passed on in the year 1987 and therefore we were left under the care of our very caring father. He continued working in the same coffee factory until 1997 when he fell sick and later on he died and we were left total orphans.
After the sad demise of our Dad we moved to Arusha in a village known as Matevesi within Kisongo location to stay with our maternal grandmother but life was very difficult due to our grandmothers meagre resources. As a result of this we were forced to look for other ways of generating income by doing odd jobs in order to sustain ourselves and buy things like food, clothes and other basics. It is as if bad luck was trailing us wherever we went because again we lost our last born in our family. But we never stopped praying to God for strenth and guidance. Because of all these tragic events, we even thought God had departed us, having been totally orphaned we again lost our last born. But we kept on praying. Going to school could not be possible due to the difficult life we were experiencing and also our Grandma was aging. I decided to quit classes in 1999 and was forced by life to do odd jobs after deserting my Grandma's home. The little money that I earned was to be shared between my aging Grandma, my siblings and myself. In the year 2000
I met a young man whom I fell in love with and thought he could marry me, but alas! On realising that I had conceived he took off and went for good, not to see him again. I decided to go back to my Grandma’s place until I gave birth. At the moment I am at a Children's Centre being assisted. But what about my kid?
J.J (Male, 21 Yrs Old)
I am 21 years old and I am from Arusha. I stay in a place known as Sanawari where I have rented a room for TSH. 8000 per month. I am self dependant, jobless and always idling in markets.
J. (Male, 17 Yrs Old)
I am the first born in a family of three, of which one died. I finished class 7 and could not continue because of my mother's death. At the moment I am practising acrobatics.