THE STREET CHILDREN CRISIS

Tanzania’s population has exploded over the past decade. The United Nations projects that Tanzania will be 1 of 8 countries responsible for more than half of the increase in global population over the next three decades. The Sub-Saharan Africa region is growing at a rate 3x faster than the global average and is projected to be the most populous place globally, surpassing Asia, by 2070.

Of the estimated 60 MILLION people in Tanzania, over 50% are under the age of 18 (UNICEF 2023). Due to the massive generational gap in Tanzania, the issue of extreme poverty among youth is skyrocketing. Whether as a result of abuse, neglect, HIV/AIDS, or a number of other reasons, many children are finding themselves living in the street - alone and hopeless. Tanzania has more than 800,000 street children according to the Tanzanian Ministry of Community Development. Now, more than ever, children in this region need a solution. We believe that through meeting practical and spiritual needs, a generation can be empowered to break the cycle. We believe that as children are empowered to live lives of meaning and purpose, they can grow into change-makers who establish families, businesses and meaningful change in their cities and country. 

This issue is bigger than one person or organization. The potential to bring lasting change and impact to individual lives can have a massive ripple effect in one of the fastest growing regions of the world. As children are loved, empowered, nourished, and brought into relationship with Jesus, their potential to change the world far surpasses anything we could ever dream of.