About Street Kids
Street kids
are children who don't have an adult to care for them.
Some sleep in the corner of a relative's or neighbor's house, and must find food and clothing on their own. Others have no place in the world but the street. They sleep on pieces of cardboard laid out on a sidewalk, or in concrete pipes, or in trees. There are children as young as 3 years old, on their own, alone on streets across Africa.
Life on the street is harsh. When it's rainy, windy, or cold, there's no protection. Passersby mostly view them with suspicion and hostility. They are chased by the police, and younger and weaker kids are often victimized by those older and stronger.
When street kids get sick, they are, almost always, on their own. There aren't any well-accepted statistics on the life expectancy for these children. Many, maybe most, do not survive.
Because their lives are so brutal, it is easy to forget that they, like all children, also have basic, simple needs that go beyond survival. They want to be cared for and loved. They are desperate to escape from their hard lives on the street. They need hope and a way out.
Out of the Elements, Safe, and Learning about the World
Lubuto Libraries don't give street kids all that they need. But they are special places, out of the elements and safe.
The Lubuto Library project partners with shelters, drop-in centers, orphanages, and other community centers serving children in need. Partner organizations provide a site and staff for the libraries. The Lubuto Library project builds library centers (see Lubuto Libraries), delivers organized book collections that are ready to shelve, and trains library staff.
Children use Lubuto libraries to learn to read, to improve reading skills, as an entry path to formal schooling, and for enlightenment and pleasure.