Promoting Health to Improve Living Conditions of Street Children in Kinshasa

This project aims to improve the lives of street children in Kinshasa by strengthening local civil society organizations involved in the health and protection of children and youth. It provides access for children and youth to primary health care including sexual and reproductive health services. It supports 15 partner organizations from the “Réseau des Éducateurs pour les Enfants et Jeunes de la Rue” (REEJER) by providing training for staff and essential medications for the children. The project also seeks to disseminate best practices in health promotion and services for street children among the partner organizations and stakeholders in the REEJER network to establish standardized procedures. Project activities include: (1) providing up to 10 000 consultations in primary care and 1 000 for sexual and reproductive health; (2) referring 400 pregnant women victims of sexual violence or HIV carriers to medical organizations and appropriate partners; (3) organizing six training sessions for staff of public health facilities in the reception and appropriate care for street children; and ( 4) strengthening the coordination structure between REEJER actors and the health sector to provide the most effective interventions.

The expected intermediate outcome for this project is: health promotion activities for street children and the use of health facilities by children especially girls under 21 are increased.