DRC: Nearly 50,000 children live on the streets of Kinshasa (NGO)

The Network of Educators for Street Children and Youth, (REEJER) revealed that nearly fifty thousand street children have been identified in Kinshasa in the past ten years.

The chairman of the board of directors of REJEER, Professor Lino Pungi, presented these figures to the press on the occasion of the International Day for Street Children, celebrated on April 12. Professor Lino Pungi indicated that this year’s theme is “appearance”. According to him, the emphasis is on the care and socio-professional reintegration of children living on the streets. This civil society actor also raised concerns, among others, about the risks associated with the continuous growth in the number of children living on the streets.

Among these risks, Professor Lino Pungi mentions urban delinquency: “Let’s imagine that if each of these children were to have at least two children tomorrow, we would have 100,000 individuals on the streets in one generation. These young people roam the streets in idleness, begging, robbery, and all forms of urban delinquency. We are already experiencing this: “shégué, kuluna” are invading us to the point where we are even beginning to talk about ‘shéguéization’.” He believes that if these youth are properly guided, they can be a source of manpower in vital sectors of the city of Kinshasa. He regrets that these human resources are being wasted.

The chairman of the board of directors of REJEER finally recalled that his organization is open to any form of partnership that aims to promote the protection of Congolese children. The celebration of this day was marked by several fun and educational activities organized for children as part of the promotion of the protection of the rights of street children.

Paolo K