HFCO started its street children interventions officially in 25th May 2010 before its formal registration in September 2010 under the Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children with Registration Number 00NGO/00004117. It was started by the young graduates and volunteers from different Universities. They are 16 with 6 working full time and 10 working as volunteers, and are all highly co
mmitted to tasks in place. HFCO started with 10 children close to the University of Dar es salaam. HFCO sees many problems among Street Children in a rage of violation of their human rights. Caused by lack of food, shelter, access to education, lack of parental care, social support and guidance, lack of enjoyment of human rights, community support, s*xual abuses and, threats. With all these problems of their fundamental rights, HFCO has noted with great concern that street children have not yet enjoyed their rights as children, as citizen of Tanzania, or as human beings of this world. As stated in the United republic of Tanzania Section 5 12 and 13 Part III on basic Human Rights and Duties and Universal Declaration of Human rights as grand laws. Later HFCO noted that street children suffer to the extent that they are not only psychologically affected but also physically, healthy, and mentally abused. AREAS OF OPERATION
The HFCO is involved in four areas which are; Sports and Recreation, Education, Health and, Accommodation. All these involve Behavior Change and rehabilitation to street children:-
1.EDUCATION. As education is a key to success and it is a right to every child we facilitate the return to school of some children who are willing by linking them to good Samaritans who volunteer to support their education. HFCO is mostly involved in giving counseling and guidance to both parents and street children. Lobbying for stakeholders to help the organization in paying for the street children’s school fees acquiring a training center which will benefit them to get skills that will enable them to get jobs or even self employment in the future. And in A long run HFCO has the goal of building a school to provide education also to vulnerable children who fail to get school fees and might later join the streets.
2. HFCO’s aim to have a dropping center for street children which will ease behavior change programs, health programs and education. Having a permanent center will ease children’s reunification with their families and help HFCO to run their programs in a safe place with high assurances of good caring to the street children. Because during behavior change programs it becomes very difficult for the street children to change and cop with the community if they still go back to the streets and face the same challenges of peers. Which will make it easier for HFCO to cater for their medical needs and feeding programs.
3. We provide health services to street children by taking them to hospitals when they are sick and educate them on how diseases occur and how they can protect themselves. HFCO trains street children to also avoid not engaging on risk behaviour that may risk their health. Like smoking, drug taking, and s*x such as commercial s*x which might lead to HIV.
4. RECREATION AND SPORTS
HFCO involves street children in physical exercises in order to build a strong bond, love and affection between them and us. It keeps them physically fit as well and occupies them which help reducing stress and idol ism. Which helps reducing in engaging them in risks behaviors like smoking ,drinking and theft.
