The Baobab Home » What We Do » Street Boys

In January 2006, Board Member Eva Cleynen asked us to help send six young men from the local street boy’s home to secondary school. The boys had passed all of their Standard 7 exams. The home was closing abruptly and most of the 90+ boys were forced back onto the streets. We resisted the idea, thinking that we couldn’t manage the time and money, but Eva persisted and everyone is so grateful that she did. She and her colleagues in Europe raised $800 in a few weeks and we covered the rest with a donation from Council Rock High School South.

Forget what you think you might know about “street boys” because Gabriel, Benedict, Benard, William, Emmanuel and Yassin break every mould. They are incredibly enthusiastic about their education and they don’t take it for granted for a single minute. They didn’t know each other on the street, but they survived some pretty rough “relief” houses together. Now all 6 go to government boarding schools in the country and live at the Baobab Home during breaks. They are no longer “street boys”, but members of our family, and these days they are joined by Pascal, Frank and Saadi.

Benedictor, Justis, Pascal, Frank, Yassini, Benard and Gabriel

For $900 per year you can sponsor a street boy for all medical, educational and nutritional needs. If you’d like to sponsor one of the boys for school only the cost is $240. We encourage multi year commitments but all help is welcome!

Introduction Letters from the Boys

My name is Yasini Hamisi. I was born in 1988 in the region of Singida in Tanzania. My parents divorced and left me with my grandmother. I started school in 1996 in the region of Singida, but in 2000, when I was in the 4th grade, I decided to leave home because of the difficult financial situation and went to Dar es Salaam. I didn’t have any relatives there and lived on the street. It was a very difficult life since I had no one to support or feed me. I got food by washing cars and begging on the streets. After two years on the streets, in 2003, I got help and was taken to the Anchorage Shelter of Bagamoyo, a centre for street boys. I stayed here for four months and then started fifth grade of primary school. I finished primary school in 2005 and I passed the exams to start secondary school. Therefore I am asking for your help to be able to continue studying.It is my dream to get a good education so that one day I can support myself and live a dignified life.

Yasini Hamisi

My name is Benedictor Julias. I was born in 1989 in the region of Mara. I never knew my father and lived only with my mother. When I was seven years old, my mother left home and left me with my uncle. After my mother left my life became very difficult. My uncle treated me badly, he didn’t love me at all. This is why I decided to leave and to go to Dar es Salaam. Life in Dar es Salaam was very hard, because I didn’t have a place to sleep and it was difficult to get food, but all this was still better than living with my uncle

After living on the streets for a long time I got help from a boys centre in Bagamoyo and got the chance to go to school. Unfortunately this centre had to deal with some problems. My dream is to get a good education in secondary school and after, so that I can leave poverty behind.

Yours truely, Benedictor Julias

My name is Bernad Philipo. I was born in 1989 in the region of Dodoma in Tanzania. I am a street boy and need help to continue to study at secondary school. I passed the exams to continue Form I but I cannot afford this. Until now I have receive help from different people.

I started living on the streets in 1995 when I was six years old, after my parents separated. After their divorce they sold the house and split the money. I am the 8th child in our family. My brothers and sisters died in a car crash together with my uncle, and our dad was killed by criminals when I was in third grade. I still have a mother but I don’t know where she is. The only relative I know is my older brother, but he hasn’t got the financial means to help me. I got plenty of problems when I was raised by my aunt, who married an army officer. I was in a car accident and hurt my arm and head but I thank God I got better. I go to church every Sunday. I hope to get a good education in order to get a job andbe able to help others.

Bernad Philipo

My name is William Jones. I am a boy of 19 years old. I am in the second year of Kiwangwa secondary school. I was born in the Mara region in a village called Kyabakari, in Musoma district. There I lived with my grandparents. They explained to me that my father died when I was still a baby and that my mother married another man when I was three years old, and that she left me with my grandparents. They decided to bring me to my aunt to live with her, and I lived here until I was nine. I never went to school since there was no money. At that time you still had to pay to go to primary school. My aunt decided to send me to a group of children who can read so that I would learn how to read. I joined them for two years and then I decided to leave my aunt’s place and go to Mwanza. There I lived on the streets for two years without any result, and so I decided to go to Dar es Salaam. I was 13 at the time. I arrived in Dar in 1993, lived on the streets for one year, while I searched for a place to get an education and other basic needs. I met a young woman who lved in Kigogo, who wanted to help me. So I got food and a place to sleep. One day this woman wanted sexual favours from me so I was forced to leave because I did not agree with this. In 1997 I returned to the streets once again and lived there for four years until in 2001 I met Duncan. Luckily, he told me he would take me to a place in Bgamoyo, because in Dar es Salaam he did not have a centre for street kids. I came to Bagamoyo in 2002 and was send to fifth grade of primary chool. Because of my age, I couldn’t start in the first grade. I tried the best I could and in 2004 I finished seventh grade. I passed the exams to go to secondary school in 2005. This was when the centre in Bagamoyo was run by mama Vicky. Duncan was having some problems so he was no longer with us. At this moment I am starting the second year of secondary school, but new problems seem to arise.

I know that this is how life is, and I am certain that I will succeed. I thank God for everything

William Jonas
My name is Emanuely Joseph. I live in Bagamoyo but come from Moshi in the Kilimanjaro Region. I was living together with my grandmother and my mother. My mother has three children. She said the other two are with their father. She left him and took me with her when I was still very small. So I never knew my father. I continued living with my mother at my grandmother’s place. I was sent to school until fourth grade. When I started fifth grade my mother died. I continued living with my grandmother but since she was very old and poor she couldn’t continue to send me to school. I had to leave home to search for help. I left Moshi and went to Dar es Salaam. I started living on the streets because I didn’t know anyone there. I led the life of a street boy for a year and a half, after this God helped me and I found someone that sent me to school until I finished the seventh grade. I passed the exams for secondary school in 2005. I would like to continue my education in the secondary school of Kiwangwa, this is why I ask for your help, in order to keep on studying.

Thank you very much Yours,
Emanuely Joseph

My name is Gabriel Juma. I finished the 7th grade of primary school in 2005 at Nianjema Primary School in Bagamoyo. I passed the exams to start secondary school, but because of my financial situation I cannot continue to study.

I have been living on the streets since I let home. I am 14 years old now and a street boy. My father already passed away in 1993 and my mother can’t afford to send me to school. Since the first grade of primary school I have been helped by several people, but at this moment I ave nobody to support me. My family is poor, and I am far away from my mother and other relatives since all of them live in Kigoma.

Yours truly, Gabriel Juma