Olivier Kwizera’s journey to becoming a mechanic in Kigali is not the life story one would expect. Today, he earns a steady income repairing cars in Gatsata, but his path was shaped by hardship, survival and a childhood spent on the margins.

Born in Huye District as the firstborn in his family, Kwizera carried responsibilities far beyond his age. While still in primary school, he spent his days fetching water, collecting firewood and running small businesses selling cigarettes, eggs and even livestock to support himself.

At just 12 years old, driven by hardship and hope for a better life, Kwizera made the difficult decision to leave home for Kigali alone. Instead of opportunity he was expecting, he encountered the harsh realities of street life. His first night in the city ended in police custody after he was picked up at Nyabugogo Bus Park.

What followed was a familiar cycle for many children living in street situations: brief returns home, repeated journeys back to the streets and an uncertain future.

Kwizera’s turning point came at Gikondo Transit Center, where he was identified and supported by Ihumure Houses initiated by SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda, an organisation working to ensure that children and young people without parental care or at risk of losing it grow up with the care and support they need.

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Through rehabilitation and vocational education at École Technique de Kabgayi, a TVET school in Muhanga District, Kwizera began rebuilding his life one skill at a time.

"I now have a driving permit. I do mechanics and can earn over Rwf100,000 per month,” he said. "I’m just starting, but I’m sure I will keep improving and rebuilding my life.”

His story reflects not only personal resilience but also the impact of programmes designed to help street-connected children heal, reintegrate and reclaim their future within a family environment.

Supporting children to grow up in families

Kwizera is among many children supported through initiatives by SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda, implemented in partnership with the Government of Rwanda to ensure that every child grows up in a caring family environment.

The programme operates under a memorandum of understanding between SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda and the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion.

The collaboration gained momentum in 2012 when Rwanda accelerated efforts to transition children from institutional care to family-based care through the Malaika Murinzi initiative, introduced by First Lady Jeannette Kagame through the Imbuto Foundation.

SOS Children’s Villages has been active in Rwanda since 1979, supporting children and families through villages and community programmes in districts such as Gasabo, Gicumbi, Kayonza and Nyamagabe.

One of the organisation’s recent innovations is the creation of "Ihumure Houses” therapeutic spaces designed to help children recover emotionally and regain a sense of stability.

Healing spaces for recovery and trust

Established in 2023, Ihumure Houses were created in response to the increasing number of children living in street situations across Rwanda.

The initiative forms part of the Seruka Project, a five-year programme aiming to rehabilitate and reintegrate at least 7,800 children living in street situations through mental health, psychological and family support.

Each Ihumure is supervised by trained professionals, including psychologists, teachers and caregivers. The rooms are designed to create a welcoming and safe environment where children can relax, play and rebuild trust.

Brightly coloured walls, toys and interactive learning tools provide stimulation and comfort for children who have experienced difficult situations.

Through guided play, therapy and structured activities, the spaces help children regain confidence, strengthen resilience and rediscover a sense of belonging.

Addressing trauma and restoring hope

Anne Candide Habyalimana, Mental Health, Psychosocial Support and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Project Manager at SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda, says many children arriving at the centres show deep emotional scars.

"Most of them have lost hope. You see it in their behaviour anger, insults or other difficult attitudes,” she explained. "These reactions are often defensive responses to the trauma they carry.”

Rehabilitation usually takes between three and six months, focusing on helping children recover emotionally and socially before reintegration with their families whenever possible, or placement with foster families when necessary.

Through interactive exercises such as LEGO-based storytelling, therapists assess children’s cognitive development and emotional state.

The approach follows the Reflection, Connection and Application (RCA) method. Children first reflect on what they build, connect it with their real-life experiences and explore how those lessons can be applied in their daily lives.

"Our goal is to help them rediscover self-confidence, resilience and hope,” Habyalimana said.

Strengthening families to break the cycle of street life

According to Jean Bosco Kwizera, National Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda, sustainable reintegration depends on addressing the underlying challenges that push children to the streets.

"The failure of the family is often the root cause,” he said. "Research shows that around 35 per cent of children taken to rehabilitation centres return to the streets at least once. This shows why we must address the factors that pushed them there in the first place.”

SOS Children’s Villages focuses heavily on family strengthening programmes, which support families economically and socially to create stable environments for children.

In Nyamagabe District alone, programmes initially reached about 4,000 to 5,000 children over two decades up to 2012. By last year, the organisation had expanded its reach to 120,000 children across 15 districts, supported through 19 projects.

Over the next five years, SOS Children’s Villages aims to benefit around 360,000 people through programmes focused on youth development, family strengthening and support for farming families, particularly in Rwanda’s Eastern Province.

Currently, SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda supports 400 children and 600 young people across four villages, has reintegrated 3,000 children into communities, and assists 7,100 people from 1,179 families through its family strengthening programmes.

The organisation also works closely with local authorities to monitor school dropouts so that support can reach children before they end up in street situations.

"Children can change and adapt when they are given the right support,” Kwizera said. "Life itself becomes the best teacher.”

A second chance at childhood

For Gad Irakoze, 13, the support has already made a difference.

He and his younger brother were brought to SOS Children’s Villages from the Gikondo Transit Center after living on the streets of Nyabugogo, where they were exposed to drug abuse and violence fueled by family conflict and alcohol abuse.

Today, he dreams of becoming a police officer.

"We’ve found a home here,” he said. "Before, we felt hopeless and our home didn’t feel like a home anymore. Now hope has been restored, and we look forward to a better life.”