Terre des hommes (Tdh) operates in nine countries to help children in street situations. They are amongst the most vulnerable children and their right to live in decency is far from being protected. There are between 50 and 100 millions children around the world who sleep and work in the streets in order to survive.

They are being marginalized by the ever-growing inequalities, strong urbanisation and the weakening of the spaces of social integration such as families, schools or workplaces. Without any assistance, children in street situations have a very short life expectancy and no quality of life. Terre des hommes tries its very best to help them get out of their dire straits and reinforce their abilities, while at the same time acting on the structural roots which are the causes why they had to go and live in the streets.


Terre des hommes' vision
Terre des hommes talks of “children in street situations” rather than “street children” because the latter stigmatises too much the children. According to us, the problem is not the child but the situation in which he has found himself in the social context: so it is rather mainly a question of adults’ responsibility.

In order to survive, children in street situations perform many works, such as washing windscreens, polishing shoes, selling cigarettes or newspapers, and so on. Their conditions of work are often harsh, even if they still have more freedom than domestic workers or young factory workers. They cope with what they find and they often show great imagination in appropriating resources.

Children in street situations often gather in groups of which they respect the way of life and values (most of the time, very positive ones, such as courage, solidarity or responsibility). They nevertheless very rarely can show their goodwill in commonly accepted activities (such as going to school or be an apprentice), because they are rejected from these areas of integration. Recognizing that they do have positive abilities encourages children in their rights.


Terre des hommes' action
Terre des hommes wishes to assist children on an individual basis. We should not only focus on children’s needs but also underline their abilities. In so doing, we see the positive side of children, their “actor” side and we then can expose the unfairness they are victims of. It is necessary to increase children’s standing so as to be able to advise them in a responsible way.

Terre des hommes applies a specialized tool, namely the “child-street system”, developed by Prof. Riccardo Lucchini, which allows following the evolution of each individual child helped. Its central point is to be in touch with children. This rehabilitation approach of the child is based on a relation of trust between the child and the educator, the day drop-in centres, the night shelters and the formation centres. Amongst all opportunities offered to help him get out of his situation, the child freely decides which ones to take.

This is an “open” approach, as it aims at giving progressively more and more autonomy to the child, taking into account his motivations and advising him on realistic and viable alternatives to his life in the street.
Terre des hommes’ aim is to favour the social integration of children, notably through work, in conditions that respect their rights, or through helping them go back to their family or to school. We also work at reinforcing their abilities as future workers, by offering them opportunities to be apprentices.


A scene from real life
Rap song written by a child in street situations in Rio de Janeiro

The first dose of glue is free
But you’ll have to pay for the second
If you don’t have money
You will begin stealing
The first time you attack someone
You get away from the police
The second time you attack someone
You go to reformatory.
The third time you attack someone
You get shot in the head
That’s how it ends
A street-child’s life