Parents have been encouraged to help their children to make right choices to prevent them from wasting their lives on streets where they end up engaging in lawlessness.
They were further asked to closely follow up and be actively involved in their lives and plans of the children not to become drug abusers and dealers.
ACP Teddy Ruyenzi made the call, while addressing about 700 former street children, who have been reintegrated in their families, as well as their parents, held at FAWE school in Gisozi sector, Gasabo District.
This dialogue was intended to explain to children and parents, the rights of children and the necessary education that should be provided in the family in order to protect them from wandering and other attitudes that are contrary to family and national values.
“The problem of street children is a burden on the family and the country in general, and it’s the responsibility of us all and particularly parents, to have the same collective understanding on the solutions,” said ACP Ruyenzi.
Currently, there are at least 3900 young people and children in rehabilitation centers over drug abuse and other illegal acts.
Children should be taken care of right from birth, and parents should work together to look after them; their diet and education, help them to choose the right direction and to know the consequences when they make bad choices,” she observed.
Fred Mufulukye, the Director-General of National Rehabilitation Service (NRS) pointed out that problems that children face are largely family-related driving them out of their homes.
“It is not good to see our Children in the streets, for children to be able to have a future life and to be a good citizen and contribute to their own country”. Mufulukye said.
“It is not good for the children to be on the street, because for a child to have a good life, to be a healthy Rwandan and to benefit the country; it requires parents to be involved in their lives, commit and be responsible in their education journey and to help them in every possible way,” said Mufulukye.
He appealed to parents to prevent and protect their children against all malpractice including, drug abuse, violence and going on the streets, and to teach them the right way to purposeful growth and development.
Assumpta Ingabire, the Director-General for National Child Development Agency (CNDA) said that the dialogue is a good channel to address the apparent problem and to take collective solutions to put an end to the trend, and reduce the big number of children who often leave their families for the streets.
It is expected that the same dialogue will be conducted in other regions in an effort to address the root causes of street children. (End)