Mara writes:
As for us, the biggest challenge is the rescue program. Once you rescue a child and put them in a government school, the charges for a child to stay there are $200 per year. December is when most kids run away. The problem is greatest when the school is closed. These children can’t go back to their original homes because they disobeyed their parents, so either they run away or are rescued. The parents are reported to the area chief or the elders. The fact that these children call for help usually leaves them homeless; their parents accuse them of putting them in trouble. Our longest holiday is in November and December. We host these children and provide them with food. The cost for the two months is $2,000 as the cost of food is very expensive. In other months, such as April and August, is easier because they are home for a week . One of the saddest cases is of a boy who ran away to school at the age of 12 years. The father died, then the mother died while giving birth. The children were picked up by their uncle who employed them as shephards, their salary being just a plate of food in the evening. As they were herding cattle in December last year, a buffalo killed the brother as he watched. He was saved by the herd of cattle he was tending. After his brother was buried the same day of the accident, the boy run away to school, shaken and could not alter a word. Tabula is his name and in our rescued program. Per year we need $2,000 fees . Per year we need $ 2,000 for food. A total of $4,000 just for this program.
