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The high number of HIV-infected people is a huge strain on the society and the country's economy. The number of people dying from AIDS is constantly growing. As a consequence, more and more children are losing a parent, if not actually becoming orphaned and they depend entirely on the support of relatives. However, as their relative's households are already overcharged, there is neither space for additional children, nor money for food or the relative luxury of school fees. Hence, many children are forced to make a living on the street accepting all kinds of odd-jobs and begging and stealing. Most of them are male, neglected, unqualified and in bad health.


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Project Development

The appearance of street children is a new phenomenon in Chipata. Catalyzed by the social misery and the high number of HIV-infected people, it is supposed that the number of street children is growing further. There is a definite need for action.

Our project with street children was initiated by Esther Bürki; a nurse specialized in psychiatry and tropical diseases from Switzerland. Esther first successfully created an education centre for women in Malawi. With her experience and social contacts she then moved on to Zambia to start this new institution. In 2004 she handed over the responsibility of the project to the local Zambian community and since May 2007 Mrs. Jane Jere is our new coordinator. Mrs. Jere is a pedagogical adviser and since the beginning of the project she has been in charge of caring for and schooling of the children.

Running Streetkids Chipata works successfully because of a simple but powerful concept: the project encourages street children to play football. Football is what motivates the children and enables us to work together on a regular basis over time. Football is fun and the regular training improves the children's physical condition (which, of course, may need basic medical attention). The children learn and experience the meaning of team spirit, discipline and authority. They gain self-esteem and improve their social skills. These are essential attributes for the subsequent reintegration of the children into the educational system and into the wider community.

In summer 2009 there were over 75 children enrolled in the project, organized into three teams. They attend training five times a week and on weekends they play a match against another team from the regional football league. Our competent staff encourages and organizes their (re)schooling or vocational apprenticeship. Once a suitable school or trade has been found, the children leave the football team which allows other children to follow on. 15 additional children regularly attend the music and theatre workshop. In order to accommodate the children for whom no shelter could be found, we maintain a transit home in Chipata. The nine members of staff take care of the kids around the clock, hence providing a place where they can be "children" again.

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Successes and Problems

The project tackles the complex problem of street children in an innovative way: Thanks to football, these children can be reintegrated into society. Running Streetkids Chipata proves that sport and development can be combined successfully and effectively. The children's commitment to the teams allows us to work with them continually and meet an individual's needs..

The growing number of HIV-infected people is a constant challenge. We could face the loss of either children or members of staff at any time from this dreadful disease. Besides Aids, other diseases frequently appear because of the bad hygienic conditions and widespread poverty. All in all, we are confronted with a high mortality rate which may influence the project development.

Corruption is another problem in Chipata. It is one of the project's strengths that we have carefully selected our staff since the beginning. This has proved to be a solid base to work on. Transparency and accountability are the standard working practices for everybody on the project.

The considerable financial support given by SDC - the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation - shows that our project has awoken an interest among experts. However, of more immediate and practical importance for the success of the project is the trust and respect of the local people. As a strong gesture of support Chipata's Town Council kindly donated a centrally located plot of land in 2006. EEF considers to use this to construct a complex which will include offices, a bigger transit home for orphans, as well as the facilities for the football teams.


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Areas of Ongoing Interest

- Organization of schooling or vocational apprenticeships
- Medical care and counselling
- Maintenance of a transit home for 15 children
- Organization of two football teams
- Further improvement of physical and mental state of the children through sport
- Encountering discipline, authority, team spirit and social competence – i.e. values other than the ones of the street



Support by EEF

EEF support allows the transit home to run as well as providing for the equipment and the training of the three football teams. So far about 90 orphans have benefited from the project.

EEF regularly visits and evaluates the project. Though Running Streetkids Chipata has already achieved a lot, considerable personnel and material resources are needed to manage the constant challenges. We consider regular supervision an important means to reach this goal.

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Zambia

	Population	11,5 Mio. (July 2006)
	Area	752’614 sq km
	GDP per capita	US$ 1'000.– (2006)

References:
CIA World Factbook (2007), own design.



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