Supporting Street Children in Angola

DAPP UK is funding schools for street children, in order to allow even the poorest children access to education and a brighter future.

The school for street children in the Benguela Province of Angola provides basic primary education to children with no homes and mostly no family, from the agres of 6 to 16. The children are from the province of Benguela, and the school was implemented in 1993 when 1500 children were found to be living on the streets in the area. DAPP in Angola co-operated with local authorities an dfound a place to build the school near to the airport, in the village of Dokota. From 1993 to 2003, 366 students have finished 6th grade at the Street Children School, which was then the highest grade. In 2004 to 2006, 185 of those students also finished 8th grade, and in 2005 an evening programme for adults was also introduced at the school.

In 2007, the project plan is to improve the teaching plan of the students and the school life in many ways. DAPP Angola plans to continue with the evening classes for adults and to expand them, whilst introduces elements such as tree planting to the children's curriculum and also improving the sports facilities for P.E. lessons. Hope (HIV and AIDS) lessons are also being introduced at the school, and DAPP has been introducing different cultural and sport events to encourage self-confidence and community spirit, and plans to expand on these in the new year.

These schools support not only the children but the community as a whole, allowing adults and children alike access to education, self belief and help from reliable people.