At just 15 years old, Ally** (name changed) faced challenges that many adults would struggle to overcome. Poverty forced him to discontinue his secondary education and put on hold his dream of becoming an automobile mechanic. He ended up on the streets, selling vegetables to help his family survive. Today, his days point in a different direction. With support from Railway Children Africa (RCA), Ally is training towards the future he has chosen for himself: becoming an automobile mechanic.
Ally’s experience shows what poverty can really mean for a child . It is more than a lack of income. It is a lost seat in a classroom, a working day on the street, and a childhood without the safety and chances every child deserves. It can strain a family until the pressure risks pulling it apart , and leave children exposed to harm.
That is why RCA works with the whole family, not just the child. Practical support that eases hardship today, such as school support, family livelihood help, parenting training etc., makes room for something larger: stability, dignity and a sense of belonging. This International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, through Ally’s story Railway Children Africa is highlighting how practical, family-centred support can enable children move from surviving to building a future.
A story of change.
After completing primary school, Ally could not continue to secondary education because his mother was unable to afford the fees. His father had long since left the family, leaving his mother solely responsible for food and other basic needs through her small vegetable business. Ally and his younger sister began selling vegetables in their neighbourhood and on the streets, sometimes also taking casual work in people’s gardens.
Despite these pressures, Ally held firmly to his ambition of becoming an automobile mechanic. The cost of vocational training, however, was beyond the family’s means. Without support, his goal was likely to remain out of reach, while he and his sister continued working instead of pursuing education and skills development.
RCA staff met Ally and his sister during outreach activities while they were selling vegetables. After listening to the children, RCA assessed the family’s circumstances and confirmed the severe financial pressures they faced. The organisation then worked with the family on support that responded both to their immediate vulnerability and to the underlying causes of poverty.
RCA’s Intervention through family strengthening
RCA provided food assistance to help meet the family’s immediate needs, reduce pressure on the household and allow the children to focus on education and development. Ally’s mother was also enrolled in a business empowerment programme to strengthen her income-generating capacity and improve the family’s long-term stability.
Working closely with the family, RCA identified a vocational training centre where Ally could learn automobile mechanics and covered his training fees. This enabled him to move away from street vending and begin formal training in the field he had long hoped to enter.
Ally adapted quickly and made strong progress. His instructors observed that he learned rapidly and applied new skills effectively in practical situations. Senior mechanics sometimes rewarded his contribution to repair work with small payments of approximately USD 1.
“I am doing well in mechanics. These days, when we repair cars, the chief mechanic gives me USD 1. I dream of becoming a great mechanic one day.”
A Pathway Out of Poverty
Ally’s story demonstrates the transformative impact of timely, targeted intervention. By combining immediate relief with family economic empowerment and access to vocational training, RCA helped address the pressures that placed the children on the streets while opening a realistic route to a safer and more independent future.
Lasting change begins by listening to children and families, understanding the pressures they face and strengthening support before crisis becomes separation. We call on communities, decision-makers, partners and supporters to invest in family strengthening, child protection and community-based services that help children move away from the street and towards safe, sustainable care.
A safe home is more than four walls. It is where protection begins, trust is rebuilt and a child’s future becomes possible.