Where it began
My commitment to caring for vulnerable children began with a life-changing encounter in Burundi in 2009. Late one night, I stopped at a petrol station and noticed several young children wandering the streets alone. When I asked why they were out so late, I was told simply, "This is where they live."
As I prepared to leave, I saw two young boys — I'll call them A and Y — carrying two flattened cardboard boxes each. They walked beneath a tree, laid one box on the ground as a mattress, and used the other as a blanket before settling down to sleep.
"We don't have anywhere to go."
I later learned their mother had grown up as a street child herself and had since passed away. The boys had never known their father and had no family left to care for them.
The following day, I found them in the same place and brought food, clean water, clothing and shoes. I invited them to my home to bathe, eat, and rest — and they accepted. From that day on, they became part of my family.
With a stable home, love, education and encouragement, A and Y flourished. They worked hard in school, grew in confidence, and began building futures that once seemed impossible. Their transformation showed what's possible when vulnerable children are given safety, opportunity and consistent support.
Their story became the foundation of everything we do today. What began with two boys sleeping under a tree has grown into a lifelong commitment — to restoring hope, supporting families of every kind, and helping people build a brighter future, regardless of the circumstances they were born into.
— Alida Mananga, Founder
