Alfonce Samueli

Alfonce comes from the bustling northern city of Arusha, where he lived with his mother. His mother was unable to find work and Alfonce often went to bed without eating. They were too poor for him to buy a school uniform and he wasn’t able to join other children his age at school.

Alfonce repeatedly ran to the streets in search of work and food. From the age of 8, Alfonce would spend months at a time on the dangerous streets of Arusha. There, he was bullied by older homeless children and slept on the concrete.

One day Alfonce met another boy who had been to Amani before and they both agreed to find a way back to the Amani home. At Amani Alfonce was enrolled in school while social workers looked for his father. In October 2009 Alfonce was reunited with his father. With help from Amani he is currently enrolled in a local primary school and doing well. Alfonce’s father is proud of his son’s dedication to school and is happy to have him at home.