The exact number of street children in Zambia is unknown, but UNICEF estimated in 2019 that there are between 60,000 and 70,000, with about half living in Lusaka. Although the Zambian government recognizes the issue and launched the Efficiency and Effectiveness for Vulnerable Children and Adolescents Initiative in 2018, current training programmes are short-term and rarely lead to sustainable reintegration.

Most young people return to the streets because their limited skills do not lead to employment. To address this structural problem, DAPP launched the Youth Academy in 2023. The first cohort of 30 adolescents started in 2024 with support from Stichting Overal and Stichting Van Doorn, with very positive results, leading to plans for expansion and quality improvement.

Former street children often come from extreme poverty, broken families, illness or death of caregivers, neglect, and abuse. Life on the streets exposes them to violence, exploitation, prostitution, substance abuse, and serious health risks.

Without access to education and vocational skills, they remain economically marginalized and trapped in exploitative work, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

DAPP is a Zambian non-profit organization founded in 1986. Since 1990, it has operated a Children’s Town School to rehabilitate former street children and reintegrate them into their communities.

In 2023, DAPP established the Youth Academy as a dedicated vocational training unit for adolescents.

The Youth Academy provides a safe and supportive environment where former street children receive counselling and psychosocial support to recover from trauma and build self-confidence. Literacy training ensures they acquire basic reading, writing, and numeracy skills.

Expected results include: improving the quality of existing vocational courses, launching a new metalworking course, and providing vocational training to 30 former street children, supported with starter toolkits and job placement assistance.

Graduates will acquire trades that enable them to earn a sustainable income. The metalworking course will expand vocational training opportunities for street children, responding to high demand.

The Youth Academy aims for financial sustainability through government-provided teachers, partnerships with private companies, in-kind contributions, and income from products and services produced by trainees. Continuous fundraising will further strengthen financial independence.

The project runs for two years and supports 30 former street children with vocational training, starter toolkits, and job placement support. Total project costs are ZMW 476,190, of which DAPP contributes ZMW 343,620 (72%).

External funding of ZMW 132,570 (€ 5,000) is required for equipment and tools for the new and  existing courses.