We’re proud to announce the launch of 14 new support desks across Tanzania, along with national guidelines for supporting vulnerable people.
Railway Children Africa (RCA), alongside the Tanzanian Government, have officially launched 14 new Social Welfare Service Desks at major bus terminals across 12 of the country’s key regions.
These desks are designed to be a lifeline for vulnerable people – especially children and young people – passing through terminals after escaping abuse, neglect or exploitation.
The launch took place at the Magufuli Bus Terminal in Dar es Salaam, led by the Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups, Hon. Dr. Dorothy Gwajima (MP).
The milestone event brought together over 200 people, including government stakeholders, civil society champions, and community leaders, with a shared goal: to look out for those most in need.
The day marked a significant step forward with the official release of new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These SOPs are the rulebook for operating these desks, laying out clear guidelines to make sure vulnerable people identified get coordinated and quality support.
Developed by RCA in collaboration with national and regional partners, these SOPs are setting a new national standard for protecting vulnerable people across Tanzania.
They will guide the frontline staff at these desks, formalising and streamlining how social welfare services and referrals are provided for vulnerable children who are identified in and around the transport hubs.
Mary Gatama, Interim Chief Executive at RCA, said:
“We are witnessing what’s possible when Government, civil society, and the private sector come together with a shared purpose. It’s no longer about isolated interventions; it’s about building a protective ecosystem around every vulnerable community.”
Felix Wood, Head of Anti-Corruption and Serious and Organized Crime, representing the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), said:
“This has not been a one-way partnership; it’s about people coming together to co-create real, sustainable solutions.”
Railway Children will join partners from the Rooted Futures collaboration at the 2026 Skoll World Forum to lead an interactive session on family strengthening and child protection reform.
Over 200 supporters from the rail industry raised more than £60,000 at Railway Children’s Night At The Station event, spending a night in stations across the UK to protect vulnerable children at risk.
Through our flagship youth participation programme, Youth Platform, young people are shaping our training materials, influencing key decisions and ensuring the rail industry truly understand youth vulnerability.
No child wants to survive on the streets. And, through understanding and empowerment, together, we can ensure no child has to.
Julia, 24, grew up as a boy but knew, early on, that the gender she’d been born into was not who she was. Here, she talks to Youth Platform about her journey, and what she wishes she’d know as a ten-year-old boy.
Reflecting on the unique strengths different minds bring to Railway Children and the rich potential of the neurodivergent young people we support.
