But things could have turned out very differently...

Shufaa was just four years old when she was separated from her mum and moved over 700 miles away to live with her father and stepmother.

Six years later, her father left home and, without his protection, Shufaa’s stepmother began to abuse and neglect her. Eventually, not knowing what else to do, Shufaa ran away to look for her father. Instead, she found herself alone and struggling to survive on the streets where she was vulnerable to physical violence, sexual abuse and forced labour.

Thankfully, a member of the public reported Shufaa to a government Social Welfare Officer, who then referred her to us.

When Railway Children outreach worker, Joyce, met Shufaa, it quickly became apparent that Shufaa was desperate to return to her mother.