The children who used to live in the street cannot join a traditional shelter or go back in their families without difficulty, if they do not go through a readaptation period. It shall take more or less time, depending on one’s background. Every structure aiming at helping these children and taking them out of the street, has the duty to take account of their individual backgrounds, in order to be able to welcome them progressively and step by step

Have they broken links with society, be they in situation of survival, wild, violent or victims, abandoned, all these children show the same desire: being recognized, listened to and loved. While remaining as close as possible to the kids and listening to them, APC has installed year after year intermediate hosting structures that are adapted to the different situations and needs of encountered kids. In these ad hoc structures, human and adult-to-child relationships play the main role. They have proven their efficiency and will keep on improving in the future thanks to the support of all of those, in France or elsewhere, who trust us.

The opening in 2001 of Poonhill shelter aimed at tackling an emergency situation
and providing a small group of street children, exposed to extreme danger, with the familial and secure environment that they had lost.

But this answer rapidly showed its limits. An action of prevention seemed imperative for the large number of children, often very young, who, because of the poverty of their parents, were left on their own devices, and could be tempted to cut the links with their families and fall into the street culture. Balkendra was born in 2003 from this observation.

Some of the children are too old to go to school and must be oriented and guided towards a professional activity that allows them being autonomous.
Those who went to school may not find in their environment a satisfying occupation. To go till the end of our commitment towards these children, it was imperative to help them building a project of living, including professional training and support for the creation of an independent activity or for placement. Our solutions are called Kalimati and Biya.