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On the International Day for Children in Street Situations (12 April), we joined forces with our partners to highlight a simple but essential truth: health is a right for every child. Yet, in many countries, millions of children are still deprived of real access to healthcare. This is particularly alarming for children in street situations, whose extremely precarious living conditions severely undermine their health: lack of access to safe drinking water, exposure to pollution, poor hygiene, exposure to disease, and the absence of medical follow-up.

Supporting young people in vulnerable situations is at the heart of our mission. This is why, in 2019, we founded The Birdhouse restaurant to support young people, helping them rebuild their confidence and achieve lasting social integration. In Geneva, The Birdhouse is much more than just a restaurant. It is a place where young people train for careers in the hospitality industry through recognised and certified apprenticeships, while also receiving personalised support to help them build their future. Awen’s journey, a cooking apprentice, is a powerful example: discover the experience of this young apprentice and his trainer.

In Ségou, Mali, many children grow up in contexts marked by violence and poverty. To address these situations, our partner Caritas Mali works through the Action Enfants de Tous (AET) project, which provides children a comprehensive support combining protection, education and socio-professional integration. At the heart of this initiative is the support provided by educators, who work with these children every day. Among them is Veronique, who has been an educator for nearly thirteen years within the AET project and carries out her work with strong dedication.

On the occasion of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Lebanon, we submitted to the United Nations, together with our Lebanese partners the Good Shepherd Sisters and Tahaddi, a joint report on children’s rights focusing on five key themes: education, health, mental health, violence against children and statelessness. It is based on interviews conducted with 74 children including refugee and stateless children, as well as parents and professionals. In November 2025, on the margins of the civil society UPR pre-session, we welcomed Elissa to Geneva, a young woman working for the Good Shepherd Sisters.

In Cameroon, our partner la Chaîne des Foyers Saint-Nicodème supports children in vulnerable situations, helping them rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society. Based in Douala, our partner runs centres welcoming children in street situations. Children find there a protective and structured environment where they can return to school, learn vocational skills, rebuild their self-confidence, and envision a sustainable future. It is within this protective and nurturing environment that we met Allan, aged 13, who kindly agreed to share his story and dreams with us.

On 8 December 2025, FAAI organised its first-ever event at the United Nations in Geneva, in partnership with Ms Mama Fatima Singhateh, UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale, Sexual Exploitation, and Sexual Abuse of Children. Bringing together 25 representatives from Permanent Missions, the event aimed to raise awareness among UN Member States about the situation of children in street situations and the urgent need to protect them from sexual exploitation. The initiative was also supported by numerous co-sponsoring Permanent Missions, including South Africa, Uruguay, the European Union, Germany, Slovenia, Lithuania, as well as other organisations.