BLA Feeds 509 At-Risk Kids: 384 on the Dump and 125 Already Rescued

On December 06, 2025, BLA reached 509 children, 384 still living on the garbage dump and 125 already rescued, providing them with warm meals, moments of joy, and a renewed sense of belonging. 

This activity is part of the association’s ongoing efforts to transform the lives of children who have been left to survive on the landfill.

Since its establishment in 2019, Back to Life Association has tirelessly worked to support children whose daily reality revolves around scavenging through waste in search of food or items that can be sold. Many of these children were abandoned by their parents or left solely in the care of their mothers, who themselves struggle with poverty and broken relationships. As a result, countless children drop out of school and resort to surviving through trash picking.

 

The rescued children under BLA’s care are regularly fed, provided with clothing, hygiene materials, and other basic needs that help them reintegrate into school. Today, 125 children have been fully rescued and are under the association’s permanent follow-up, a number that continues to grow as resources permit. 

 

For children who have no surviving parent or guardian or abandoned by parents, Back to Life provides safe shelter and lodges them. The organization has constructed dormitories capable of hosting 40 children, and thanks to generous donors, the facilities have recently been expanded to welcome even more kids in the near future.

 

As part of its outreach strategy, BLA frequently visits the landfill to meet children still living there. During these visits, the team collects groups of kids and brings them to the center, where they are taught biblical values, given moments to sing and laugh, and offered comforting meals. These activities are designed to restore joy and provide emotional relief to children whose early childhood has been marked by neglect, hunger, and trauma. Sometimes they are given new clothes and home shoes to replace their torn and worn-out belongings.

“God loves you. Your fate is not the dump. One day you will leave this place. God can take the afflicted and seat them with the powerful,” encouraged Sylva, Head of Back to Life, as he spoke words of hope to the children. His message reflects the association’s belief that every child, no matter their background, deserves dignity, love, and the opportunity to thrive.

 

For many children on the dump, these visits are the highlight of their lives. They eagerly look forward to seeing someone arrive, call their names, and offer them a moment of care. Their stories often share the same threads: family breakdowns, mistrust between parents, extreme poverty, and abandonment.

 

One such child is Yves, a 13-year-old boy and the eldest of four siblings. His story mirrors the hardship faced by many others.

“When I was 10, my father died. Life became unbearable. I dropped out of school to scavenge for survival,” he recounts. After his father’s death, Yves’ mother remarried, leaving him and his younger brother behind while taking the two youngest children with her. “We came back from the dump one evening and found our mother had gone. The house was empty. With nowhere to stay, the dump became our home. We often sleep outside or in rubble. We don’t know where she went with her new husband and the two kids.”

 

Yves and his little brother are among the children Back to Life plans to shelter permanently when resources allow. His story is just one among many, reflecting deep wounds of rejection, abandonment, and isolation. Yet, even before they are fully admitted into the program, these outreach encounters help children like him experience love, hope, and the assurance that their lives can change.

 

“I thank very much the people who sometimes pick us from the garbage to feed us. May God bless them,” Yves said, eating his meal with relief. “Life at the dump is very hard. We eat bad things that can make us sick. Today, I am happy to have food that will not harm me.”

 

Back to Life understands that poverty and family conflict are among the leading causes pushing children onto the landfill. For this reason, its mission extends beyond feeding and rescuing children. 

The organization is working to empower families through holistic development, providing them with the knowledge and tools needed to build stable, peaceful homes where children can grow safely and access education.

 

BLA remains deeply grateful to all partners, donors, and friends whose support makes these life-changing interventions possible. Together, they are paving the way for a future where no child has to call a garbage dump home. Watch the video about BLA feeding the kids https://youtu.be/6MPbHECMWeQ?si=KbVNaqykR1UNMNsW

Thanks to Our Sponsors

We would like to thank all our sponsors who made this event possible. Thanks to their support, we were able to provide a memorable day for the children and the community.