With an estimated population of more than 200.000 people, Gondar is the third largest city of Ethiopia. Lying at an altitude of 2,225 m, it has a pleasant, moderate mountain climate and is surrounded by green hills and farmland. Serving the vast northwestern region of Ethiopia, Gondar is an important trade center and tourist destination.  

Gondar was the capital of Ethiopia from c.1635 to 1867 and is noted for the distinct architecture of its Royal Enclosure. This site was listed on the World Heritage List in 1979 for its outstanding blend of Indian, Portuguese and Moorish styles. Downtown Gondar with its buildings in a simplified Italian Moderne style shows the influence of the Italian occupation of the late 1930s.

In terms of pollution, uncontrolled growth and other well-known problems caused by rapid economic development,  Gondar with its friendly, almost small-town mood seems to be better off than most other Third-World-cities.  But a second look reveals the presence of some pressing social problems, almost 3.000 street children being one of them.

The major single problem is rural migration. Gondar's population has recently been growing at a rate of 5.2% per year, with the development of infrastructure lagging behind. Recurrent droughts and soil depletion in Northern Ethiopia add to the influx of the rural poor. Many of these migrants find it difficult to make a living in a town already abundant with cheap labour.

Under this pressure, family ties get weaker and traditional networks break apart. But most of all, the impact of AIDS is virtually devastating. In Gondar, an estimated 15-20% of the population is HIV-positive.

Almost inevitably, many children end up as AIDS orphans – and quite often on the street. Street life might be a short-time relief for these children, but the longer perspectives are grim: drug abuse, prostitution and crime in general are the threats. But also the fact, that street children generally are stigmatized – seen as outcasts of society –  creates a feeling of hopelessness. Therefore, these children need "yenege tesfa" - a hope of tomorrow. Happily, the street children of Gondar still have a good chance to stay away from gang violence, drug abuse and other crimes – if action is taken to help them. A couple of local initiatives and NGOs have set up programmes to do exactly that – Yenege Tesfa is one of them.