The Department of Social Development has just released statics which show that more than 16 000 children have been abandoned and forced onto the streets in the Eastern Cape this year. For these children this means a life without shelter, education, emotional care and a perpetuating cycle of crime and violence. Local police reports also show that street kids are responsible for a large proportion of crime in the Grahamstown area. Amasango Career School is seen to provide a proactive solution in the community for this ongoing problem. Mahreen Chenia and Pual Harris reports