December 10, 2025
From the streets to sucess
Hope trust
Innocent’s leadership is powerfully shaped by personal experience. Born into an impoverished family in 1993, he spent over a decade living on the streets of Blantyre alongside his blind parents and elder brother. Life on the margins exposed him to the grim realities of deprivation, exploitation, and abuse. In 2007, a life-altering intervention by the Samaritan Trust brought him into care, education, and stability; opening a pathway to self-empowerment and civic responsibility.
Rather than leaving the street behind, Innocent turned back toward it with purpose. Grounded in a survivor’s insight and bolstered by a solid educational foundation, he founded Hope for Children Trust as a channel for systemic impact. Under his stewardship, the organization has become a vital catalyst for change; rescuing, educating, and reintegrating children with dignity and purpose.
Today, the organization supports over 140 children through comprehensive programs in education, psychosocial support, and community reintegration. Innocent has cultivated strong partnerships with the Department of Social Welfare, Ministry of Gender, Malawi Police, and allied community-based organizations to deliver coordinated, rights-based interventions.
His leadership has enabled significant milestones, including two formerly street-connected youths now studying at the University of Malawi and several others undergoing skills training at vocational institutions across the country. Through testimony and action, Innocent continues to challenge stigma, dismantle cycles of abuse, and advance an inclusive vision where no child is left to survive alone on the streets.
Innocent Tengeza is a living embodiment of resilience, restoration, and radical hope. His work affirms that with care, vision, and collective responsibility, street-connected children can transition from vulnerability to leadership and legacy.
