STREET CHILDREN speak out
Children are living on the streets for many reasons. They have run away from physical or sexual abuse at home. Their families are too poor to feed an extra mouth. They are physically disabled and unwanted. They are attracted by the the bright lights of the city.
In the developing world, they are 'street children'. In the rich world, they are 'runaways'. The causes may be slightly different, but the result is the same: vulnerable children living on the street, having to fend for themselves just to survive.
Once on the streets, street children need to earn money just to eat. Some beg. Some sell - anything from sweets to magazines. Some do shoe-shining. Many are ragpickers - recycling cloth, plastic, glass, metals, often in dangerous conditions. And some work is traditionally done by gangs of street children, such as erecting wedding tents in India.
It is hard to comprehend what life for children on the streets must be like. When we encounter street children, we see them as a nuisance. But they are human beings who are being denied access to some fundamental human rights we take for granted.
...listen to what they say
Take Action
Remember: George Bernard Shaw's wise words: "The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that is the essence of inhumanity."
Understand: Read "Trash" by Gita Wolf, a storybook which shows the life of a group of ragpickers in South India, compiled from a workshop when the children told the stories of their lives.
See: Contact the Consortium for Street Children to find out about street children's organisations in countries you plan to visit. When you get there, visit a night shelter and meet some of the children. Take some of your old toys (such as Lego) or school materials to leave with them.
Do: Next time you are accosted by street children wherever you are in the world, go and buy them an ice cream!
Find Out More
Consortium for Street Children: www.streetchildren.org.uk
"Trash" on special offer from Books for Change: www.booksforchange.net
What they are thinking:
Street children have their own ideas about the world and its problems:
With unity amongst ourselves, we can do anything! - Mannar
We should work to protect all children and uphold their rights. We should see that the police who make the lives of street children so miserable are punished. - Suresh
Education is the most important thing to bring about change. With education comes respect. And with respect we can build our lives. - Papu
Employment is the big issue. Every young adult should have the opportunity to earn a living. - Anuj
After a brainstorm on how to change the world, a group of children in Delhi aged from 9 to 17 came up with the idea of organising a National Street Children's Day, when they would do things for other people for free, which would challenge the stereotype that streetchildren are parasites who are up to no good.
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If you've ever been accosted by a streetchild, read this book.
