STREET CHILDREN PROGRAMME – Anchal

Project Objective

ü  To rehabilitate children abusing substances

ü  To develop an effective intervention model

ü  To create awareness about the issue amongst children and stakeholders

Rationale

Research studies show that the presence of Street children is an urban phenomenon all over the world today. The problems surrounding street children are growing in big cities and towns as a consequence of the growth in size and complexities of cities. The accelerating processes of urbanization, rural-urban migration, globalization and family disintegration have caused many social problems including that of marginalized children.

Among the broad category of marginalized children, a group of street children stands out due to their specific characteristics and lifestyle

• Street children are an extremely vulnerable group because of the way they are forced to live homeless on the streets.
• They are roofless, rootless and alienated from the society.
• They are roofless, rootless and alienated from the society.
• They grow up on the margins of the society without love, care, protection and supervision of adults.
• Moreover, they are deprived of their basic rights of survival, protection, development and participation.
• They have to fend for themselves for their own survival and sometimes for the survival of their family as well.
• Civic amenities like latrines and bathing facilities are beyond their reach.
• Malnutrition and hunger is widespread among them.
• Due to constant exposure to the unhealthy conditions of living on the streets, children suffer from a range of ailments.
• Owing to the lack of guardian control over their lives children indulge in various addictions like smoking, sniffing glue, and Xerox solutions leaving them debilitated.
• Street children become the victims of the sub-culture of the street: drug abuse, gambling, drinking, vagrancy, thieving and prostitution. They are high-risk group for HIV/AIDS.
• Street children are subjected to harassment and eviction by the municipal authorities because of their unauthorized occupation of city roads and vacant places. Street children are also
• They are victims of physical and sexual abuse.

Target Group (at Present)

Children who reside and work within the premises of railway stations, inside the train and surrounding area.

Work Area

Railway stations from Sealdah to Ranaghat, Sealdah to Sonarpur, Sealdah to Bongao and the surrounding communities.

Methods

Regular counseling and therapy sessions both with individuals and groups are essential aspects of the project. The project comprises of an array of other activities, such as: identification of new children indulging substance abuse, establishing strong rapport with all the substance-abusing children, assessment of their perception and needs and organizing activities like life skill workshops, heath camps, counseling with parents, parent meetings, art and craft classes, etc.

Education is also provided to these children through the system of non-formal education. Keeping the focus on the children’s best interest, they are either sent to a shelter home or rehabilitation centre.