Street children chip in their daily earnings to help earthquake victims

I have many friends from Nepal. They come in the morning to clean cars. I have heard about Nepal from them,” said 10-year-old Rohan (name changed). He works at tea stall, but these days he is roaming around at market places seeking money from passers-by to help victims of the disastrous earthquake-hit Nepal.

“Mujhe pata hai kya hota hai jab bhukamp aata hai (I know what happens when an earthquake strikes),” said 14-year-old Rani (name changed). Herself a ragpicker, Rani is accompanying Rohan not in search of waste but persuading shopowners to lend support to the people of Nepal. “I am not only collecting money from others but I will donate some amount from my daily earnings as well,” she said.

Like them, scores of street children are doing their bit and collecting money by moving around in Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini Nagar markets to help people in Nepal.

Many of them appear confident while talking to strangers and convincing them to provide helping hand to the victims in Nepal. “We have done this before. During Jammu and Kashmir floods, we sold our paintings and collected Rs 50,000, and during Uttrakhand floods we collected Rs 20,000. We deposited the amount to Prime Minister’s relief fund,” said Sunil (name changed).

These children also sought money from the shopowners. People were amazed to see their courage and came forward to donate money.

People’s support“Surprisingly the support was more from passers-by than shopkeepers. They were connecting more with the cause than shopowners,” said 17-year-old Tanya (name changed).

“So far we have got Rs 5,000 but we aim to collect Rs 10,000 and deposit the amount to PM’s Relief fund,” she added.

These kids are members of an NGO Badthe Kadam – a federation of street and working children in Delhi.

“This gesture of children is very inspiring. We have special connect with Nepal, and many children become victim of trafficking when such calamities held. We hope citizens of Delhi will take lesson from these children and contribute wholeheartedly,” said Sanjay Gupta, Director of NGO Childhood Enhancement Through Training and Action.