Transform childhoods of 300 slum children in India

Over the last few months, our Child Resource Centre (CRC) has seen many children standing up for themselves and transforming their own lives.

By "transformation" we mean a radical shift in thinking, perception, and behaviour in them. There is a significant change in the way they see their problems now and discuss and come up with solutions. 

Street Plays were an important strategy employed by YUVA for awareness building amongst the children and community. We helped children who came to the CRC to identify issues that affect them and their peers in daily life such as education, child labour and child marriage. A group of CRC children got together and with required guidance from YUVA, performed several street plays in their communities spreading awareness about their importance of education. Many other children came up after the play and shared the difficulty they faced in getting admission process in local schools. As a result, CRC children along with YUVA's support collectively worked closely with a few children and 3 of them successfully got admitted into schools in July.

Roshan was a 12 year boy living in a hutment in mankhurd. He watched the street play and came up to us told that due to lack of required documents he could not get admission in a local school. Due to the collective action of the children from the CRC group and YUVA staff's intervenetion he could finally get admission. Now he goes to school regularly!

These events also gave children a platform to talk about issue of the issue of child marriage publicly, they discussed why child marriage is wrong and how they should raise their voice when they see such a situation in family and in peer group.

The CRC is like second home to the children. They love to explore the educational toys and reading material. They come here to share their challenges and to receive support from us and their peers. They often tell us that they always want to be part of this group.

This has been possible only because of the support of individuals who provided the funds to carry on activities at the centre. The centre runs 6 days a week and we are planning many more such programmes to bring discerable changes in the lives of these children.

We are excited for the months ahead and to strengthening our activities towards tangible impact.