ASIA/INDIA - Education for poor children in the indian slums of Allahabad

Allahabad (Agenzia Fides) - The International Day of street children who in the world are about 250 million was recently celebrated. We are talking about vulnerable young children, forced to beg and steal to survive without education. Children without family or unstable families, victims of abuse and exploitation by unscrupulous adults. Among the various initiatives, the Spanish Catholic NGO Manos Unidas has promoted a project for children in the slums of Allahabad, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, that are over 3000 between 4 and 14 years of age and who instead of going to school are forced to work as scavengers, shoe shiners, artisans, taxi drivers. Some work in hotels or shops, while most of the girls are involved in domestic work. They drink, gamble, steal, take drugs. Some are orphans, others prefer to live on the street rather than with their families. About 60% are victims of trafficking and smuggling, and are often forced into prostitution. The initiative promotes school education in 20 institutes that bring together more than 800 students. Self-help groups have been formed with parents of the beneficiaries, and promoted awareness programs in education, alcoholism and child labor. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 16/04/2013)