Joseph Educational Trust

	Meal time

When extreme poverty exists on the land, children are usually left to fend for themselves. In a quest for food and income, they tend to be attracted to and drift ntowards populated towns and cities. Urban India has the largest population of street children in the world with at least eighteen million living or working on
the streets – the highest concentration of poverty in the world. It is common to witness children labouring as porters at bus or railway terminals; as mechanics in informal auto-repair shops; in cafes, while others are seen just picking through garbage to sell to local buyers.

Malnutrition lacks the drama and visibility of a catastrophe, but it is a relentless killer of young children. World Health Organisation

These children – 65% of whom are between 5 and 10 years of age – shelter anywhere they can: on railway-platforms, pavements, busy marketplaces and even under airport flyovers. Whilst scraping a living in these harsh conditions, sadly it is no surprise that they soon turn to prostitution, drug abuse and theft in an attempt to escape the many stresses of daily life. Consequently, they then face the danger of
contracting HIV/AIDS through sexual abuse and the use of dirty needles. Health is further threatened because they are exposed to severe pollution with little or no access to sanitary facilities. Prolonged and chronic diseases such as diarrhoea, respiratory infections, dysentery and tuberculosis are commonplace. It is indeed a shocking and sad situation.

The Onaway Trust is helping alleviate this situation in Tamil Nadu by supporting the Joseph Educational Trust in its Child Welfare Programme based at Dindigal. Mr. J J William, the manager of the project, explained that the project was set up to support street children by giving them clothes, food, shelter and education.

David Watters, Onaway’s Trust Administrator, visited Tamil Nadu, India in 2000 and vividly recalls the desperation and fear written on the faces of India’s young rural population.

“It is very sad, especially in today’s world, to witness poverty and despair but most distressing when the suffering is written on the faces of children. When I visited the Child Welfare Programme, despite the children being clearly malnourished, they looked happier than those I’d seen on the streets. Later I learned they’d been preparing for my arrival for a few days and had rehearsed a ‘show’ of traditional Indian dancing and music. Their decrepit little music-box sounded scratchy but their performance was by contrast stunningly fantastic – amazing agility and timely coordination. One talented youngster was so enthusiastic he collapsed with exhaustion half way through his performance and was ushered to the side – the others just got on with the show!”

The Child Welfare Programme organises regular health screening workshops where eye, skin and dental needs are addressed. Details on sanitation, hygenic living and the prevention of HIV and Aids are shared amongst the parents and children with the principal objective of Prevention through Education.

“All activities focus around the fact that each child is precious and a complete human being. A wholistic approach is needed for the children to survive in today’s environment.” J J William project manager

The Onaway Trust is a registered charity - number 268448.