In 14 Photos: The Dreams Of Street Children That No One Will Tell You About
STC INDIA
By Vicky Roy:
I ran away from home at a very young age. I had nowhere to go and landed up crying on a railway platform in New Delhi. It was then that my story really began. I befriended some ragpicker children and took up rag picking to make a meagre living. Back then, my life was just about trying to survive the harsh reality of making the railway tracks my home.
From there, I moved on to work at a small eatery, where work hours were inhumane and the pay negligible. It was some time before I found a home in Apna Ghar, run by the Salaam Baalak Trust. Life became easier there. I enrolled in school, but wasn’t great with studies. But I found a way – I developed a passion for photography.
Since then, I have grown and learned plenty, under the mentorship of a British photographer visiting the Trust – Dixie Benjamin. Today, I’m an award-winning, internationally renowned photographer. But the memories of living on the streets, trying to survive that harsh reality, stick with me.
I still spend a lot of time working on photographing children on the streets. My work with Save the Children India’s projects has brought me in close contact with several children who struggle with the same realities that I once struggled through. I completely relate to their difficult lives. I’m often reminded of my parents’ one-room home, where I would be squeezed in with them and my seven siblings, during these photo shoots.
I feel my work with them matters a lot. Children in street situations survive situations beyond imagination. But they have their aspirations and dreams too. What’s standing in their way? Let my photo stories tell you:
“I want to live with my parents, they love and support me, but I do want a better house to live in, and I will make that happen when I grow up.” – Nusrat*, 11, goes to school every day and is very motivated to bring herself out of her family’s current situation in a slum in Kolkata.You’ve got to understand the trials and tribulations of the people in street situation, everyone on the street was the way they were because of some reason, the same as I was. I can’t punish myself for the things I did because I had no other option but to survive.” – Biswajeet, 17, lives in a shelter home in Sealdah. He ran away from home to escape being forced into child labour. Today, he’s studying so he can get into a good college and finish his higher studies.“An identity gets you things, like school and a job. I don’t want to live on the street forever.” – Sarita*, lives on a dumping ground with her family. They were forced to move there after her grandmother lost their home to crippling financial debt.“Living here next to this big dumping ground there are a lot of bad people in the community. The trash business is very big and controlled by many Gundas.” – Payal*, 17, lives with her family near a dumping ground. She’s missed out on a few years of education but is working hard with the support of her school so she can help change her family’s situation.“People will trust me if I show them my identity card, that helps in so many ways.” – Vinod*, lives with his parents and spends his time roaming the streets, forced to engage in child labour. He has a passion for video games, but has unfortunately mixed with bad company and is possibly addicted to drugs.“It would be nice to have a washroom here. I do not feel safe outside but I go everywhere either with dad or brother or my classmates, I am safe only when I am with them.” – Nalini*, lives with her family on the streets. She regularly attends school and takes tuitions on the side as well, so she can leave behind her current unsafe, unsanitary home.“I like going to school, I just started, I like my studies and playing with people my age.” – Neha*, 8, only gets to attend school sometimes, even though she likes attending.“Now my I-card will be made, it’s a badge that you hang. I will be able to go to college and everywhere.” – Vaishali*, 8, lives in a slum in Agra. She loves to eat cheese and play ‘ghar ghar’ with her friends, but she is unable to find children to play with in her community. So, she is forced to sit at home all day, doing nothing.“They used to trouble me in school, but now I will have an identity with the ID card. You can get money for the books with that.” – Sneha*, 9, attends school. She loves to study and play with her friends, but in her community, young men drink and get violent, which scares her.“My life is very bad. I would like to get out of this garbage and go to school and do something in life.” – Saleem*, 14, says he would love to go to school, but is unable to afford books. He spends his days working with his father, cleaning and mending shoes.“I will go to school and get a job.” – Mukul*, is unsure of his age, but is getting an ID card, which states he’s 8 years old. Fairly weak and undernourished, Mukul nevertheless attends school and enjoys playing with his friends.“There are people who do drugs under the flyover and I feel scared of them. Once there was a guy who seemed dead but we later found out he was drunk.” – Naresh*, 8, lives in a temporary home in a park with his mother and younger brother. He goes to an interim school run by the Salaam Baalak Trust, otherwise spends his time playing with children in the area.“Even though I live on the street I want to go for higher studies and get a scholarship, with the ID card I can get help from the government.” – Arvind*, 12, lives in a temporary home with his grandmother and aunt. His greatest wish is to finish his schooling and have a successful career.
