Helping the Street Children of Kolkata to Help Themselves

A plea from a current volunteer...

I left my home in the UK in June 2005 and I am volunteering in the very hot city of Kolkata (Calcutta) India till the middle of August 2005. I am making this request in the hope that you are as interested in this project as I am, and that you will consider supporting the good work  if you cannot volunteer yourself.  Please read the following information to find out more!

The staff and volunteers provide free schooling for the children who live in the slums and on the streets of Calcutta / Kolkata, India. The children are given education, food, clean clothes, medical support, care and entertainment etc.

Many of these children are suffering from malnutrition and illness due to the unavailability of food, shelter and clothes, and they often have nasty diseases because of the lack of medical help given to them.

The project was set up to provide children with these things they are lacking and also to tackle the problem of illiteracy so they have some education and training, ready for when they are 18 years old and to move on.

The above picture shows volunteers working on the Street Children Welfare project, run at Sealda station. Volunteers start early in the morning, leaving at 3:40 am arriving at 5 am to give the children a wash, some food, some clothing, basic medical care and most importantly affection.

Some children live at the station with their families; some live alone. The children are unprotected and regularly get hassled by the police and local gangs. They don’t get any medical attention from local hospitals.

After having a wash, the children get breakfast and then the staff and the volunteers provide basic education, medical attention and make the children feel cared about – something that most of the children may never experience otherwise.

I am a student teacher and I would like to be able to provide some funds for the project in addition to my time.  The funds would help buy much needed support and supplies that the children require this summer. The supplies will be bought in Calcutta which will help the community in general of this poor area.

If you want more information before or after I go, you can send me an email through Muir's Tours.

On my return, I will be able to explain exactly how the money has been spent, and I will be telling you about the difference it will have made to the children’s lives.

Thanks, Annie

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Thinking about volunteering too ?
See the details page, ask some questions or ask for an application form.