Salaam Baalak Trust

I attended a very unusual tour this morning - that of the New Delhi railway station, through the lens of street children living on the platforms. The tour was given by two charming, young men, named Javed and Shekar, who were former street children themselves. In an animated tone, the duo described the lives and dreams of these children, and answered questions that had always plagued me before - why they run away from their homes, what they did for a living. Indeed, the stories were mostly tragic, including beatings from the police, gang wars, drugs, sexual abuse and forced prostitution (for the girls) - but they managed to squeeze in a few humorous tales about the children's small victories and their obsession with films. From their unique relationships they build with vendors (such as the Chemist, for medicine) or the fruit juice-walla (fruit in exchange for protection), to the sleeping places that they find (such as the tin roofs under the walkway in the picture), we we are amazed with these children' resourcefulness. Some run away from home because of poverty (the feeling of being a burden on their families), while others embark a train for fun, but find themselves lost forever.

Javed had come to Delhi from Bihar to see the historic monuments with his other 8 year old friends, but half way through the train ride, his friends had deserted him. Now, 12 years later, he has not been able to find his family, and has faced numerous tragedies along the way, including being stabbed by other children. This is where Salaam Baalak Trust came into his life.

Founded in 1998 by Mira Nair's mother, after the success of her movie, Salaam Bombay, this NGO has helped thousands of street children in one way or the other. From providing sheltors and counselling, to helping provide healthcare and education, Salaam Baalak has given these children hope - and even a sense of identity and the feeling of worth. They even help find the childrens' homes. The children are also part of the ChildLine program which provides a hotline service for street children.

Javed is now at Delhi University and is studying art history. He's also interested in social worker (he works at the Trust as a mentor), and has dreams of working at UNICEF to make a difference in rural India. Shekar is on his way to Bollywood, with a few films underway already, including one on how Salaam changed his life.

Tours are given 6 days a week, at 10 am. Visitors are to meet Shekar/Javed at the new Reservations desk at that time.