Source: CCTV.com

01-13-2007 17:46

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, has been plaqued with a serious problem for a long time - large numbers of street kids. Many are at risk from poor health and abuse. But some changes are providing new hope. Some kids are now being provided with technical training to learn basic skills, leading to vocational classes.

In today's 'Working Asia', Bangladesh TV's Zahidul Islam looks at how despair is slowly turning to hope.

Tune in tomorrow for our story on the STAGE project in East Timor from Radio and Television Timor-Lesteon.

Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh. If you explore around Dhaka, you can see a lot of children moving around in the streets. Some of them live just from hand to mouth by begging. Some of them have nothing; no guarantee to eat once a day. Due to high birth rate the number of children are increasing day by day. On the other hand due to poverty underprivileged children drop out from their family and school; and become street children.

Azizur Rahman Elias Aziz was one of the name of the street boys. "Two years ago I was spending whole day with a single piece of bread; some times without having any food just only lake water. Now a days It was beyond my dream."

Aziz, a 14 year old boy had no way of living, he became a street child. Street begging, pottering or street selling was the only opportunity to his life. At this time a neighbour Non Government Organization worker informed Aziz about the technical school of Underprivileged Children's Education Programme and their training programmes where more than 300 hundred children are studying in different technical trade.

UCEP technical school, one of the 40 technical schools of Bangladesh, is providing technical educational support with the financial collaboration of Bangladesh Government. On the other hand, the Ministry of Labour and employment and children & women affairs department is working to improve the situation and providing facilities to the street children. Aziz came to the Technical School and successfully completed technical course on sewing machine and general education as well.

Things changed after two years - what happened? What’s the change?

Aziz said “My Younger brothers and sisters did not go to school due to financial crisis of my family. They were also street children. Now I am a successful sewing machine mechanic of an established garments factory. I get four thousand taka a month as salary. We don’t have crisis now. My brothers, and sisters, they are now going to school.”

Aziz found the way to survive, how to struggle to live by learning technical education. Last two years his parents supported him. Now Aziz’s father and mother are happy. They learned a lesson from Aziz.

The school teacher said “Aziz is a former student of UCEP. He successfully completed his graduation course, and now working at government factory. “

Nupur, a 12 year old girl just paraded through the streets whole day. She didn’t have any identity without having parents. Before that Nupur lived at a slum with her step father. Poverty was the regular accompaniment. On the other hand, several times she was sexually harassed by her step father. To live better life she left home but poverty did not release her.

On the street, different types of people sexually tortured her. In this circumstance Aparaojyao Bangladesh, an Non Government Organization picked her from the street and provided shelter. The Organization sent her to a school for general education and provided computer training as well. Nupur deeply concentrated on her education and training.

Though Nupur could not recover her parents' identity. Now she is a successful computer operator of a commercial IT Center. "I have financial solvency. I get salary every month. I have shelter for living. I can use computer properly. I have knowledge on computer basic operation IT and Internet." Nupur said.

However Aziz and Nupur’s case are rare, at the street scenario of Bangladesh; there are a lot of children disparately trying to make their livings. For them the way to escape the poverty is not an easy task. To achieve the goal of illuminate child labour from the society and create employment for them, Aziz and Nupur are the example. There are so many Aziz and Nupur at the Street of Dhaka and other cities of Bangladesh. They are waiting for a proper initiative for rehabilitation and Bangladesh is looking forward for a bright future of their children.

 

Editor:Du Xiaodan