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Some of the children who join the newspaper's team of journalists are inspired to start attending school as well. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

India: Street Kids Publish Newspaper To Raise Awareness

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Wednesday, September 7th, 2016
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Delhi, India – Sexual abuse, torture, drug addiction, harassment at the hands of thugs and policemen sums up life of street children in India. Delhi’s Balaknama newspaper – the Voice of Children, which is run by the street children has been working to highlight the plight of fellow youngsters.

The editor of Balaknama, 17-year-old Shambhu, washes cars during the day for a living. “This newspaper is our voice to tell people, about what we go through and that even our lives matter,” Shambhu tells Al Jazeera. “People usually don’t care about street children. Whether they are beaten up, raped or even disappear, it hardly creates a flutter.”

The newspaper has four main reporters and 64 news gatherers who go around collecting the stories. They are known as “Baatooni” – the talkative ones. Unable to write their own copies, the Baatooni relate the stories to the main reporters who put them in writing for the issue.

The bilingual newspaper is the size of a tabloid with 5,000 copies published in Hindi and 3,000 in English. An NGO called Chetna funds the printing of the newspaper.

“Whatever goes into publishing is our brainchild and editorial is fully independent,” Shambhu says, adding that the that the NGO only plays a financial role.

Most of the children associated with Balaknama are rubbish collectors and do not attend school. Others take menial jobs at railways, bus stations, and roadside cafes. The reporters visit them at their workplaces to get their stories.

The street children hold their editorial meetings for Balaknama newspaper, known as the Voice of the Children, in English. (Showkat Shafi/Al jazeera)
The street children hold their editorial meetings for Balaknama newspaper, known as the Voice of the Children, in English. (Showkat Shafi/Al jazeera)
During the wekly editorial meeting, staff decide on the layout and content of the newspaper. (Showkat Shafi/Al jazeera)
During the wekly editorial meeting, staff decide on the layout and content of the newspaper. (Showkat Shafi/Al jazeera)

 

Jyoti, 16, is one of four main reporters at the newspaper. 'We publish about the atrocities that are faced by children living on the streets. We are beaten up by everyone. We aren't allowed to enter any restaurant even if we have the money to pay for the food. So we publish news of such atrocities and have had a good response,' Jyoti says. (Showkat Shafi/Al jazeera)
Jyoti, 16, is one of four main reporters at the newspaper. ‘We publish about the atrocities that are faced by children living on the streets. We are beaten up by everyone. We aren’t allowed to enter any restaurant even if we have the money to pay for the food. So we publish news of such atrocities and have had a good response,’ Jyoti says. (Showkat Shafi/Al jazeera)

 

Shambhu, 17 is the editor of the Balaknama. In the mornings he washes cars in ne of Delhi's posh areas. In the afternoons, he spends most of his time working on the newspaper. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Shambhu, 17 is the editor of the Balaknama. In the mornings he washes cars in ne of Delhi’s posh areas. In the afternoons, he spends most of his time working on the newspaper. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

 

Mohammed Javed,15, is a rag picker. He spends most of his time in and around railway stations and sleeps unders a bridge. he is also a news-gatherer working on the newspaper and proudly shows off one of his stories. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Mohammed Javed,15, is a rag picker. He spends most of his time in and around railway stations and sleeps unders a bridge. he is also a news-gatherer working on the newspaper and proudly shows off one of his stories. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

 

Some of the children who join the newspaper's team of journalists are inspired to start attending school as well. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Some of the children who join the newspaper’s team of journalists are inspired to start attending school as well. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Faizaan, 13, is a news-gatherer for the paper. He ran away from home a few years ago. While on the streets, he became addicted to drugs and worked as a rubbish collector to survive. After joining the newspaper he was able to beat his addiction. 'The paper has given me hope, vision and the zest to live,' Faizaan says. 'Once I find a job, I will go back to my family, who will be happy to see me successful and educated.' (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Faizaan, 13, is a news-gatherer for the paper. He ran away from home a few years ago. While on the streets, he became addicted to drugs and worked as a rubbish collector to survive. After joining the newspaper he was able to beat his addiction. ‘The paper has given me hope, vision and the zest to live,’ Faizaan says. ‘Once I find a job, I will go back to my family, who will be happy to see me successful and educated.’ (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

 

Chetan, 17, works as a domestic helper and  is a reporter. 'This paper has given us wings, no one used to listen to us poor kids, but now we publish all the atrocities we face in our daily life,' he says. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Chetan, 17, works as a domestic helper and is a reporter. ‘This paper has given us wings, no one used to listen to us poor kids, but now we publish all the atrocities we face in our daily life,’ he says. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
According to Save the Children there are 51,000 street children in Delhi, of whom 20 percent are girls. More than half have suffered verbal, physical or sexual abuse.  (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
According to Save the Children there are 51,000 street children in Delhi, of whom 20 percent are girls. More than half have suffered verbal, physical or sexual abuse. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

 

Balaknama newspaper has four reporters and 64 news-gatherers who go around collecting the stories for the main reporters to write up.  (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Balaknama newspaper has four reporters and 64 news-gatherers who go around collecting the stories for the main reporters to write up. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

 

Vivek, 15 works in a roadside cafe near a railway station and reports for the newspaper. At his job he is able to observe the lives of many street children, whose stories he then shares in the newspaper. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Vivek, 15 works in a roadside cafe near a railway station and reports for the newspaper. At his job he is able to observe the lives of many street children, whose stories he then shares in the newspaper. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

 

Shambhu, Sourav, Jyofti and Chetan are the main reporters of the newspaper. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Shambhu, Sourav, Jyofti and Chetan are the main reporters of the newspaper. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

 

Sourav meets with new street children and explains to them how the newspaper works and how to report injustices they witness. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Sourav meets with new street children and explains to them how the newspaper works and how to report injustices they witness. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

 

 The editors go out and show the newspaper to the street children, holding reading sessions for them. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

The editors go out and show the newspaper to the street children, holding reading sessions for them. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

 

 

Once the newspaper is published, it is distributed free to shopkeepers, policemen and to areas where one would find street children.  (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)
Once the newspaper is published, it is distributed free to shopkeepers, policemen and to areas where one would find street children. (Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera)

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