It is not a project, it is a movement!

In conversation with Sangeeta Sharma

Sangeeta Sharma, since 24 1/2 years with Lufthansa and currently Marketing and Product Manager for India, initiator of the Diwali campaign and project coordinator of the Street Smart project, talks in our interview about her project and the challenges of helping street children in India.

How did you come to your project?

My husband and I always visit his family in Dehradun. Five years ago, I met one of the administrators of the Aasraa Trust, who was involved in this project for street children. These children beg at traffic lights when they blush. We talked and I was impressed with the work. Since this year we supported and helped this project whenever we came to visit our family.

The concept was simply impressive. They had learned that the children who begged at the traffic lights would not come to a certain place to learn because they had to stay at the lights to beg for money, so the Street Smart Team decided to go directly to the lights and teach the children there. After 6 months the rainy season started. By that time the children were so excited that they started coming to the shelters on their own to learn more. Each child who came to learn received Rs 150, which is the amount they would otherwise have earned by begging on the streets every day. The Trust started with only 21 children, and now almost 5 years later, the project reaches over 800 children. My husband and I started getting involved in the project and sent computers, warm clothes, old clothes and socks for the winter.

In our circle of friends we asked them not to give us birthday and Diwali presents, but instead we asked them to make donations to the project. Many of our friends now support the project by donating money instead of giving each other presents.

What was the best experience you had in your project?

Last December, I came to visit unannounced. I arrived on a Sunday and I could not believe what I saw. All the children were there – they were working and reading on the computers that were built with the help alliance’s support. Some of them were studying, others were reading news about an earthquake. It was so great to see their joy.

Another great achievement are our buses. These are mobile learning centres. The buses go to the slums so that the children don’t have to go to the learning centres but can learn on the spot.

What challenges did you face in your project?

One of the biggest challenges for all of us is illiteracy. Since the children’s parents cannot read and write, they cannot teach their children to do so. Learning and understanding languages takes a lot of time and the children’s learning level is often not appropriate for their age.

Regular attendance is another problem, as most of the children’s parents are migrant workers. They often move from one city to another, which of course affects the children’s education.

What are your future plans for the Street Smart project?

We have recently started a programme called ‘Education on the Move’, which is a mobile learning centre. There, young working street and slum children can be taught who cannot attend school because they are forced to work to support their families financially. The buses are equipped with e-learning materials and computers. Interactive methods of teaching such as art, storytelling, poetry and films are used to inspire the children. Food and medical support is also provided through these mobile learning centers. Our goal is to launch a fleet of Mobile Learning Centers that will reach children who were previously considered unreachable and unteachable.

How did the Diwali campaign come about?

The more I got involved with Street Smart, the more I became aware of the importance of help alliance’s work and how difficult it is to generate donations! I learned not only what help alliance does but also that I had to help to get help. I looked for creative ways to make help alliance better known in India.

That was when we were working on the Diwali campaign. It seemed to be a perfect fit with this campaign to put a smile on the faces of those who probably had never received a Diwali gift before. The campaign was a success. In the next step I will now present help alliance projects at the all India sales & marketing meeting in March. If not everyone talks about it and supports it, we will not be able to make it. It must be a collaborative effort and a collaborative success.