An Oxfam-funded school project is transforming the hard lives of children working as rag pickers in an India slum.

Like most of the people I know, I’ve been carried along by the hype of the very moving Danny Boyle film Slumdog Millionaire - I really hope it sweeps the board at the Oscars on Sunday. I’m sure you don’t need me to outline the plot or analyse the beautiful cinematography or the performance of Dev Patel, but I did want to write quickly about one part of the film.

Girls collect plastic from among the rotting household rubbish in a skip placed in a residential area of Lucknow. [Photo credit: Tom Pietrasik]

The beginning shows a young Jamal Malik and his brother dealing with life in a Mumbai slum. After their mother is killed in racial attacks on the largely Muslim community, the two boys are pictured living on a giant rubbish heap, eking out a living from the streets of the city.

It had echoes for me in some of the work that Oxfam does in Indian cities, especially a slum community in the huge northern Indian city of Lucknow. We’ve put together a slideshow about it here. The families here earn what they can sorting through the city’s rubbish, selling anything that can be recycled. As in the film, this community is on the edge of Indian society - the people have a different language and culture, and struggle to assert their rights and get basic services.

And, just like the tiny boy Jamal, it’s the images and stories of children that really break your heart. With wages incredibly low and some parents falling sick, the children have to work to supplement their family’s meagre income.

So they venture out in little gangs to collect plastic from the skips and rubbish dumps of Lucknow. They work long days in searing heat, risking their health and safety. Many have to look after their younger siblings, and don’t have time to attend ordinary schools, or even just to play.

Gaining the confidence to stay in school

A young girl learning at Apna Kendra bridge school for working children. [Photo credit: Tom Pietrasik]

But there is hope. Part of Oxfam’s response is to fund informal education centres for kids like these in six cities across India. The children learn to read and write, and are given the time and space to play and go on day trips. They also learn about hygiene, to prevent the spread of disease. Ultimately, they gain the confidence to carry on their education in the government schools.

What’s more, the schools are open in the afternoon, when most children aren’t working, and have crèche facilities so they can bring their younger siblings. And, as well as the education centres, Oxfam is funding water pumps and training health volunteers, so these communities can stop the spread of illness.

It might not be a jackpot-hitting appearance on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and in truth, it doesn’t end in great riches. But it is no less life-changing for these children. This is real life, after all. And this is a real solution.

Photo story: supporting rag-pickers in Lucknow

Tags: benbeaumont, lucknow, ragpickers, slumdogmillionaire

This entry was posted by Ben Beaumont on February 16th, 2009 at 4.08 pm and is filed under Be There, General, Impact, News Blog, You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.