Lagga reh!

This issue was recognized and brought into focus by singer Shahzad Roy. His Zindagi Trust was founded to work in this sector so that deprived children living in the streets are provided subsistence and education. Zindagi Trust is a non-governmental organization working in education sector for the past five years. I, being a member of students' mentor group have had the opportunity to teach in I-am-paid-to-learn school of Zindagi Trust in Sultanabad. The students are all working children. They work in the morning and study in the afternoon from 1:00 PM-5: 30 PM. Some of them are rag pickers, some do menial jobs in teashops while most girl are involved in jobs like knitting, weaving and cleaning.

Students after earning their living come to school and clean the premises themselves, arrange their tables and chairs, and sit decently until their teacher comes. They get Rs 10 every day for coming to school to build a future for themselves. They are provided with school uniforms, stationary and books. -KIRAN LALANI, Karachi, via e-mail, September 30.