27 March 2000 – There are an estimated 80,000 homeless children on the streets of New Delhi, about 800 of whom receive non-formal education, health care, saving schemes, counselling, vocational training and recreational activities from the Butterflies Programme of Street and Working Children.

When Butterflies decided that it wanted to promote child participation in the media, and to equip its clients with broadcasting skills, the charity turned to PressWise and its project on Representing Lost Childhood which is sponsored by the Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

Which is how radio consultant Sarah McNeill (UNLIMITED Productions), BBC World Service producer Arjum Wajid and PressWise director Mike Jempson found themselves in New Delhi last week, passing on their expertise to 14 street and working children (9 boys and 5 girls) aged 10 to 14.

With the assistance of the British Council, which generously agreed to purchase recording equipment for donation to Butterflies and the Delhi Child Rights Club, the course was also attended by some 65 NGO staff, street educators and print and broadcast journalists. For the first time, they learned what the children themselves thought about the way they are treated by the media. It was an eye-opening experience.

(Bulletin No 12)