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Centre for Street and Working Children
23, Panagal Road
Shenoy Nagar
Madurai - 625 020
South India Phone: +91 (452) 533 432
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 They have no voice, no representation. If they would speak, there is no one interested to hear or to spare a few moments of affection with them.
In answer to the silent cries of the shelterless children of Madurai, India, a Centre for street and working children was born in 1990. Nanban was founded as a secular full fledged, registered Trust aimed at meeting the physical, social, psychological needs of these girls and boys. It supports them in their efforts to grow and integrate themselves into the mainstream of society. Its primary target is the group of children below 15 years, who work, eat, sleep and live on the streets.
Nanban has adopted three types of methods in carrying out its services. The street-based approach involves befriending the street children, tracing of missing ones and the formation of a children's association.
The center-based approach facilitates home placement, job mobility, medical treatments, counseling services, need based education and saving schemes. At present, it has centres for male and female street children. The community based approach involves holding seminars, workshops and panel discussions with the public and the press. Newsletters are also disseminated.
As of March 1993, approximately 2,850 boys and girls have been assisted by Nanban. Through its home placement efforts, 1,887 children have been reunited with their natural guardians. The job placement scheme has benefited 193 children, while the school placement program has serviced 120.
 Nanban strives toward a concrete social and political action by influencing government policy and legislation in favor of street and working children.
The press has been supportive of Nanban by promoting its projects. Nanban has been featured in All India Radio in Madurai, in the ICCB-Children Worldwide Magazine and on Radio Vatican.
The National Child Labor Action Network-New Delhi presented Nanban with the National Award in 1991 for the latter's innovative approach in providing long-term and holistic solutions to the problems of street children.
Nanban looks beyond its achievements for the past three years by continuing to develop programmes that would train street children to eventually become responsible citizens.
 Skills training programmes are being planned. The Lotus Training Unit at the Centre for girls will hold courses on incense stick-making, gem-cutting and tailoring. At the Centre for boys, the Paul Smith Training Unit will offer welding, gem-cutting, masonry, cycle repairing and the like. Both centres will house the Dominic Canteens which the children themselves will run under the supervision of a senior staffer and where meals would be given at subsidized rates.
A Research and Documentation section and a drug rehabilitation Centre likewise are to be constructed. Nanban is dedicating itself to instilling values of self discipline, developing self esteem and confidence in the children instead of merely satisfying their immediate needs. It looks forward to more activities in addressing the root problems of street children. The members of the staff of Nanban seek the assistance of the public, especially those who do not seem to understand its mission. They realize that it is only through the concerted efforts of institutions like Nanban, the government, the press and the public that the street children's needs will be effectively met. |
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