In Europe children are taught to never talk to strangers, especially when they offer sweets. Over here they seem to be encouraged to talk to strangers, especially if they're white (or japanese) and demand them sweets, chocolate and money. Safety vs. opportunity.

Although more children wander the streets on their own than we're used to, safety of children is a big issue here. As far as I know an issue for foreign NGO workers, not as much for Indian government or even Indian people. Child abduction (or selling), abuse and exploitation are widespread, but nobody seems to care. Powerful rich people don't want this practise to change as they are the ones to (ab)use the children in their households. Other people don't have the power to make changes.

I've read about this in an interview with a Belgian nun who's working in India for over 40 years with these children, and has been nominated for the Nobel prize for her efforts. Although the efforts are now being made by people who used to be exploited but were liberated by her organisation. Good thing.

The other day a young Indian guy with a French girlfriend told us this joke. An American, a Japanese and an Indian sit in an airplane. The American starts throwing dollars out of the window. The others ask why, and responds: doesn't matter, we have enough of them in the states. The Japanese wants to do better, throwing out his mobile phone for the same reason. The indian, he throws out this Indian boy sitting next to him... This tasteless joke was told by a educated young indian, who has traveled Europe, who speaks Hindi, English, French and could speak some German too. If this is a joke to him, what about the others then? Bad thing. Sad... alarming!

After the tsunami hit Indian coasts, many children who survived were taken away and sold to be workers in New Delhi households. The worse is that a natural disaster is not even needed to abduct children, it's a common and everyday practice. Many are left back on the streets again after a few years, without money, home, family, dignity and possibilies. If they survive of course. Considering all this, where does safety fit? Does it make the begging children in the street more understandable? Maybe. But more acceptable certainly not. Solution? Don't know... people like the nun's work? Yes, but...
So what can we do? I guess in the first place continue providing safety and opportunities to our children because we can. In the second place to others too, supporting Nobel nuns and her rescued children who continue her work every day throughout India??