STREET CHILDREN / Bangladesh
What is the problem?
Restless Beings has been working with the street children of Dhaka for over a decade now. It is estimated that there are more than 600,000 street children living in Bangladesh, 75% of them live in the nation's capital, Dhaka.
These children are currently being or have been exposed to one or more of the following:
- Sexual trafficking
- Organised crime
- Drug and substance abuse
- Homelessness and malnutrition
Once these children are victims of any of the above it is difficult for them to get back on track, feeling safe and ready to seek help. Often, they are completely isolated, and accept it their daily struggle for survival.
What have we done so far?
In 2008 after researching and working with local NGO’s for 9 months, Restless beings opened the Restless Beings Rehab Centre and Home in Dhaka.
The Restless Beings Team in Dhaka set out to work with at least 20 children at one time, and since it’s opening, we have been able to offer hundreds of street children:
- Accommodation
- Education
- Medical treatment and psychological counselling
- Clothing
- Life skills, allowing children to have a sense of ownership through various responsibilities
Drastically changing their lives for the better, despite being seen to be beyond help by other organisations.
In March 2010 after having converted the roof of the centre into another teaching area and using the money raised from the Rooftop Fence Challenge we were able to erect the fence around the rooftop allowing for a much safer environment.
Restless Beings Village
A few years later, we launched our 100Kids campaign, whereby we asked for 100 people to raise £100 in 100 days for 100 of the most marginalised street children, in hope that we would raise enough funds to start our latest expansion project- the Restless Beings Village!
After 100 days we had raised over £45,000 with the help of over 400 supporters! This then allowed us to start putting our expansion project into action. At the moment we are currently looking to buy land in Bangladesh to start building our Restless Beings Village which will consist of a place for 100 children to call home, a place to learn, play, grow their own food, be creative, and rebuild.
This space is designed to have a secure family setting and programmes centred on healing. A place where the children who have lived and worked on the streets of Bangladesh – can finally call a home. With your support, we hope to finally open this space in the next couple of years. A village for children who have not had a childhood but whose lives CAN BE transformed for a safer, healthier and joy filled future. A childhood they deserve and should have had.
Many more exciting developments are in progress for this project and we just can’t wait to tell you all about them! Follow our Twitter and Facebook accounts and be the first to hear!