what we do
street children
left: street children learning to read and write at a shelter in Dhaka run by MRDF partner CSKS.
centre and right: Rescued from a life on the streets, children like Ruma and Rita now have a safe place to stay and the chance to learn a trade.
The problem
UNICEF estimates there may be as many as 100 million street children worldwide, predominantly in the developing world.
Some children flee abuse or violence at home. Others are displaced by conflict or have families too poor to look after them. When children drift to the streets, they fall prey to gangs and may be forced into robbery and violence.
Street children are often mistreated, looked down on or simply ignored by those around them, and policy-makers often overlook their needs.
What are MRDF partners doing?
MRDF partner CSKS in Bangladesh helps hundreds of street children each year by providing them with safe places to stay, skills to earn a living, and basic healthcare.
As well as the children CSKS comes into direct contact with, it helps many more through campaigning for children's rights in Bangladesh and influencing public attitudes towards street children. CSKS is also supported by a Comic Relief grant.
