The Peshawar Street Children Project:

Starting date:             01 January 2002
Implemented by:        Terre des hommes (TDH)

Staff:

In order to respond to the growing psychosocial crisis of refugee children in Peshawar, North-western Frontier Province of Pakistan, Terre des hommes (Tdh) implemented a new project for children in street situations with the establishment of a drop-in center on 11^th March 2002. The Peshawar Street-Children Project has been developed with adherence to International Children Right Convention. The project will contribute to the improvement of the social, mental and physical well- being of street and working children in Board Area of Peshawar.

Relief programs do not easily reach street children. They often live at home but spend their days on the streets. It is common for them to collect trash from trash heaps, from which they gather food, bone pieces, plastic and paper products, boxes and miscellaneous scraps to sell in the local market. They face the daily danger of eating and bringing home unhygienic food from the garbage for family members, as well as collecting garbage from hazardous dumps. Street children are at the risk of entering into the sex trade and drug addiction. Most street children have limited education opportunities, since most of them are out of school.

Among this especially vulnerable group the project will, complementary to governmental social services and NGOs, cover five essential interventions:

• Health

• Social Abilities and recreation

• Educational activities

• Protection

• Advocacy and networking

Co-funded by terre des hommes Germany and UNICEF Pakistan (in 2002 only).