The work of SBT is never done, and after showing our group around some of the streets of Delhi, we returned to our coach, where a street child was nervously waiting to talk to Kajal.
She told us that this child had been coming to see the SBT team for a while, as part of their outreach work in the community to raise awareness of SBT. It’s very much a soft approach to incentivise lasting change. This child, just like the thousands of others on Delhi’s streets, had to feel that he had come to the decision to ask for help entirely on his own terms.
It makes sense when you think about it that living on the streets these children witness and are coerced into some of the most unimaginable things. It comes as no surprise that they learn not to trust anyone.
It’s safe to say, it’s not an overnight success story. The incredible team as SBT have to be patient and keep reaching out and it would seem that it works.
As our coach pulled off, we all watched Kajal heading back to the centre with this boy. He couldn’t have been older than 6 or 7, carrying a bundled up sleeping bag with his meagre belongings. Seeing him wave at us with a broad smile, we could see there was much more beneath his smile. It was hope.
Hope for something better in life. And I think we can all agree he definitely does deserve that something better, and there’s no doubt that SBT will work tirelessly to give him it.