Rehabilitation for "glue-sniffer" boys in Mumbai, India

Overview

Bombay Teen Challenge (BTC) began in 1990 when Mr. K. K. Devaraj, its founder and executive director, came to Mumbai, India, with a passion to reach the young generation that was ensnared in drugs, gangs, and prostitution. Today, BTC is one of the largest NGOs working in the field of Health and Education. Their work includes the rescue and rehabilitation of women involved in the sex trade industry and children at risk.

Among their various efforts, BTC hosts an 11-month residential rehab program for youth addicts and alcoholics, as young as age 5. Once living on the streets, the boys are rescued and admitted to the program. After completing the program, approximately 85% of the boys remain drug-free.

The Need

Due to rural poverty, family members--especially young people--migrate to Mumbai in search of jobs and better living conditions and end up in overcrowded slum communities. Rural poverty and urban growth have thrust thousands of helpless children onto the streets, over- stretching the meager resources available in the city and exposing the children to disease, abuse and exploitation. Most street children in Mumbai are forced to beg. They are usually young runaways who have left home for various reasons-- They can be seen at almost all busy traffic signals, outside hotels of disrepute, at railway stations, etc. To most of the inhabitants of Mumbai, they are no more than a nuisance with no rights to dignity, love or care. In a world where human life can be seen as expendable, they die as they have lived: unknown to the civilized world.

Vulnerable on the streets, they often end up in a life of drug abuse, and while they don.t have food and any nutrition, passersby on the streets can see the visible signs of drug use, and this has gained international attention in the now famous train station district.

The Project

Wellspring International sponsors ten boys for an eleven month rehabilitation program, providing funds for food, clothing, and accommodation needs, as well as vocational training and occupational therapy and discipleship.