It is estimated that over 170 million Indian children lack adequate care and protection. Many of these children are orphans, some have escaped from violent environments and some have simply got lost or separated from their parents at an early age.

The Salaam Baalak Trust

The Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT) in New Delhi was set up in 1989 with a goal of providing support to street and working children. Beginning with three staff working from an open air balcony at the railway station, today the Trust operates 10 residential centres and outreach programs, employs 97 staff and cares for over 5000 children every year. These children receive health care, counseling, education and nutrition and exposure to sports, creative activities, skill development and vocational training.

For many children the streets were their only home until Salaam Baalak offered them a chance for a new life. Now fully trained as guides, these youngsters share their personal stories of freedom and survival as they take visitors on the "WALK into the street life of Delhi". Sponsorship from individuals, corporate sponsors and institutions enables this work to continue. In October 2011 CQUniversity signed an agreement with the Trust outlining the University's commitment to provide ongoing support through sponsorship of the “WALK” and the provision of scholarships for eligible students to attend a higher education institution in India. http://www.salaambaalaktrust.com/

The (tentatively named) CQUni Friendship Group has been formed and interested staff and students are welcome to join this group to contribute ideas for ways of assisting the SBT to continue its work and to assist with fund-raising activities. This Group will also be looking for ways of providing support to other charitable organisations in the future. 

Please contact Sandy Lowien (s.lowien@cqu.edu.au) or Toni Kneen (t.kneen@cqu.edu.au) in Corporate Events if you would like to be involved.

Donations to SBT 

The SBT welcomes items that will help them to provide assistance to the children and the first order of business for the CQUni Friendship Group will be establishing collection containers into which staff can place items. These items will then be packaged and sent to the Trust. Some of the items that the children would love to receive include toys, dolls, games, picture books, drawing books, colouring pencils, painting sets. In addition computers, laptops and digital cameras that are in good working condition are welcomed to enable volunteers to teach computing skills and hold photography workshops for the children

The SBT have a cricket team, a football team and many athletic children who would appreciate sporting equipment and clothing, including: 

· Football and cricket boots of various sizes

· Footballs and cricket balls and bats

· Sportswear, including t-shirts and shorts

Full List of Required Items

Stationery

2-hole Punch

Acryllic Paint

Alphabet chart for learning ABC

Blackboard

Blackboard Eraser

Chalk

Colored Pencils

Crayons

Dictionary

Eraser

Fevical (glue bottles)

Fevistick (glue stick)

Flip Chart (big blank paper for presentations)

Geometry box (set for geometry class)

Graph copy (notebook with graph paper)

Highligher

Ink Pen Refill

Maps for Learning

Paint Brush

Pen

Pen Drive (USB stick)

Pencil

Pencil box

Pencil Sharpener

Permanent marker

Plain Paper (pack of computer paper)

School bag

Scissors

Stamp pad

Stapler

Staples

Watercolours

White Board

White Board Eraser

White Board Marker

Hygiene

Antibacterial Handwash

Bandaids

Bathing soap bars

Body Lotion

Comb

First aid box

Head and Shoulders Shampoo

Insect repellent cream

Large Toothpaste Packet (100gm)

Nail Cutter

Regular shampoo pouches

Small toothpaste packet (50gm)

Toothbrush

Recreation

Badminton Racket

Carrom Board

Carrom Board Pieces

Chess Board

Football (soccer ball)

Puzzles

Travel Bags for Annual Tour