A street circus was organised by the UK-based Performers Without Borders (PWB) at Chowrastha in Darjeeling

Darjeeling,DT April 26: Edith Wilkins Street Children Trust works with street children, child labourers, child trafficking victims, child victims of abuse as well as children who have dropped out of school, providing a variety of services – shelter, education, vocational training, medical support and counselling.

Despite the change in the Child Labour Act in 2006, making it illegal to employ children under the age of 14 in hotels, restaurants and as child domestics, there continue to be hundreds of children engaged in child labour in Darjeeling. EWSCT works to rehabilitate these children and help them return to school.

The PWB team has been working with these children in our centre in Darjeeling for the last two weeks, and we at EWSCT can already see the benefits of this type of programme. The children are learning essential team work skills, communication skills and creativity; their confidence has increased – all while playing. The importance of play and games in child development has long been acknowledged, and the 

The PWB team performing at Chowrasta on Tuesday (Rabin Rai)

PWB project is a wonderful example of how fun and play can benefit children and aid in their development, particularly the marginalised and excluded children that we are working with.

“I am sure the benefits of this project will continue to be seen well into the future.” – Emma Rai (Acting Director).

“The children are fully engaged from the moment the team arrive and want to continue practicing even after they leave. They are all having a wonderful time, and learning so many new things.”