Street boys and "solution"

Many of the street boys here sniff "solution" -- you see them holding small pieces of cloth to their nose, and then hide it in their pockets. These pieces of cloth are soaked with something, usually paper correction fluid, available for 25 rupees a bottle.

Salman, the son of one of our street moms, is addicted to "solution." He's so addicted to it that he cries when we take his bottle of paper correction fluid from him, and he often shows up with dried white fluid on his hands and face.

It's a really sad situation, with many young street boys are addicted like this.

New family in our Street People Program

We've got a new family in our Street People Program, little Zaidu, mom Shahina, and brothers Ruman and Salman.

Shahina and her kids live on the streets of Mysore, and we've known them for about a year and a half. She is the second wife of a man who has another wife and family, so she is not allowed in the house. She earns money by begging and selling vegetables on the roadside, and often battles a few health issues.

after seeing their new house

Recently, we told Shahina that we'd help her find a house to rent, so that she and kids can at least go home to shelter at night. We had originally told her that if she puts her older boy (Ruman) into a shelter---where her fourth child, a girl, stays---we'd help her find a house. Mom clearly wanted him off the street, as he has not had an education and does odd jobs at restaurants in the area for money, but Ruman is already 11 years old and it became clear that he was not willing to leave his life on the street.

Zaidu in the doorway of his new house

This past week, Shahina found a place to rent in the neighborhood where our other street women rent houses. In a week, she and kids will move there. For more on our Street People Program, please see our website here.