Mid Day Newpaper Coverage about Paintings of Street Children Project at Saket

They traded trash for the brush

Canvas with a cause
Creativity knows no boundaries. The 'We shall overcome' exhibition shows you why

By: Ishita Sharma Mid Day NewspaperFaith makes all things possible. While this saying holds little meaning for those who are too tied up with their daily grind, it means the world to street children who had taken to ragpicking and begging to break their daily bread. Creative calling apart, an expression of their utmost desires finds mention at the 'We Shall Overcome' exhibition which kickstarts tomorrow in town. A preview.

small wonder: Names like Arif, Khushbu, Ritesh, Heena, Govind, Firoz and Sonu may not ring a bell, but they create music, nevertheless. All these special children were once ragpickers at the Neb Sarai area at Saket, and have now picked up the brush. The works include individual paintings and joint collages by the li'l ones, who have are being supported by senior artists in their endeavour. Various mediums used for painting include charcoal, canvas and oil amongst others. 

the big picture : The participants include children from NGOs like Literacy India, Muskan and others on a single platform. It is a culmination of the collaborative efforts of the organisations, in order to bring them at par with society. 
"Our biggest challenge was to convince these children to study, paint and do whatever made them happy, instead of working, which provided them monetary gain. Thankfully, we have managed to not only bring the children to the forefront, but also build their creativity," smiles Satya Prakash, project head, Literacy India. 

For a cause : All the proceeds of the exhibition will go towards the upliftment of these kids. A combined effort in the form of a calendar, too, finds a place at the exhibition. So what if half the year's already gone... your sensitive side sure hasn't, we hope!