Under the spotlight, street kids turn TED-style storytellers, shaping narratives through dance, theatre

New Delhi: “Slums ki kahani sirf gareebi ki nahi - yeh himmat aur sangharsh ki kahani hai, aur samaj ki soch se ladne ki bhi” (The story of slums is not just about poverty - it is also about courage, struggle, and pushing back against societal attitudes).

The words reverberated through the Aiwan-e-Ghalib auditorium in Central Delhi, opening a morning where street children stepped into the spotlight to tell their stories and shape their own narrative.

One after another, children who spend their days navigating traffic signals, construction sites and narrow bylanes stepped onto a stage — as dancers and actors, but essentially storytellers. For many, it was their first performance before an audience, the culmination of weeks of rehearsals held not in studios but in neighbourhood parks and streets near their homes.

The programme was organised by NGO CHETNA (Childhood Enhancement through Training and Action) on the eve of International Day for Street Children, observed on Saturday. It brought together more than 450 children from Delhi-NCR and nearby regions.

“These are children of labourers, domestic workers, ragpickers, drivers, street vendors,” said director Sanjay Gupta, adding that many are first-generation learners, with some recently enrolled in school through intervention programmes.

Across dance routines, songs and street plays, a recurring thread emerged: “Majboori ne sadak se jod diya… alag-alag hain, par ek saajha pehchaan hai -- sadak se judi zindagi” (Compulsion tied us to the streets… we may be different, but we share one identity -- a life connected to the streets).

A street play opened with a call -- “Aao, aao natak dekho” (Come, come, watch the play) -- before unfolding scenes of children being denied school admission for lack of Aadhaar card, opening of bank account, being pushed into labour, or losing access to playgrounds.

Another segment used music to explain child protection laws, with a Pocso awareness song highlighting efforts to familiarise children with their legal rights through performance. A self-defence demonstration and a multicultural dance performance followed, drawing enthusiastic responses from the audience.

Interspersed between performances were “Street Talk” sessions, modelled on TED-style talks, where children shared personal testimonies.

Juli, who moved to Delhi from Bihar, spoke about negotiating with her family to attend school. “Ghar mein paise nahi the… papa nahi maante the” (There was no money at home… my father did not agree), she said. Starting her education late, she is now in Class X and hopes to become a teacher.

Another participant, who once sold scrap alongside her 90-year-old grandmother, broke down while recalling her first experience of being on stage. “Maine kabhi stage nahi dekha tha” (I had never seen a stage before), she said. She now hopes to pursue modelling and is set to be enrolled in school this April.

A song titled Badhte Kadam, launched during the event, underscored collective aspirations, while a dance drama portrayed children’s hopes for dignity and equal opportunities despite being bound to the streets by circumstance.

Representatives from the women and child development department, the International Labour Organisation and police authorities were present at the event.

Held annually, the programme offers street children a platform to articulate their experiences — not just through performance, but through conversations — reclaiming space, voice and visibility in a city that often looks past them.
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