Of the 128 million children estimated to be missing from school rolls globally, half of those are in India. West Bengal is among the top three most populated states in India, with 15 million residents in its capitol, Kolkata. According to a 1999 survey, of Kolkata’s 414,490 children aged 3-14 years old, 144,945 of them were not attending school, but living on the streets or working. Moreover, nearly 25 % of the 15 million girls born in India every year never see their 15th birthdays, and up to the age of 35 years, more females than males in India die at every age level. These disproportionate rates are attributed primarily to malnutrition. There are also cultural explanations for the disadvantages of the girl child, as girls tend to be viewed as burdens.
Peacework volunteers have an opportunity to contribute to improving the lives of girls and women in Kolkata in collaboration with our partner organization, the Loreto Sealdah Day School, run by Sr. Cyril Mooney, which focuses on rescuing young girls from homelessness and child labor. Loreto Sealdah is not just a school, but a resource center for the poorest of the poor currently serving almost half a million members of the community.