Balaknama is likely the only street news tabloid in the country today that is run by the poor and the homeless. The newspaper is now run in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
The first edition of Balaknama came out in September 2003 when members of Badhte Kadam, a federation of street and working children founded in 2002 by the NGO CHETNA, sought a way to tell their stories, in their own words, to the world.
Besides reporting on the injustices faced by street children, the paper also aims to highlight stories of hope and positive change.
A few years ago, one story revealed how children living at railway stations were being forced to retrieve the dead bodies of people who were killed on the tracks. The mainstream media picked up Balaknama’s report, leading to a huge public outcry. Eventually, the National Committee for Protection of Child Rights stepped in and took action against the police.
Over 5,000 copies in Hindi and 3,000 copies in English are published each month which is priced at Rs 5. Currently, Balaknama makes no profit and is entirely funded by CHETNA.
Balaknama aims to foster a feeling of empowerment among these children.
Script and production: Richard Kujur
Video and inputs: PTI
