Bangalore kids get helping hand from Germany

Clad in a green kurta and with a striking bindi on her forehead, it’s hard for Maren Striebel, 19, a native of Stuttgart in Germany, to hide her deep love for India.

It was her childhood dream to work for underprivileged children. That was what brought the teen and 29 others like her to India from Germany.

Maren was among the children who staged a protest against the former Child Welfare Committee member Balakrishna V Masali, accused of molesting young girls in his care.

On Tuesday, as she stood with the protesting children and child rights activists in Bangalore, Maren told DNA that the poor children of India need a better deal. She was shocked that an official, who was in charge of the young girls, all aged between 14 and 17, had been found to be sexually harassing them instead of offering them counselling.

“Currently, I am teaching poor children of Bangalore as a volunteer with the Association for the Promotion of Social Action (APSA),” said Maren, herself a student.

Maren and 10 other German teenagers are currently working in various parts of Karnataka for the welfare of underprivileged children as a part of Weltwarts, a volunteer support programme of the German ministry of economic cooperation and development, which was launched in January 2007 and posts young volunteers between 18 and 23 years of age from Germany to different partner organisations in developing countries for 12 months.

Maren’s friend Laura, also a part of Weltwarts programme in Bangalore, said poor children were in need of help from government, individuals and society at large. “I am happy to do something for kids of Bangalore. I am happy to share my knowledge with Indian kids,” said Laura.

APSA, which is supporting resource and education centres that play a vital role in preventing children from being drawn into oppressive labour, has been long hosting several foreign nationals, who come to Bangalore to work for underprivileged children.