Skills promise street children better future.

PESHAWAR -- Social activist Jalwat Huma has said skills can help street children change their personality traits for a better future.

'Skilled children grow up with self-esteem and confidence and will never beat the risk of abuse on the street,' Ms Huma told Dawn.

According to her, imparting art education can empower the deprived street children. 'Instilling the spirit of learning skills into children can light up their inborn talents,' she said.

The rights activist set up the 'Rangeet Art' academy two years ago in the basement of her house in Hayatabad area here to impart art skills to street children with the objective of transforming their lives.

She picked up children of 6-14 age bracket from different areas of the provincial capital.

Initially, parents were reluctant to allow their children to learn skills instead of earning money but later, they changed their mind after seeing the kids develop art skills.

She said her initiative became a success as her academy had over 100 skilled children, who used to loiter on the streets, scavenge or work in homes.

Referring to a survey report, Ms Huma revealed that there were over two million street children in the country and that once on the street, children were exposed to forced labour, violence and sexual exploitation.

'As a seven-year-old child, I witnessed a few runaway kids live a pathetic life on the street not far from her home. An art inside her wanted to help out those needy and unsafe children at some point of her life,' she said.

Ms Huma did graduation in science and received art education before ending up imparting it to street children. She got her Rangeet Art Academy registered where children both girls and boys learn how to paint, draw sketches, speak and write...