The Yuvalok Foundation was founded in 1995. Faced with the desperate need of so many poor children on his own doorstep, the founder began to see education, combined with the provision of good nutrition, as key to opening the door of opportunity in life for these children and eradicating poverty. The Almon Children’s Centre was set up in Bangalore to serve the Rohingya people of 53 families (200 people), who had migrated from Myanmar through Bangladesh into north-east India. Their living and working conditions can only be described as shocking. The community survive economically by recycling rubbish, in particular broken glass. The men function as “hunter gatherers” while the women sort the rubbish with their bare hands for recycling. The people have no identity cards and so are not eligible for any kind of support from the authorities, including education and healthcare. Their children were spending their lives wandering the streets. The Centre provides foundation classes for children from age 4 to 12 years, but they hope to introduce children over 6 years to the Government run school in the neighbourhood. Breakfast porridge and mid-day meals are provided, Monday to Friday. The target is to support 80 boys and girls. The Centre also plans to offer health care services to the mothers of the children and young women from that community, and adult literacy for men and women who are interested.
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