Global InformationSalaam Baalak Trust information
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| Abbreviation | SBT |
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| Formation | 1988 |
| Type | Non Governmental Organisation |
| Purpose | Support for street children and working children |
| Location |
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Chairperson | Praveen Nair |
Budget | Rs. 12 crore (2018-2019)[1] |
Staff | Over 250 |
Volunteers | 120 per year (including Indians and foreigners) |
| Website | Salaam Baalak Trust, Delhi |
Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT) is an Indian non-profit and non-governmental organization which provides support for street and working children in the Delhi-NCR. It was established in 1988 with the proceeds from the film Salaam Bombay! directed by Mira Nair, which was about the lives and vulnerabilities of street children. The name Salaam Baalak Trust translates literally as "salute the child". Programs at SBT include repatriation, providing education (formal education, informal education and open learning), basic literacy and schooling, full care facilities for the young (up to 18 years), drop-in shelters for older children, physical and mental health care, life-skills education, vocational training, sports, job placement and counselling in HIV/AIDS.
SBT runs seven 24-hour full care residential homes for children and teenagers all over India, of which two are devoted to girls (Arushi and Udaan - Rose Home). 10 contact points-day care centers, mostly near railway stations and three 24-hour toll-free helpline service (1098), cater to children in distress and problems all over India. Therefore, looking after nearly 10,000 children every year. Salaam Baalak Trust children, who have been trained in theatre, dance and puppetry, are giving performances all over the world.
Since 2007, SBT Delhi has been running the City Walk Program, a guided tour through Paharganj and New Delhi Railway Station area. The guides are former street children who went through the same process from the Trust. The walk aims to sensitise the guests about street life, street children and children in distress. During the Walk, the guides share their personal story of survival and walk them through the contact points/day care and residential homes. The walk, thus, also provides an opportunity for the young adults to improve their communication and marketing skills. All proceeds go directly towards the Trust to enable more opportunities. From April 2019 to March 2020, the City Walk Program did 902 walks and 8353 visitors were sensitised from across the world. [citation needed]
In addition to the City Walk tour, SBT also offers a Heritage Walk through Old Delhi, showcasing six hidden places, including markets, havelis, and five different religions that have existed in the area since 1638. This walk acquaints tourists with all that has survived in Old Delhi since Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal Emperor who made Delhi the capital of his empire. The walk takes tourists on an adventure ride through the city and lands panoramic views of Old Delhi from a spice market rooftop. It ends at one of SBT's contact points to offer a glimpse into what street children have survived.
- ^ Annual Report, Salaam Baalak Trust