Step up to help educate street-connected children in Kolkata From 1 - 30 April 2026
This April, take on our main challenge: walk 300,000 steps in 30 days and make every step count for street-connected children supported by HOPE.
From school runs and weekend park walks to countryside trails and evening strolls with friends (and even the dog), your everyday movement will make all the difference.
By raising £240, you could fund a full year of education for a child in HOPE’s care. Education provides safety, stability and opportunity for children who have experienced life on the streets, giving them the foundation they deserve to build a brighter future.
Ready to go the distance?
Why is your support needed?
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Many street-connected children struggle to access necessities such as food, clean water and somewhere safe to sleep.
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Many are alone, open to abuse and exploitation.
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Some start work as young as five.
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An education builds their knowledge, skills and confidence.
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All deserve the hope of a better future.
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100% of your funds will be used for our education programmes and resources for street-connected children aged 2-18 in Kolkata.
What can your money do?
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£1.80 will buy a snack for 10 toddlers at our creche
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£8.60 will buy a pair of shoes and school uniform
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£30 will buy educational stationery and toys
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£80 will provide a month’s salary for a teacher
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£100 will purchase educational books for a child
Stories of HOPE from our Education Projects
Creche
Vanshika's Story
4-year-old Vanshika lives with her parents who are both rag pickers which means they spend long periods away from the family home. Their income is not enough to support the family, and her father is alcohol dependent. After regular counselling, Vanshika’s mother supported her daughter attending the creche regularly. Vanshika is now engaged in interactions with her peers and enjoying classroom lessons.
Brian's Way
Shibu's Story
Shibu is four years old and has locomotor disabilities due to his cerebral palsy. His family struggled to afford the therapies and medical support required. After 18 months attending the centre, Shibu became less shy and is now able to stand up, sit down and crawl with minimal support. Shibu’s parents are engaged in his progress and practice the therapies with him at home.
Education on Wheels
Sabana's Story
Sabana lives in Chitpur with her parents and brother. Her mother is the only earner in the household selling fruit on the streets. During COVID Sabana was forced to drop out of school to help her mother support the family. The teachers from The Education on Wheels project counselled. Sabana’s mother to let her resume her education, which she did. After exceptional progress, Sabana was enrolled in a formal school and is a testament to the positive effects of education and inclusion.
Naboasha
Rajib's Story
16-year-old Rajib faced hard economic conditions from childhood which contributed to him being denied an education. His parents were unwilling to enrol him in school, unaware of the significance of an education. Now, six years on, Rajib is loving his studies and is pursuing humanities at a local government school. His dedication to his studies has inspired his sisters and his parents are now eager supporters of their children’s education.
All names have been changed
Seeing the work of the Hope Foundation (HOPE) while filming Kolkata and The Ganges for the BBC had a profound impact on me. Many of the stories I heard about the children who were living on the streets, and the scenes I saw around me, moved me to tears. But there were also many moments of joy in meeting the smiling children that were supported by HOPE.
Visiting HOPE’s projects in Kolkata, in February 2024, gave me a deeper understanding of the challenges many children face, but also the incredible impact of the support they receive from HOPE’s team on the ground. Meeting these vulnerable children and seeing the programmes in action strengthened my commitment to HOPE and helping where I can.
Motivated by my visit, I took part in Footsteps for HOPE and raised £900 for education programmes. It may be a small step, but it brings us closer to a future where every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive.
- Walk the school run (or part of it).
- Walk to work or get off the bus one stop early.
- Family walks during the Easter break: parks, woods, beaches or local trails.
- After-dinner walks together as the evenings get lighter.
- Easter egg hunt on foot around your garden or local green space.
- Weekend park meet-ups with friends and play-dates.
- Walk to the shops instead of driving for small errands.
- Explore a new local route each weekend in April.
- Walk while children scoot or cycle alongside you.
- Sunday “reset” walk as a family before the week begins.
Sign Up
Click the button below to begin setting up your JustGiving fundraising page to raise £100 or more.
Download
Download your tracker to monitor your progress. Both the 10 day and 30 day trackers and a flyer are included.
Complete the challenge
All that remains is for you to complete your 100k or 300k footsteps challenge! Good luck and thank you!
If 300,000 steps feels like too much right now, you can still be part of the movement by choosing 100,000 steps over 10 days.
However far you walk, you will be helping change a child’s future.