Children Walking Tall

Children Walking Tall was a UK and India charity working for Street and Slum Children In Goa. Founded in 2004 by Robert Lyon and Shermina Ganatra, Children Walking Tall was a registered UK charity dedicated to helping slum and street children in India.

The Children They Help Most of the children that they helped were from the slums or those working on the streets. Slums are often temporary areas hidden away behind buildings and down small tracks, many have no electricity or running water which results in poor hygiene and sanitation. They also help children from families that migrate looking for work. These children can often be found playing and living at the side of busy roads or on building sites. Lack of nourishment and poor living conditions increase the chance of severe health problems.

Children Walking Tall operated a children's home and drop in centre called The Mango House. They also did outreach work that extended into Maharastra and Karnataka, where they provided clothes, fruit, toothpaste, soap, toothbrushes, toys and educational items to children living in similar conditions.

With the help of volunteers they set up small school sessions in the slums providing basic lessons in English, Maths, Crafts and Play. In May 2005 they found a permanent home for the charity The Mango House. At this time it was a run down Portuguese house that hadn’t been lived in for many years. The next six to eight months were spent working on the house, changing it from a shell into a lively centre to which children can come for healthy food, medical care, a safe/dry place to rest and to join in with creative and fun education. The house is open to all children no matter what their background, religion or circumstances.