The Hope Foundation is an Irish charity which has been working with street children in Calcutta since 1999. Set up by Cork native Maureen Forrest

The Hope Foundation provides support to thousands of children each year through our education programmes alone. Poverty is overwhelming in Calcutta with approximately 250,000 children living, sleeping and working on the streets of the city. Approx 1.83 million children die each year in India before they reach their fifth birthday. Those who survive are forced to work over 12 hours a day begging on the streets for money or rummaging in rubbish dumps for food. At night their tiny bodies line Calcutta's busy streets where they face the very real risk of being abused, trafficked or forced into prostitution.

The Hope Foundation believes that education is the 'pathway of out poverty' and with YOUR help we can continue to support these children by providing materials so that they can have the opportunity to go to school.