As one of Australia's leading providers of international education, CQUniversity has had thousands of students from India through its doors over the past two decades. Now it's keen to give something back to India by supporting some of the country's most underprivileged children.

Chairperson and Founder Trustee of Salaam Baalak Trust, Praveen Nair, and Founder Trustee, Sanjoy Roy, accepted the 1.5 million rupee sponsorship of the 'WALK into the street life of Delhi' program from the Vice-Chancellor and President, CQUniversity Australia, Professor Scott Bowman and the Chancellor, Rennie Fritschy at an event at The Australian High Commission in Delhi

CQUniversity has joined forces with one of India's most progressive NGOs, Salaam Baalak Trust*, to improve educational opportunities for Indian students and to provide assistance to street and working children.

SBT provides support to more than 5000 street and working children every year, by providing them with secure spaces, meals, counselling and educational opportunities.

CQUniversity is pleased to be supporting SBT to continue to carry out its vital work with Indian children who are at risk.

"It's all part of our aim towards becoming Australia's most engaged university and helping to facilitate access to higher education for all individuals," says Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman, who was in India recently to cement the arrangement.

With the signing of its agreement with SBT, CQUniversity is now the official sponsor of the charity's ‘Walk into the street life of Delhi' program, with support of 1.5 million rupee over the next three years.    LINK for a Photo Gallery for Walk into the Street Life of Delhi

This financial assistance will cover the cost of salaries for SBT's ‘Walk' guides, who share their personal stories of freedom and survival as they take visitors on tours of the colourful street life in and around the New Delhi railway station and Pahargan.

Professor Bowman presents a CQUniversity Australia bag to one of the 'WALK into the street life of Delhi' guides.

CQUniversity will also sponsor a number of SBT students to undertake university studies in India by paying their tuition fees, accommodation fees and living expenses for the duration of their degree.

* Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT) is an Indian non-profit and non-governmental organisation, established with proceeds from the 1988 film Salaam Bombay made about street children by noted film director Mira Nair, which provides support for street and working children in inner cities of New Delhi and Mumbai. Its remit includes providing education, basic literacy and schooling, full care facilities for the young (up to 12 years), drop-in shelters for older children, health care and counselling in HIV/AIDS and TB awareness.

Today SBT runs five 24-hour full care shelters for children; five outreach contact points mostly near railway stations; a 24-hour toll-free helpline service, catering to children in distress all over India; and looks after 5000 children annually. SBT is also a project ‘H71 partner NGO' of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Deputy High Commissioner to India, Dr Lachlan Strahan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CQUniversity Australia, Professor Scott Bowman, the Chairperson and Founder Trustee of Salaam Baalak Trust, Praveen Nair and the Chancellor, CQUniversity Australia, Rennie Fritschy, following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between CQUniversity and the Salaam Baalak Trust earlier in October 
Sonia, a student of the Salaam Baalak Trust addresses the audience at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between CQUniversity Australia and the Trust. 
'WALK into the street life of Delhi' guides proudly display their CQUniversity Australia t-shirts. 
VC Scott Bowman explains details of the SBT support to Indian students based at Rockhampton Campus, L-R Balpreet Singh, Sanam Deep and Shaun Kumar