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Our Childhood Wasn’t About Toys—It Was About Survival
I am Dev Pratap Singh, and my story didn’t begin in a classroom—it began in a garbage dump. At 12, I ran away from home with just ₹130 in my pocket. Hungry, homeless, and hopeless, I started picking rags to survive. The stench was unbearable. I fell into addiction, theft, and landed in jail. At one point, I believed that was the end of my story.
But a stranger bailed me out—and gave me a second chance. I became a waiter, moved cities, and eventually became a territory sales manager earning ₹45,000 a month. But no matter how far I came, I couldn’t forget the children I left behind—still stuck in the same cycle of hunger, addiction, and poverty. That’s when I met Chandni, and everything changed.
Chandni’s life mirrored mine—only harder. She grew up in a slum, performing on the streets with her father, ragpicking, and even getting arrested on false charges. After her father’s sudden death, she became the sole breadwinner. She could’ve given up, but instead, she chose to fight.
“I’ll make sure no child goes through what I did,” she told me.Together, we started Voice of Slum in 2015 with just a smartphone and a rented room. No degrees. No money. Just one mission: To help slum children rise—no matter what.
Education Was Our First Weapon
We began by providing free bridge classes to slum children—kids who had never held a pencil or sat in a classroom. In just 1.5 years, we prepare them for mainstream schools and sponsor their fees.
So far, over 825 children have completed our course. 315 children are now studying in formal schools. And every child carries a new dream in their eyes.
But education alone wasn’t enough—because hunger always came first.
Feed The Slum: Because No Child Can Learn on an Empty Stomach
One day, after giving a child food, Chandni noticed he looked sad despite being full. He told her, “Didi, at least I won’t sleep hungry tonight.”
That moment birthed Feed The Slum—a mission to serve hot, nutritious meals with dignity.
Since then, we’ve served over 66 lakh meals across Delhi-NCR. We’ve even bought a van to deliver food directly to slum pockets. Every meal is served in a clean, respectful space—because we believe nutrition and dignity go hand in hand.
This Year, Our Mission Is Bigger Than Ever
This year, we’ve taken on our most ambitious goal yet: To feed 2,000 slum children, every single day.
It costs just ₹2,400 to feed a child for a month. ₹28,800 for an entire year. And ₹2,88,000 can feed 10 children for a whole year.
We're barely covering food, salaries, vehicles, and operations.
Yet, every single day, we continue—because quitting means letting a child go hungry.
We Were Once Forgotten. Now We Fight So Others Aren’t. We were once nameless children digging through trash. Today, we are educators, protectors, and change-makers.
We are proof that even the most broken beginnings can build something beautiful. But to keep going, we need you.
Let’s make sure no child sleeps hungry tonight. Not on our watch.
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