Cos iPads can’t buy me love
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Indian slum children ‘live better with no gadgetry’
[The news below is from today’s Metro, a popular free paper for
London’s commuters]
By Tariq Tahir
CHILDREN in Indian slums are happier than Britain’s iPad generation,
according to a new study.
Despite the poverty, child labouers in Delhi say they have a good life
with quality family time – but the British children have all the
gadgets and, apparently none of the fun.
They came last in a recent survey into child wellbeing across 21
nations A Unicef report reveals families struggle to spend time
together and parents make up for it with expensive gifts.
Poornima Khatun told how she works almost ten hours a day to boost the
family’s £6 per week income.
But she couldn’t how rich children could be sad. The ten-year-old who
works on a landfill in the Indian capital, hates missing a day as it
might mean her family going hungry. ‘If I spend time playing games, it
would mean my parents, brothers and sisters have to work harder.’
Children in Britain said their happiness depended on family time and
outdoor hobbies – both ‘luxuries’ many parents struggle to provide.
India was not included in the survey but Poornima said she was content
even though she spends most of her time as one of 50,000 children who
work as trashpickers in Delhi.’Metal sells for a higher price and can
fetch up to £2 in a day, she said. Her family cannot afford newspapers
or TV, and iPad is an unknown word.
“What is that?” Poornima asked. ‘I can teach you how to play hide and
seek if you tell me what an iPad is.’
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