CPCS is deeply involved on the street, with the street and for the street. We believe that our role is not to get the child out of the street at all costs. There are many reasons pushing, throwing or attracting the child to the street and the street world and the ones living there have to be respected. Children on the street are living in groups (small gangs) following their own rules, own way of thinking, own way of living. As they feel rejected by the society, they create a sub society system with their own power relations, hierarchy and values. As plastic takers (rag pickers), beggars, street vendors, tempo boys they don't have a very positive image in the public. They are what people call "Khate", a word, which originally described the plastic takers only but that is now used for calling all those children who work, live and sleep on the street. "Khate" is a very negative term and children refuse to be called that. Anyway this word describes well the negative public opinion toward street children. They are considered as social parasites, small criminals, drugs abusers and thieves. The fact that they use bad words, wear dirty clothes and refuse any social constraints makes the general public think that the street children are basically and internally unsocial persons.

On the other hand the children themselves feel that they have no other choice but to behave differently. Feeling as unaccepted persons, street children decide not to accept the society and its rules. "Nobody accept us, they call us "Kathe", dogs, monkeys… Therefore why do we have to respect them? We have our way and it's good like that; we are not from their world", comments 13 year-old Sujan.

It looks really like a never ending cycle of exclusion, marginalization and violence.

Why do we have to respect something that rejects us?