These children, like tens of thousands of others in India, never received an education because their parents are too poor to
send them to school. They are forced to start working at an early age in order to contribute to the family's livelihood. The poverty of their parents takes away their childhood.

The Indian photographer Harish Tyagi has continuously documented children’s lives in India, mainly near New Delhi. In 2002 he was awarded an honourable mention for his image “I wish I had a bigger playground”.

Photo: Harish Tyagi, India / European Pressphoto Agency (EPA)