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From rags to computer games

Ragpickers, Street Children, Casual Labourers Spend 3 To 4 Hrs A Day Gaming

Bangalore: If you thought high-tech computer games are meant only for those staying in the cozy comforts of their air-conditioned homes, then here’s a reality check for you.
Ten-year-old Appu G is a ragpicker. But this urchin is hooked on to computer games and spends a handsome amount of his daily income in cyber cafes — on a weekly average of Rs 150. Appu, along with his friends, religiously spends an hour a day in the cafe. And his expense: Rs 10 an hour.
“I learnt playing these games on my own. I go to the cafe every afternoon,” he says.
Appu is not the only one of his kind. In fact, there are many ragpickers, street children and casual labourers who shell out quite an amount to satiate their little desires. A few of them even spend 3-4 hours a day gaming. While some indulge in the passtime without their parents’ knowledge, a few of these kids have no family to turn to.
The type of games that lure them are car and bike racing, shooting games, arcades and others. Most of these kids are from the City Market, Majestic and Shivajinagar areas.
Twelve-year-old Jeeva R indulges in a similar passion. A son of a ragpicker, Jeeva loves playing computer games. Of his daily pocket money of Rs 10, this class 8 kid spends Rs 5 on meals and the remaining on gaming.
“I learnt to play games from a cyber cafe owner. I spend nearly Rs 100 a week,” he says. Racing games are his favourite.
Selvi S, in-charge of Vicky Cyber World at Nagarthpet, has 20 games downloaded in her computers and finds frequent customers in these ragpicker kids. “Interestingly, these children learn on their own. We charge Rs 5 for halfan hour and Rs 10 for an hour. I have never taught them,” she adds.
Tapping on this trend, organizations working for street children and ragpickers are using these games as lures to retain them in their centres. For instance, BOSCO Mane, an organization working for streetchildren, has installed computers with various games for students.