INITIATIVES > CHILDREN > A MESSAGE WORTH SPREADING
A MESSAGE WORTH SPREADING
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The NGO Childline operates the country´s first and only toll–free, tele–helpline for street children in distress. Their helpline number, 1098, is one where street children or any member of the general public can call in and report incidents of abuse or violence toward street children. Once an incident is reported, the organisation´s field workers step in to take action and rescue children to safe homes run by NGOs like Salaam Balak Trust.
In 2010, Childline´s national campaign, "Childline Se Dosti," came to us for support and we wholeheartedly magnified its reach to enable them to achieve their purpose of turning ordinary citizens into stakeholders for street children´s rights and protection mechanisms.
All Apeejay employees volunteered to utilize their networks to advocate and spread awareness of the campaign across the country. They took it upon themselves to tell friends, neighbours and families about the children´s helpline where anybody can call whenever they see a child on the streets in distress. They also signed up as ´Dosts´ with Childline, in order to help increase the ´dosti´ network formed by people from all walks of life. Our employees´ active advocacy for this campaign helped to widen the social security web that Childline has created for the benefit of street children.