Many in India and around the world are working very hard to fight against child exploitation in India - from governments to companies to civil society to inspiring individuals. Most of these efforts, rightly so, have been offline, boots on the ground, and they continue to make great progress.
Now, we’d like to see if smart applications of technology can help some of these initiatives reach more people, more efficiently. We're working with three leading non-profits in India, including piloting smart new applications of technology, with $500,000 in grants through Google.org:
Childline India Foundation - Childline provides a free phone service for children in need of help or protection. By dialing 1098 any time of day or night, children or concerned adults can access care from trained providers who can connect them to government or NGO services. Google’s grant will support the Childline and help them develop an online platform for its services.
Bachpan Bachao Andolan - BBA's mission is to protect and rescue children from slavery, trafficking, and forced labor. Google’s grant will contribute to BBA's campaign on child rights, with a specific focus on child sexual abuse, including the development of an online information site, an advocacy campaign and a national conference for experts and providers.
Tulir - Tulir works to prevent and heal child sexual abuse across India. It offers a school-based curriculum to help children stay safe, education for professionals who work with children, resources for healing victims, and does advocacy around the issues. This grant will allow them to work at a larger scale, using technology and innovation.
We know this is a big problem, without a simple solution. But our hope is that these three grants can help reach at least one of these kids in New Delhi or elsewhere.
Posted by Rajan Anandan, Vice President and Managing Director, Google India and Southeast Asia
