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SEVAI-RCI Child Assistance booth in Trichirapalli Railway Junction |
A
round-the-clock Child Assistance Booth functions round the clock at the Trichy Railway Junction and rescued over 550 kids,
the runaway and missing children in 7 months duration. It prevents
trafficking and to prevent
violence against children to strengthen protection services for children in
vulnerable situations. It is the
initiative of SEVAI; a Trichy based NGO-Railway Children, with the Financial
and accompaniment support of Railway Children India. The booth was set up in
Platform No.1 of Trichy Railway Junction; one of the significant Railway
Junctions in Southern Railway Junction, the space has been provided by the
Railway authorities. The DGM, Southern
Railways, Chennai inaugurated the Booth on 31st January.2018.SEVAI
Team of 16 members manages, working in shifts; the booth functions
round-the-clock at the station. The objective behind setting up the booth was
to rescue runaway and missing children and prevent trafficking of minors. The
rescued children are brought to the booth immediately to make them feel
comfortable and shift them to the SEVAI-Open Shelter approved by Government of
Tamilnadu situated near central bus stand. Thereafter, the Open shelter staff
members attends to their basic needs
such as providing food and space for taking rest, counseling and vocational education,
care and support and 10 more staff members take care the open shelter. The
children feel more comfortable in such environment. The SEVAI professional team
and Field officer of RCI and manages the Open Shelter and interact with the
rescued children to ascertain their whereabouts and produce the rescued
children before the Child Welfare Committee as per the mandated procedure to
reunite with their parents. The children are provided with balanced diet in
Open shelter. Most runaway children preferred train as a mode to get away from
their homes since it provided them access to travel to longer distances. Child Friendly Space have been created in Open Shelter where the child's right to
feel safe, to learn and to play in SEVAI-RCI’s Child Friendly Spaces provide a safe
place for some of the most vulnerable
children as designed to address children's specific needs depending on the
crisis state of affairs. India's huge, bustling railway stations are
perfect for abusers looking to prey on lonely, desperate, vulnerable children.
Children are constantly at risk of sexual violence, misuse and violence. Many
children resort to drugs and substance abuse to get through each day. Trichirapalli
Junction Child Help Assistance Booth is ‘child-friendly’ set up with the help
and engagement of SEVAI-RCI.-Kris