Google today announced support to three non-profits in India, with $500,000 in grants to promote child safety campaigns. With the grant, Google aims to support non-profits with smart applications of technology, and help scale initiatives aimed towards child safety programs and campaigns in India.
The three short listed non-profits have been doing phenomenal work in providing free counselling to children in need of help, rescuing children from slavery, trafficking, sexual abuse and forced labour with innovative mix of technology. Grants through Google.org will be used to scale existing initiatives to help reach more children and create more awareness about the need to protect the future of these children.
● 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 fund BBA to create a program for fighting 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.
Commenting on the grant, Rajan Anandan, Vice President & Managing Director, Google India and South-East Asia said, “Technology can play a significant role in transforming lives, and we are delighted to provide support to three of India’s non-profit organizations such as Childline India Foundation, Bachpan Bachao Andolan and Tulir who have been doing phenomenal work to usher in a social change by providing safety and protection to the children in our country. Children’s safety and protection is a shared responsibility and initiatives around it, need collective measures. We believe that efforts made in scaling these initiative through technology can truly have a social impact and we look forward to working with these partners in India.
Globally, Google has donated over $100 million in grants, $1 billion in technology resources, and 80,000 hours of Googler volunteering to nonprofits in 2014 around the world.
Mr. R.S. Chaurasia, Chairperson, Bachpan Bachao Andolan said, “Children are increasingly vulnerable to new and emerging forms of physical, economic and sexual exploitation in homes, schools and other protective environments. This grant from Google will enable us not only to spread awareness among children and parents but also make them active participants and torch bearers in their own protection.”
Dr Anjaiah Pandiri, Executive Director, CHILDLINE India Foundation said, “39% of India’s 1.21 billion population are children below 18. Of these 40% are marginalised due to a variety of issues. CHILDLINE, the world’s largest Child helpline, reaches a child physically within approximately an hour of a call to 1098, our 24×7 outreach based service. Today we are increasingly receiving calls from a swiftly growing middle class. Vast numbers of children are accessing the internet and using mobiles, which are connected to the Internet. Google’s support in strengthening and expanding our range of programmes is welcome and much needed. I expect this to result in forging a partnership that will impact millions of children in India.”
