People First Educational Charitable Trust, Bodhgaya, Indiahttp://www.peoplefirstindia.net
Target: £30,804.00
Raised so far: £12,424.00
People First Educational Charitable Trust, Bodhgaya, Indiahttp://www.peoplefirstindia.net
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Rescue junction is a 24 hour centre for homeless abandoned and lost street children. It provides shelter food,advice education and support for children in a safe and caring environment.
In Bihar in India, one of India's poorest states, there are no developed child welfare systems, and Rescue Junction reaches out to children who have been forgotten and abandoned. These children are at risk of being involved in prostitution or criminal activities and before Rescue Junction they had no one to turn to for help or assistance. Over 500 lost missing and trafficked children have been reunited with their parents since the centre opened.
Night Shelter with food/ Children's Savings Bank/ Legal Services and Child protection officer/Free legal help/Education/vocational activities/help with finding families./Clothes and Blankets.24 hour care. The centre provides over 3,000 meals a month for children
It is the aim of the trust to engage with the police, railway authorities, the judicial system and local government in helping to provide a child safety network in the district. This has the potential to help thousands of kids.
Sunita
Hello Everybody!
Greetings from everybody at Rescue Junction!
In this update I want to tell you a story , the Jaipur Bangle factory story, It is a story of systematic organised child labour ,of the buying and selling of children, some as young as seven and the slavery of young people just for the purpose making a profit.
The story begins some months ago when an off duty Railway Protection Force officer noticed 10 young boys in the company of an older man about to board the Howrah to Jodphur Express at Gaya Junction. After questioning them he arrested the older man and admitted the boys to Rescue Junction. They were all successfully returned home under a parental bond and with help from the labour department towards their education.
But from the counselling given by Rescue Junction staff and interviews with the arrested man by the Police a picture began to emerge of a large scheme in the selling and exporting of children which had gone on for years without any hindrance from the authorities. This was all about to change.
Following on from information received a factory in Jaipur was raided and 60 children were rescued. The staff at Rescue Junction however were convinced there were more children being kept locked up , being made to work long hours with little or no pay, being physically abused in Jaipur over 1000 miles from home. Operation "Full Stop" was begun. Over the next few weeks in conjunction with the police and labour department and officials, (some officers working undercover in Jaipur posing as potential customers) the process began of gathering evidence:names and addresses of factory owners, the child traffickers, and their modus operandi were all carefully compiled and documented.
The traffickers in Bihar would tell parents their children would only have to work two hours a day would be well cared for and earn a stipend. they told them a school was there for them.
They made them sign what they called "travel documents" and paid them 2,000 INR ( about $40) which were in fact "Bills of Sale". As the children's parent were all desperately poor and illiterate, (after being targeted for their very vulnerability) they had no idea what was written on the documents.
The culmination of all this work was a combined simultaneous raid by the Ralasthan Police and Labour Department on many factories, the Times of India in Jaipur covered the story,
JAIPUR: Nearly 184 children, who were working as labourers and rescued in Bharatpur, travelled to Bihar by Kota-Patna Express on Saturday night. Two special bogies were attached to the train for the children.
As many as 210 children were rescued in Bharatpur on March 9 and 13. Apart from the 184 children, a few others belonging to Jharkhand and other states had already left for their states but those from Bihar stayed back for seven days in a childcare home in Bharatpur. Majority of them belonged to the age group of 7 to 14 years. A 12-member team from Bihar reached Bharatpur to take the children back to their houses.
When the children were boarding the train for Bihar, they looked happy as they received many gifts from the state government. The government provided the children with two dresses, one bed-sheet, soap, toothpaste and tiffin box with food and biscuits and water bottles for the journey. Also, the government bore the tickets for the journey.
Bharatpur collector Gyan Prakash Shukla said, "We ensured that the journey of the children are comfortable. So we have arranged two special bogies in Kota-Patna Express. We have provided various items that will be useful for the children in their journey."
Moreover, chief minister Ashok Gehlot has given Rs 10,000 to each child as a relief.
Since there are chances that these children would again work as child labour due to certain reasons, the government has also written to the Bihar government suggesting proper tracking of these rescued children along with their rehabilitation so that these children would not work as labourers again.
Some children were rescued on March 9 when they were travelling in Jodhpur-Sealdah Express along with their alleged agents, who were arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP). The others were rescued from the same train on last Wednesday.
The Rajasthan State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (RSCPCR) claimed that majority of the children worked as child labourers in Bhatta Basti area in manufacturing units of bangles.
You can find out more details and pictures on our Facebook page , the link is below.
In the end 183 children arrived at Rescue Junction .
Several arrests on serious charges have been made and all are in Jail.
Whilst the breaking of this child selling ring is a major achievement for all concerned, indeed a discussion between the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and the CM of Bihar has taken place over this very case, and the measures that both State Governments can take to ensure prevention of such schemes in the future, staff at Rescue Junction are under no illusion of the task that lies before them. This is just the beginning and child labour remains a problem as does child abuse and neglect. I believe if India is going to take its place amongst developed nations this kind of abuse must stop, but I am encouraged by the progress in recent years in India regarding child rights.
Recently our Chairman Deepak Kumar met with the minister of labour in Bihar personally to start the process of a special school offering free education and vocational training for child labourers. This may be a year or two down the line, but it is a move in the right direction.
In the meantime we need your support to keep the doors of Rescue Junction open 24 hours for all children, no child is ever turned away . For all these services, for all these children reaching out where there exists no alternative provision costs just $50,000 per year. The centre serves over 3,000 meals a month to street homeless and missing children
Please help us reach out to even more of them.
Support rescue Junction today.
Thank you.
Sunita
Sunita Sharma
Hi Everyone,
I hope this report finds you all well!
One of the problems here in India especially here in Bihar is child trafficking.
I will let one of the boys pictured above speak for himself,
“A man came to our village, he promised us work in a factory very far away, he said we would only have to work for two hours a day and we would get 1500 rupees a month ( about $28.00 - less than a dollar a day) and we would be looked after well and get some education. He made our parents sign a document they could not read but he said was just permission for taking us away from home. They gave our parents 2,000 rupees (about $38) , a lot of money for them”
“We left home early the morning and made our way to the train station. We rode the train and it stopped at Gaya. A boy selling water bottles talked to us briefly through the bars of the train window and asked us where we were going. He went away. But within minutes the carriage was full of police shouting and moving quickly towards us, for a moment we were very scared but they spoke to us quietly and said do not worry, but they asked some questions about where we were going and why. The man with us tried to leave, but then one policeman said come with us and outside there were some people who spoke to us very softly and kindly and said come with us. They were from Rescue Junction . As we walked down the platform the last we saw of the man was him being led away in handcuffs. We never saw him again”
Rakesh Age 7
These are the facts . These children were on their way to Jaipur in Rajasthan to work in a bangle factory. In the past we have rescued children from a different factory. They were made to work up to 16 hours a day, were kept in confinement, poorly fed and denied medical care and they were forbidden from leaving the factory compound. If they tried, they were beaten. The document the agent made the parents sign was a deed of sale. It is time, if India is truly going to move into the modern age, for this to stop. With your support you are helping us move towards this goal, albeit at a local level. For the rescued children of course you have changed their whole world. They will be reunited with their families with help towards their education and under legal bonds to ensure they are not sold into labour again, follow up work will be done. Each Child will appear before the District Child Welfare committee, which is actually held in Rescue Junction and his or her best interests will be paramount. On this occasion 16 children were rescued.
We really do need your support,
Every little helps!
Thank you,
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
Hi Everybody,
May I send our very best compliments of the season to you all from everyone here at Rescue Junction.
Here the nights are already becoming cool, and soon will become bitterly cold for a few weeks or so. Of course street children and those living in simple shelters are most vulnerable, particularly young children, so may I draw your attention to a new micro project we have started on Global Giving to help these children.
It is called “Winter Warmth for Street Children in Bihar” and a food blanket costs only $10.00 so thank you for your concern and generosity .
We are so busy these days here at the project, after the Diwali and Children’s day parties, ( the children do not know their birthdays so on children’s day its everybody’s birthday!, please see photo! We are continuing to admit lost and trafficked children, including one boy from Bangaldesh . Our staff have recently received training in cooperation with the Childline foundation of India. There is a new video on our website, with our own music on our website, take a look! It was filmed recently and concentrates on our work with missing children.
I would like to send our heartfelt appreciation for the kindness in your hearts, and I think it would be good if the children themselves wrote the next update, so look out for that!
Thank you so much,
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
Hi Everyone!!
I hope this report finds you and your family all well.
Nowadays Rescue Junction is extremely busy and with our new links with the national agency childline we are getting referrals from all over India, trafficked lost missing and children rescued from child labour. We have reunited 10 children from one place alone, Manali in the Himalayas and working with the police we have smashed this particular child trafficking ring.
It was our pleasure to welcome volunteers , mostly from the University of Lincoln in the UK who helped out at Rescue Junction for a couple of weeks in August. This was as part of our village experience programme which you can find out about on our website.
Another very important piece of news, you can see a photo on out FB page is that our Child Protection and Legal Services officer. Mr Manoj Kumar has just been appointed chairperson of the newly constituted Child Welfare Committee here in Gaya. This places Rescue Junction right at the heart of working with others in helping to develop child protection networks in Gaya district and beyond.
I want to say that ALL the money we receive from Global Giving goes towards helping the project. As restricted fund we are duty bound to ensure its careful use for the maximum benefit of the children. On October 17th Global Giving are matching donations up to 30%.
Thank you once again for all your support.
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
Hi Everyone.
Firstly I should mention our esteemed chairman, Mr Deepak Kumar, ( twice Bodhgaya Rotary Club Chairman and member of various local committees including one against child labour ) received a " Gem of the Nation" award from the former president of India, Dr Kalam in front of 3,000 people in Patna, the capital of Bihar recently in recognition of his work for People First Educational Charitable Trust. Congratulations to him! - a richly deserved award. It may prove to be the first of many for Deepak, a true Social Worker and a strong leader fighting untiringly for Social Justice.
Here at Rescue Junction we are now receiving a record number of referrals from all over India, due to the centre now being part of the childline national network. These include child labourers found working in the Himalayas, girls being sold sadly often by their own families into the sex trade at 13 years old.
The traffickers and kidnappers get ever creative at ensnaring girls, One such technique is planting a crying girl when they see a young women or girl going to college alone who says she has got lost and please can you take me home as I don't know where it is, please take to me to this address which she has with her. Of course the address is not home but a place where the girl can be kidnapped or even raped.
The childline number 1098 is toll free and is manned 24 hours a day. Calls from children in distress are responded to immediately.
Did you know the entire running costs of our centre still comes out at $50,000 a year. I want to thank all of you for helping us keep the centre open. Your kindness and generosity is much appreciated.
Sunita Kumari
Shaun Warner
This update is a little bit different from usual, it is a letter received from a participant in our village experience programme held every year. Volunteers get a chance to work alongside our staff in all of our projects. Shaun refers to Nick and Deepak in the letter, they are the co founders of the Charity.
Sunita Kumari
Hello everyone.
I hope this update from People First finds you well and that the New Year has got off to a promising start for you and your family.
We have had even by our standards an exceptionally busy start to the New Year, as followers of our Facebook page ( the link is below) will already know we were honoured by a visit from the Bihar Minister of State for Labour, following increasing cooperation with Labour Department in tackling child labour and trafficking. You may also be aware Bodhgaya is the centre of the Buddhist World and organised child begging is an ever present menace. We appeal to all those who visit Bodhgaya (only 13km away from Rescue Junction) please if you want to give- donate to a recognised and reputable organisation rather than individual children. Please help spread the word.
A one day old child, a little Baby Boy was recently found abandoned in a potato field and we were able to place this boy with a caring family awaiting adoption.
He would not have survived the night if he had not been brought to us.
We are currently working with the relevant authorities trying to get trafficked children back home from as afar a field as Delhi and the Himalayas.
I just wanted to say how much we appreciate your continuing support and please look out for the next update keeping you in touch with our work.
With much appreciation,
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
Hello Everyone!
I hope the New Year brings joy for you and your family!
The cold winter months are here in Bihar now, and the welcoming warmth of Rescue Junction saves many children's lives at this time of year.
I wanted to tell you all an amazing story, sometimes we wonder what we will see come through the door next.
A frightened and cold ten month old child was very recently brought to us by the Police having been found with a bottle of milk crying next to the toilet of an express train as it came into Gaya Junction. We have built up a good relationship with the local media who are very supportive of the project so we turned to them, as well as using our community contacts to try and trace the family. I am pleased to tell you we were able locate the mother, a women living in poverty near a station over 80km or 50 miles away. But she is able to care for her child whom she loves very much.
It turns out her father in a drunken state took the child when the mother went to fetch water and boarded a train. He then left the train at another station, abandoning the child near the toilet. With our support, charges have now been brought against him of what I believe is called in the west “reckless child endangerment”
I want you also to know your support enabled us to buy many warm sweaters and clothing for the children,and we have noticed that many donations came in November from Global Giving UK . They were given anonymously, but whoever you are our children thank you. And thanks to all of you who have shown you really do care about helping change these children’s lives for the better.
God Bless you all,
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
Dear Friends and Supporters,
May I send my very best compliments of the season to you all from here in Bihar India.
There is much to report from Rescue Junction.
Firstly we hope to be in the future the centre in our for the free child line service in our area. It is a great compliment to be recommended for this vital service. Please look out for future updates with regard to this development.
We have had many admissions since our last report, but of course these emergency admissions are a very important part of our work only, as we provide 24 hour car with food and education for all street children in the area. With regard to the cases we make public we always get permission from the family and the young person concerned to do so, and they agree because they know the more people that know about our work the better chance we have of getting the support we need for the work to continue in the future.
One girl was persuaded by her “boyfriend” to come to Gaya where she was drugged and sadly sexually assaulted before managing to run away from the house where she was kept for 24 hours and entered the nearest police station in a distressed state. After extensive counselling and medical care, and the arrangement of ongoing support she has been reunited with her family. As is often the case neither the girl nor her family wished to press charges against the perpetrators, however the police are aware of them and they are now under supervision. We have to respect the wishes of the victim and family, but you can be sure arrest will be a minute away if these people try anything similar anytime soon. For obvious reasons we are not publishing photographs of the victim in this case.
I have to report to you all a very sad thing. Late at night a woman travelling with a small baby on a local train arrived at Gaya Station. But she had died, and the police arrived just in time to prevent some anti social elements from taking the baby in order perhaps to sell it, they have been arrested.
The very distressed child who we have named Anchal, which means Shelter, is being comforted by female staff at Rescue Junction. The woman (we think the mother) is awaiting a post mortem but remains unidentified. If we cannot trace Anchal’s family we will place her with the nearest recognised adoption home run by Mother Teresa in another district for adoption by a loving Indian family. Contrary to what is sometimes understood there is a waiting list of such families to adopt and so we do not believe in International adoption placements.
We are both inspired and grateful for your wonderful support. I feel I cannot help but mention we have recently received a number of cheques through Global Giving UK from an anonymous source, whoever you are, thank you on behalf of all of our children so much!
And of course to everyone else who made a donation, no matter how small it all helps us to continue to provide these important services to vulnerable children.
Please see the links below for our website and Facebook page.
With Kind Regards,
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
Dear Friends and Supporters,
I am sure you are aware our work can sometimes be difficult but we are both determined and dedicated in our task.
You remember the previous story of trafficked children being stopped at Gaya Junction?. Well based on information received a raid was conducted on the factory in Jaipur Rajasthan by the Labour Department and Police rescuing 65 children from Bihar who were enslaved there in terrible conditions. 31 were from Gaya District and were transferred to Rescue Junction for rehabiltation, new clothes, good food and to be reunited with thier families.
It is days like these that give us strength to carry on, with your support we can look forward to rescuing even more children in the future.
Please follow our work on our facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/People-First-India/106083302779969
You can see a photograph of some of the children on our website,
http://www.peoplefirstindia.net under latest news and updates.
We have also been able to fit new personal lockers for the children due to a kind donation from California. Thank you!
At this time if Indian Festivals may I send you our best compliments of the season!
Please I remind you October 19th is BONUS MATCHING DAY where any donation you make will have extra value!
Thanks so much!
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
Greetings to all our friends and supporters,
I just wanted to keep you all up to date with all the news from Rescue Junction,
Seven children were found on Gaya Station who were being trafficked for work in a factory at Rajasthan.
After receiving extensive counseling, and securing follow up support from the local administration the children were all able to return to their village after being reunited with their families.
The reason this update has taken some time is that the Police having arrested the trafficker needed to organise a raid on the factory in Rajasthan.
I am pleased to inform you the raid has now taken place and many child labourers freed, some from Bihar but not from our area. They are all undergoing rehabilitation .
We now know that these children left their homes without any parental consent, having being lured away, and therefore the trafficker has now been charged with kidnapping and faces many years in Jail.
In addition, and this is rather a sad story, two young girls one only four months old were found abandoned on a local train and brought to Rescue Junction. The four month old girl is the youngest ever to be brought to the centre. Efforts are on, so far without success to locate the family
And to finish on an upbeat story, do you remember ASHA the little girl found abandoned on the station and after sometime was sent for adoption? We have news that a wealthy Indian family is going to adopt her and that she now has a wonderfull future ahead of her. Thanks as ever for your support.
Please follow us on Facebook and our Website by using the links.
Best Wishes
S Kumari
Sangeeta Kumari
Greetings to all our friends and supporters,
I just wanted to keep you all up to date with all the news from Rescue Junction,
Seven children were found on Gaya Station who were being trafficked for work in a factory at Rajasthan.
After receiving extensive counseling, and securing follow up support from the local administration the children were all able to return to their village after being reunited with their families.
The reason this update has taken some time is that the Police having arrested the trafficker needed to organise a raid on the factory in Rajasthan.
I am pleased to inform you the raid has now taken place and many child labourers freed, some from Bihar but not from our area. They are all undergoing rehabilitation .
We now know that these children left their homes without any parental consent, having being lured away, and therefore the trafficker has now been charged with kidnapping and faces many years in Jail.
In addition, and this is rather a sad story two young girls one only four months old were found abandoned on a local train and brought to Rescue Junction. The four month old girl is the youngest ever to be brought to the centre. Efforts are on, so far without success to locate the family
And to finish on an upbeat story, do you remember ASHA the liitle girl found abandoned on the station and after sometime was sent for adoption? We have news that a wealthy Indian family is going to adopt her and that she now has a wonderfull future ahead of her. Thanks as ever for your support.
Please follow us on Face Book and our Website by using the links.
Best Wishes
Sangeeta
Sunita Kumari
Hi Everyone,
This is Sunita with another update for our kind hearted and generous supporters on Global Giving.
It was our pleasure to welcome volunteers from the Trusts Village Experience Programme to Rescue Junction Recently
You can see some " dance therapy" in action with the volunteers at the centre by clicking on the facebook link below
Meanwhile a sad case, two young children abandoned by their mother we think, two girls aged about five and a baby only four months old on a local train, came to Rescue Junction some days ago. We also have admitted two missing boys both found by another NGO over 1,000 Miles away but who had come from somewhere in this area.
Our counselors are skilled in gently supporting and finding out these and other children's stories and then we can decide what is best for them.
Your support is vital in helping us to maintain our services as we rely entirely on donations.
We have managed to redecorate the centre and the volunteers helped paint some pictures and murals so the wall so the place is looking bright and colorful!
Once again thank you all for your help,
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
Greetings to all our supporters!
The worst of the summer heat has gone but the welcome dmonsoon rains have faltered.
Here at Rescue Junction, lost and missing children continue to come to the centre and a little deaf boy who cannot remember how he got to Gaya was recently united with his family. We continue our rehabilitation efforts for all children at the centre.
Please visit our Facebook page and our website for more information, the links are below.
We also plan to hold a forum with other organisations working in other areas with street, missing, and homeless children which we will host at our Gyan Vikas Centre in Bodh Gaya.
We are also looking forward to welcoming volunteers on our Village Experience programme which will start shortly.
And we now have a new computer due to a donation received from the UK.
I would like to thank you as ever for your wonderful support for Rescue Junction.
On behalf of all of the children we send our heartfelt appreciation to you
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
Greetings to you all from everyone here at Rescue Junction.
Is it really 12 weeks since our last update?,
The Title of this report is a direct quote from a recent visitor, a supporter to Rescue Junction from our visitors book.
Just to remind you of all the services the Gaya Rescue Project at our centre Rescue Junction offers,
It provides local children living in slum areas near the railway education.
It provides early intervention by getting children from the streets who are lost or missing before the streets get to them
It reunites children with their families, but no child is ever returned against their will or back into an abusive situation.
It provides 24 hour care with food and has 14 full time staff including counselors and teachers with a safe night shelter.
It has specially trained female staff and secure area for girls to sleep.
It can place children in good children's homes where they exist in other areas or in homes for adoption by a loving Indian Family.
It provides a bank system for street children to keep their money, and lockers are shortly due to be installed so they can keep their few possessions safe.
It is recognized by the State Government as a shelter home for the care of children in urgent need and distress under the Juvenile Justice Act 2000, but they do not provide funds to support the centre
And the budget for all this? $50,000 per year.
That is why every single donation is so important in order to help us keep the centre open.
Included in this report is a picture of a boy from the Punjab , a lost child who was found drugged on a Kolkata bound train , and police brought him here as the train stopped at Gaya. He cannot remember how he got on the train, except two men who he met at the station in the Punjab befriended him and gave him food. He is very poor and lives with his grandfather with whom the picture shows being reunited.
Other news there is a Rescue Junction related video on our website home page, please watch it and ask your friends to look at it. We really need your help. There is a link below in this report.
And finally June 15th is matching funds day at Global Giving Day, please save your kind donations to that day!
With Thanks and Best Wishes to you all,
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
Warm Greetings, from all of us at Rescue Junction.
Through all of the regular updates I hope you all have come to understand the very important and unique work of the Gaya Rescue Project. It is remarkable and please forgive me for repeating this fact, that although the State Welfare Department has recognized our work by approving the centre as a place for children in urgent need and distress there is no alternative or other centre or indeed any programme to care for such children in the whole district,actually in the whole of South Bihar. South Bihar has a population of over 40 million people!
Recently the Government Railway Police intercepted a lost and frightened looking girl milling through the crowds on Gaya Station. She had run away from a Brothel, and came from the Northeastern State of Nagaland where she had been purchased for the purpose of prostitution. This girl was no older than 15 years of age.
After being admitted to Rescue Junction it soon became clear she had been working at the brothel for over one month, before in desperation running away, after being beaten for a failed attempted escape after just a few days of her exploitation.
The Police have instituted a criminal case in this matter and the young woman concerned has been found a place at the only centre in the whole state for such girls situated in Patna for the rehabilitation of sex trafficked children.
I wanted to tell you this story because we need your support to help keep this important centre open, a child in need is never turned away.
We send our heartfelt thanks and best wishes to you,
Sunita, Project Manager, from Rescue Junction, Bihar India
Suntia Kumari
Greetings to you all!
I want to tell you the story of a boy called Devnandan. Devnandan has lived on the station for as long as he can remember, physically challenged with the loss of an arm in childhood in a freak accident with a thresher mill, he sweeped trains and begged to survive from day to day with little future ahead of him.
He began to attend Rescue Junction, took a keen interest in the educational classes and began to gain self respect.
An opportunity came to him some months ago to study air conditioner and fridge repairing as a vocational training course ,and despite his lack of formal education he successfully passed the course and took a loan from the Trust under our LIFE (Lindum Individual Fund for Enterprise) programme to start his own business. " Himalaya Service Centre".
He has now come from a beggar to businessman, a whole new life in front of him.
As Devnandan himself comments, " I never though that I would have a chance like this"
As ever thanks for all your support, and may with your help turnaround more young lives like Devnandan.
Click on the link below to visit our website.
Sunita kumari
Greetings to all our supporters, we hope this update finds you well
Do you remember two very small girls were found abandoned on the station on two separate occasions?
After extensive efforts including a lot of publicity we were unable to locate their families, sadly it seems as if they were left on purpose. Rescue Junction cared for them whilst efforts were made to secure their future. We are very pleased to be able to tell you places were found in an adoption home and the two girls will soon be in a new loving Indian family .
Meanwhile the children recently celebrated the festival of the god of education with prayers and sweets.
But of course getting missing children home is only part of the centres role, look out for our next newsletter which will show Dev Nandan a regular attender at Rescue Junction who lost an arm in a train accident (as railway children often run the risk of such injuries), opening his new air conditioner repair shop after undergoing vocational training.
All this is due to the support of people like you.
With Best Wishes and thanks to you all,
Sunita
Sunita Kumari
May we send our heartfelt thanks and greetings with compliments of the season from Rescue Junction in Bihar. Let me bring you up to date with all the latest news from the project.
During the past weeks many missing children have come through the doors of Rescue Junction, but Rescue Junction is there for other vulnerable groups also. A 20 year old woman,(we shall call her Pramilla, not her real name) was brought to the centre by the Police, very distressed after bieng found alone and crying on the station. We knew she had run away but pramilla was unable to speak and also suffered from deafness, so specialist counselling was required. It turned out Pramilla was being seriously abused by a male relative. On the basis of medical and other evidence criminal charges have now been made against the perpetrator. Our next task was to find some caring relatives to support her, with access to counselling and supervision of her well being, and this has now been arranged.
We often comment in these reports, What would have happened to Pramilla if Rescue Junction wasn't there?
The sad fact is there is no other programme available in the whole district to help her, the need for Rescue Junction is plain to see. The referring Police Officer commented to the Rescue Junction staff, " I cannot think of a safer place for her than here".
At this festive time please think of the homeless and street children of the world, those abandoned and unloved, who just need someone to care.
Thank you for caring, and helping to keep the centre's doors open to those in need.
Sunita
The Gaya Rescue Project continues to offer shelter care and a safe environment for children who simply do not have any other place to go. This update contains just two stories of some of the children who have come through the centre recently. With your help we can its doors open.
This is the sad story of Pramilla, Sheethal and little Sonu
Life in Village Bihar can be very hard. According to the Department for International Development in the UK if the State Bihar was a country it would be the sixth poorest in the world.
In early September the centre was contacted by the District Magistrate concerning the distressing case of 3 small girls from an remote village in the area who had no one to care for them.
Their mother died following illness two years ago. And just this month their father died too. It was suggested by some in the village the family were so poor the father had died of starvation, giving what little food he had to his daughters. The government maintained he died of TB. However the last thing he told his eldest daughter, Pramilla before he passed away, was "love and take care of your sisters" , "you are in charge of them now"
Pramilla had no money for a cremation, and with the help of some villagers buried her father outside the village. As a landless family she had no source of food, but a rice dealer sometimes gave them rice. The villages felt they were going to die from hunger, and without relatives to care for them they took the children to the local block office and demanded that the government help. But as you know the government has no home or facilities for such children, and therefore the authorities formally requested admission to Rescue Junction pending referral to the Child Welfare Committee.
Our staff report that the children arrived thin and traumatized but are settling in well with support and care.
The Trust is making a special appeal for sponsorship for these three girls so that we can provide a full time education and care for them in the long term. Contact us at india_peoplefirst@yahoo.com if you think you can help.
And then there is the story of Pradeep. He was traveling with his father from Panipat, which is near Delhi. His father got off the train to fetch some drinking water and never returned. Sonu who is about 10 years old, stayed on the train alone until it reached its destination at Gaya, where the police brought him to Rescue Junction. in these cases it is puzzling to us why his father did not register a case of a missing child, but Sonu tells us he knows where his house is in Panipat so we are arranging for him to travel with a member of staff over a thousand miles to find his house, and through the local police, get him back home.
You can see pictures of the girls and Sonu, they have given their consent, but we have changed their names for child protection reasons.
We really do need your help to keep the centre open, its future is by no means assured, every dollar or pound or euro is very important and every penny received by us from the Global Giving page will go towards the Rescue Project. This is our promise to you. As a recent participant of our annual village experience programme, "Rescue Junction is an oasis of love and care".
In order to make your valuable donation go further Starting on October 12, www.GlobalGiving.org is matching at all donations at 30%, 40%, or 50%. The match percentage is based on the size of the donation.
Up to $500 will result in a matching amount of 30%, Up to $1000, 40% and between $1000 and $2,500 50%.
We understand this applies to the USA Global Giving site only. There is $100,000 available in matching funds. The campaign will run until Oct 21 or until matching funds run out.
Thank you all for your generous and most important support, it is helping us reach out and help so many children in need.
Bill Brower
Bill Brower is a Field Program Officer with GlobalGiving who is visiting our partners’ projects throughout South and Southeast Asia. On June 4th he visited People First’s Rescue Junction in Gaya, India. His “Postcard” from the visit:
Nick Hansen of People First had the same reaction I did to seeing shabby-looking kids seemingly living at railway stations: Well, there must be someone looking out for them. Over time he came to find out that there in fact wasn’t anyone in the area where People First was working—no government program, no other NGOs and often no family for hundreds of miles. He decided to step in to fill the gap. Faced with such a daunting problem—transient kids, many orphans, many sniffing glue or doing other drugs, scraping out a living on platforms and trains—People First’s primary goal was just to meet the children’s basic needs. But the organization knows that’s only treating the symptom and so also started a campaign to increase public awareness of the problem and has an ultimate goal to work with the government to create a comprehensive program to deal with the causes and consequences of platform children.
Nick expects this process to take 20 years. Five years in and he says they are ahead of schedule. From my visit I can only speak to the meeting-basic-needs step, but this seems to be well in hand. I found Rescue Junction to be a clean, safe place that is providing dozens of these platform children with the support they need to change their lives. Obviously a big draw is food—but the kids are only eligible for meals if they stay for classes in math, English, etc. There are basic dormitories. They provide medical treatment, counseling and legal assistance. Where appropriate, “lost children” are reunited with their parents or other family members (over 100 have been thus far, according to Nick). People First also encourages a sense of responsibility; the children are free to come and go as they please. All the support they need they can get from Rescue Junction, but they need to commit to taking it.
Changed awareness in the community and government is difficult to gauge in a one-day site visit but Nick tells me they’ve also seen progress on these fronts. Their surveys indicate that the proportion of the community that’s aware of the problem of platform children has gone from 15% to 80% in the time they’ve been working. The police apparently are also seeing these children differently. Sexual abuse at the station has stopped, according to Nick. And the government is interested in promoting their program in every rail station in the district.
While there is still much to be done, People First has made good progress and seems well on their way toward meeting their goals by 2025.
Sangeeta Kumari
It was a pleasure to welcome Bill Brower Field Officer for Global Giving to Rescue Junction recently. Global Giving is a key part of our fund raising strategy,
Bill wrote in the visitors book at Rescue Junction, "I am impressed with how thoroughly records are kept and the organisations obvious dedication to the children and their honest work . I am happy our donors are able to contribute towards the upkeep of this valuable work".
Please see photograph of Bill at Rescue Junction
Thanks Bill, and Thanks to Global Giving!
Other news from Rescue Junction Baby Nileen has been placed for adoption by the Child Welfare Committee , this will be an adoption by an Indian family. The story of Brave Tiger Part two will be posted on our next update but his family are now safe. Missing children (Over 20) since the last report have been reunited with their families since the last progress report alone. The children are looking forward to the arrival of volunteers who have joined our village experience programme as this is the time the centre is repainted with the volunteers in bright colours and murals.
Always remember you can keep up with progress of this project by visiting our website at www.peoplefirstindia.net
And it would be great to see an American on our village experience programme, Check it out on our website!
And last but certainly not least, on behalf of all of the children, thanks for all your help and support through Global Giving
Sanita Kumari
This story indicates how many children in India have such tough lives. Our next update will include the outcome of this story as rescue efforts are well underway. One important piece of news is that the work of Rescue Junction has been recognised by the Government of Bihar, this does not mean funding only recognition of the centres groundbreaking and vitally important work. Please visit our website www.peoplefirstindia.net for regular updates.
The Story of Tiger Tiger is a 14 year old boy who lived at Railway Platform when Rescue Junction open and he started to come to Rescue Junction everyday. His attendance was almost everyday. He started to read and write and interested to study but unfortunately this came late in his life. He lost his father when he was 10 years old and his mother got married with another person so we say he got stepfather and that was the main reason for him to be at Railway platform and his stepfather and mother lived at Slum area in a rented small damp room but last year his mother passed away but Tiger has two brothers and two sisters – ages 15,13,11& 8 and after death of his mother he returned his native village at Rafiganj with all his brothers and sister but one of the persons from Rafiganj took them (all four) to Bhabhua in Bihar for work to Brick factory where he worked 3 months with all his brothers and sisters but again that Brick factory is closed, and they all were shifted at Varanasi in new Brick factory where one of his younger sister is still working in a house as a maid servant, and three worked at Varanasi Brick factory from where Tiger tried to run away but once caught by the person who brought him to Varanasi from Rafiganj and they beat him and threatened to kill him, they made them labour hard without money just on the basis of food but once again Tiger tried and ran away and come to Rescue Junction and now he is at Rescue Junction but he wanted to bring all his sisters and brother to Rescue Junction where they can stay and study, So he needs help either staff can go with him to Varanasi to bring all his brothers and sisters or we may contact other N.G.O or Police.
Thank you for all your support. Tiger and Family are on their way to the safety of Rescue Junction
Nick Hansen
Firstly, the link address for our website on the Global Giving page is wrong.
We have tried to correct it using the project updating pages and in fact the address is listed on those pages is the correct one www.peoplefirstindia.net.
PROGRESS REPORT Much development has taken place at the centre. The new facilities for girls and the improvement in the security of the building have done much to enhance the children’s safety. During the last few months, the Trust has consolidated links with law enforcement agencies particularly the R.P.F, or Railway Protection Force. According to a recent directive from the central government, the Railway Protection Force has been instructed to identify and apprehend both children being trafficked and child traffickers. However, no any extra resources have been provided to help them undertake this new task. The local officer in charge of the R.P.F is extremely appreciative of the work of Rescue Junction, and many lost, abandoned and children being trafficked have been brought to the centre by the R.P.F , and the government railway police. The centre’s links with the local remand home and the local police, have also been reinforced during the last few months. Here is excerpt our annual report, (which will be send to you by registered post in the next few days), On condition of anominity, a senior police officer told the senior management of the Trust. “These are the invisible children, and before your centre was here they were left on their own, and in order to survive many turned to crime or prostitution. Since your project started this has now stopped and you have given them hope and self-respect. Before Rescue Junction, we had nowhere to send these children apart from jail (the remand home). The government provides nothing for these children, not a single worker or bed is available for them, only you seem to care, and in doing so you have saved many young lives” In addition to this immediate response, longer-term rehabilitation counseling and support has continued at the centre. This has resulted in several platform children undertaking vocational training, and one youngster has successfully started a full time residential education. Even greater trust between the staff and young people has meant many of the children who attend the centre have gained self-respect and there has been marked reduction in substance abuse, disruptive behaviour, and a corresponding improvement in social skills.
CHILDREN REUNITED WITH FAMILIES THROUGH RESCUE JUNCTION FROM AUGUST 09 TO DATE
Name and Age Gautam Kumar 10 Archana Kumari 5 Md. Fazan Ahmad 7 Hariom Kumar 7 Arsom 14 Iondar 13 Sunil Kumar 12 Mukesh Kumar 13 Mumtaz 14 Tabasum 8 Baiju Kumar 9 Pappu Kumar 8 Roushan Kumar 12 Sareena 17 Guddu Kumar 9 Sambhu Viswakarma 11 Pawan Kumar 12 Monu Kumar 13 Shubankar Bhola 14 Raju Kumar Pandit 14 Suraj Kumar 9 Sheikh Allaudin 12 Neeraj Kumar 10 Munna Kumar 10 Munna Kumar 12 Islam 12 Santosh Kumar 14 Laxman Kumar 13 Ajay Dhobi 13 Ranjan Kumar 10 Karu Kumar 9 Pradeep Kumar 12 Sarfraz Ahmad 10 Shankar Kumar 13 Nikhil Kumar 12 Roushan Kumar 12 Sharwan Kumar 12 Chikku Kumar 12 Sunny Kumar 12 Rahul Kumar 13 Raju Kumar 10 Chintoo Kumar 14 Ranjit Kumar 13 Moelasir 12 Manish Kumar 14 Md. Rizwan 11 Mr. Nausahad 10 Mr. Kalad 9 Anil Kumar 12 Vikash Kumar 9 Anup Kumar 10 Badal Kumar 10 Sonu Kumar 12 Shibu Kumar 13 Binod Kumar 13 Radha Raman pandey 14 Jeetu Kumar 10 Mantan Kumar 12 Sandeep Kumar 11 Sobit Kumar 13 Sanjay Kumar 13 Pramod Kumar 14 Md. Nasim 8 Vikash Kumar 11
The police verify all repatriations and handovers take place in the presence of a senior police officer. Subject to no objections from the family or child, the media often attends the process.
Regarding Community awareness, in October 2009, the Trust embarked upon the largest ever exercise of its kind ever held in Gaya. In cooperation with another N.G.O working with street children in another area, (SAATHI), the Government Railway Police, the Railway Protection Force and East Central Railway a survey was held which aimed to identify the number of unaccompanied children passing through the station in a 72 hour period. Twenty-four staff and volunteers were on all the platforms 24 hours a day. During that period, 139 children, were contacted and offered assistance. The local print and electronic media extensively covered this event. It is interesting to note that even two years ago only 30 % of people who worked on the station, ticket inspectors, porters etc knew of the existence of Rescue Junction. According to the most recent survey, undertaken in December 2009, the awareness of the centre, and importantly its purpose and role amongst station staff has increased to over 90%. From the 1st October 2009 Over 14 thousand hot meals have been provided at Rescue Junction, over 200 Blankets distributed, and 100 Sweaters and 50 scarves. The educational classes have continued, concentrating on Basic literacy and numeracy and have included subject such as health issues, and children right and for older children aids awareness and prevention. The State welfare department has visited the centre on two occasions and the Trust has copies of the very positive reports, which were sent to the Director of the Department recommending formal recognition of the centre and its work by the government of Bihar. And the centre has helped in other ways too, a young female, 18 years of age travelling alone was dragged off a train as it started to move in the night just outside Gaya Station by 4 men who then attempted to rape her. Her screams alerted passers -by who came to her aid. One man was arrested ,and charged with the crime. The police brought here to Rescue Junction where safe accommodation and counseling were available whilst her family was located. Their gratitude for the kindness and support given to their daughter was overwhelming. In addition, in a landmark judgment the local juvenile justice board sentenced an 18 year old for a crime he committed as a child to 3 months community service at Rescue Junction which he completed successfully. Moreover, after our report to the court he was subsequently released. It can be seen from all of the above, how vitally important Rescue Junction has become for children in Gaya district, especially as there is no other alternative programme. Lack of resources prevent the trust , from further expanding our vocational training programme and outreach work , and there is still so much more can be done in order to help ensure the safety and well being for these vulnerable children. However, the Trust is fortunate to have such dedicated staff and it is to their credit to have achieved so much in a comparatively short space of time. When the Project started just a few years ago, it faced suspicion, abuse and disbelief from the community. The police and others forecast that to try to run such a programme in Gaya was doomed to failure. The remarkable positive change in the communities attitude, the children’s behaviour and the absolute trust the project has now secured from stakeholders and others is an ongoing testament to the hard work and efforts of all those involved.
Nick Hansen People First Educational Charitable Trust Spring 2010
PEOPLE FIRST WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE POOR AND OPPRESSED FOR A BETTER FUTURE
Minoj Kumar
As part of the work of Rescue Junction we are the only non profit, or NGO, that works in in the one facility for children that the state provides in six districts, the childrens jail which is for boys only. Although some residents of the home have committed serious crimes many have commiitted very small offences or no offences at all, and some have been abandoned by thier parents. People First through myself, a qualified lawyer with 15 years experience of working with children is often the only hope of securing release. The Jail has no phone the residents can use, not even a stamp to send a postcard and my mobile phone is very usefull so they can inform relatives where they are. They even have to cook thier own food. We have provided them games and educational materials, as well as sweaters and blankets. One can only imagine what it must be like to be ten years old, locked up,abandoned by family, all for stealing a packet of biscuits worth 5 rupees because they were hungry. Through your support for Rescue Junction we can help these children and ensure thier rights are upheld. And we can get them home. Thank You
Nick Hansen
I thought you would like to see these photos of warm blankets being distributed at Rescue Junction. We aim to make sure that all street children who come to our centre get all the care they need.
Nick Hansen
40 CHILDREN RESCUED IN JUST THREE DAYS IN A JOINT OPERATION AT GAYA STATION WITH NGO SATHI, RAILWAY POLICE, AND EAST CENTRAL RAILWAY
In a major operation agaisnt child trafficking People FIrst in cooperation with another NGO working with street children in a different area, the police and Indian railways, over 24 staff spent 3 days and nights on the station in the first major intiative of its kind ever to be undertaken in Gaya. Ever present the workers intercepted unaccompanied children, wherever possible reuniting them through Rescue Junction with thier families. Whilst this work is always going on the scale of this programme was unprecendented, and confirms the key role of rescue junction in early intervention strategies and child protection in the district.
Nick Hansen
Dear friends and supporters, This little girl, about 4 years old was rescued by suspicious members of the general public in the early afternoon, when fortunately she started to cry when approached by a group of men whilst sitting by the road side who they subsequently told police were trying to entice her into their vehicle. She was handed over by them to a local Police Station. Under the Juvenile Justice Act 2000 it is illegal to keep children overnight at police stations or jails. Therefore, as has become the norm in these matters Archana was handed over by the police to Rescue Junction at midnight. By the following day this frightened and bewildered little girl (who was only able to tell the police her name) had responded to counseling by our female staff and we were able to locate her family, who were so concerned they had hired a rickshaw and megaphone broadcasting her description in the locality in the hope that someone had seen her. Archana is the 27th Child to be reunited with her family from Rescue Junction. I know supporters are only to aware of just how dangerous a place Bihar is for children, and RJ has been able to play a vital role in raising awareness and in the words of the Railway Children, "getting to children on the streets before the streets get to them " But what alternatives exist for the police in such a case? Well as you know, the Bihar Government does not have any children's centre or Social workers ,or any safety net at all for children in Gaya District , not a single bed. Therefore this girl would have been transferred to the Girls Remand Home (read prison) in Patna. But the police do not have any funds for staff to accompany her or transport either, they do not have staff trained in counseling young people. The Remand home in Gaya has no phone connections or even a stamp so children can write letters home.. The bottom line is, as the police say off the record, the police very often in the past would turn a blind eye to such children, they simply did not have any resources to help them, they would become street children. It is a huge credit to the work of the staff at RJ that they have made a significant impact in raising awareness with the police, the railways, the coolies and even the general public, and I am sure it has helped make Gaya a little bit safer for children. Thank you for your support, Nick Hansen and All At People First and Rescue Junction Gaya, Bihar India
Bhola Kumar
My name is Bhola. I am I think 10 years old. I am living at Rescue Junction. Sometime ago on a crowded train train station I get separated from my mother who went to get some water and the train moved away. I miss her very much. Everyone here is trying to help find my family, but we lived by the side of a railway station in another state in a tent because we moved a lot and I cannot remember the name. But I do like like living here at Rescue Junction, we get food and I an going to classes and i feel safe here. Without Rescue junction I would have nowhere else to go.
Mallory Moser
A MONTH SPENT WITH PEOPLE FIRST January 2009
People First is the incredible organization in Bodhgaya that is running Rescue Junction and who I have been following around now for about a month They have been great these past month in showing me some of their other programs which I had heard about but seen very little of. Every day we have been loading hats, scarves, quilts and medicine into the packed jeep and heading out into outlying areas. They have been generous with their time and I feel like a privileged guest. When I brought the quilts last year I was impressed with their programs, and this year my respect for this difficult and important work has only deepened.
We began by visiting their Rescue Junction project, which is a school and shelter for children who live in the railway stations. It's hard to find a place to start working in a city as rough and impoverished as Gaya, but these kids are certainly a worthy cause. It's really incredible to see them compared to children in other parts of India living on the platforms, a testament to child rehabilitation. Upon arriving at the center I began an art class with the excited children, some of whom I recognized from last year. I took out the pieces of cloth I had cut this morning and handed out pens for them to draw elephants, self portraits, Bodhi trees, birds, etc. Back in the states we have found some willing participants to sell pillowcases made from this fabric to generate revenue for the center. The children were joyous, smiling and sharing their pens and coloring furiously, I have to say my heart was full. These kids could be out in the rain and mud, collecting torn plastic bags, but they are learning and living healthy lives with adult protection. When they were finished with their masterpieces, we went upstairs for the main event. When I arrived I had two gigantic bags in tow, full to the brim with the goods, and I was anxious to give them to those for whom they were made. Among hushed whispers and irrepressible smiles (they tried to feign seriousness!) the children were bursting with happiness as I handed each new child a quilt. Many had their own from last year, which lined their beds in the sleeping hall, so we only gave 10 quilts to the new children. The rest will go to surrounding villages where People First runs schools and health clinics. It is really an incredible program, and the children gain so much self-worth by having their very own piece of art in the form of a beautiful quilt. Plus, they love seeing the self portraits of the foreign children who somehow, though so far away, have touched their lives. After visiting Rescue Junction People First's founders, Nick and Deepak, offered me an opportunity to visit the "Remand Home," what we call Juvenile Hall. Because Rescue Junction deals with railway children, it was only a matter of time before Nick and Deepak had to visit this facility. Many children who are merely lost on the railway platforms are brought here because the police don't know what to do with them. People First has found several children who were being kept in prison who had only been separated from their families on the overly crowded trains. Many families were beside themselves not knowing where their lost children had gone, so you can imagine their indescribable joy when they were reunited with their lost children. When Nick first visited the juvenile hall there were seventy kids being kept in three rooms with no outside light. They all had lung infections from the cold, wet floors and coal fires that burned in the small, dark quarters. He has worked in Bihar for a long time but said he had never seen anything like it. He and Deepak quickly brought the district judge, a woman, to assess the facility. She cried when she saw the kids and angrily demanded, "who allowed this to happen?!" Needless to say, because of PF's efforts, the children have been relocated to a much better location with natural light, space, and outdoor time each day. We went that day to provide sweaters for the now 144 boys living in the prison because the state had not provided them with any warmth. You can imagine, a state whose apparatus has failed to the extent that NGO's are providing their prisoners with sweaters, when it's the state that should be supporting the work that NGO's like PF are doing in rural Bihar! We arrived to eager faces, many of whom have been charged with serious crimes; murder, rape, and/or kidnapping. Which children are guilty and which are innocent is hard to tell, some are younger than ten and were arrested with their whole families when the father committed an offense, and others are guilty. As we left I understood why Nick and Deepak had taken it upon themselves to intervene.
All in all, People First is amazing and they are providing resources to some of the most needy communities in Bihar.
Mallory Moser Marin County USA