If pilgrims and visitors to Bodhgaya, the centre of the Bhuddist world did not give money to children they would not beg. What visitors fail to realise is that child begging is a business, exploiting the very children people think they are helping. Anybody who has seen Slumdog Millionaire must be aware of the dangers of giving money in this way to children. This is an initiative of Rescue Junction to rehabilitate these children, and stop this trade, and get these kids back to school .
Working with the Temple management committee, the local administration, and child line India our from begging to books project is attempting to stop child begging in Bodhgaya. This cannot happen overnight. .What we can do, and are doing right now, is starting the process of offering alternatives (particularly education) and other support to the families and children involved. We can stop those organizing child begging for profit. Your support has enabled us to drastically reduce child begging.
By support, help assistance and protection we hope that we can provide a better future for the children involved. Community awareness will play a big part in the process. Our Staff are highly trained and skilled in this work and are sensitive to all issues. With our resources at rescue Junction we can offer a real alternative to these children.If any visitor to Bodhgaya is concerned about any child they can phone a toll free number 1098 for an immediate response from our staff.
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. We hope eventually to eradicate child begging from Bodhgaya.
