Google India has announced support for three non-governmental agencies from India working on child safety.
The three organisations are ChildLine India Foundation, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, and the Chennai-based Tulir - Centre for the Healing and Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse.
In a message, Rajan Anandan, vice-president and Managing Director, Google India, said they had picked organisations whose work was largely offline, “boots on the ground.” “Now, we’d like to see if smart applications of technology can help some of these initiatives reach more people more efficiently,” he added.
Google will help these organisations pilot smart new applications of technology with $ 5,00,000 in grants through Google.org to ensure that children in India remain safe.
While ChildLine provides a toll-free helpline service (1098) for children in distress, first launched in 1996, Bachpan Bachao Andolan sets itself a mission to protect and rescue children from slavery, trafficking and forced labour.
Tulir, on the other hand, works with the state and other education professionals to help children stay safe. “We would like to optimally use technology to take child protection to a wider group, and online,” says Vidya Reddy of Tulir.
