Destination Awareness – A Visual Chronicle of Railway Children India’s Awareness Campaigns II

You spot a young girl sitting alone at a crowded bus adda. There’s no sign of a mother who may have scolded her, or an older sibling who might have pulled her plait in jest. It’s just her, fear written across her face. Passengers stream past, unsure of what to do. A nearby vendor has watched her for a while, but like many others, he doesn’t know the next steps to take.

To prevent this situation of inaction from occurring for any other vulnerable child at a transport hub, Railway Children India (RCI) conducts regular awareness campaigns across railway stations and bus terminals. These campaigns aim to empower every individual who might be in a position to help—from sanitation workers combing the platforms to vendors whose sharp eyes can distinguish between a parent and a potential predator.

With Destination Awareness, we take you through some of these recent campaigns, shining a light on the people, places, and actions that are helping ensure no child is left unseen or unsafe.

Child Safeguarding in Focus Amidst Festive Rush at Danapur Railway Station

Come the Hindu month of Shravan, scores of people working in metropolises head back home to their hometowns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Considering the high influx of passengers at this time of the year, our team held an awareness campaign at Danapur station. During the session, passengers were informed about child protection services, including the Child Helpline 1098 and emergency number 112. The initiative aimed to ensure the safety and well-being of children amidst the heavy rush of devotees. The outreach was met with heartfelt appreciation from passengers, who welcomed the effort to raise awareness and extend support in such a timely and meaningful manner.

Spreading the Message of Vigilance at Delhi Sarai Rohilla Railway Station

Here, our outreach team headed to Delhi Sarai Rohilla railway station to engage with nearly 50 vendors and passengers to spread awareness about child protection. The message was clear: safeguarding children is a shared responsibility, and every act of vigilance can help change a life.

Building a Watchful Community at Anand Vihar Bus Terminal

Our teams spread across the massive Anand Vihar Bus Terminal to, conducting interactive sessions and reaching out to over 120 individuals including bus drivers, conductors, security guards, auto drivers, sanitation workers, vendors, and commuters.

In addition to raising awareness about Railway Children India’s work, the campaign focused on educating the community on how to identify children in distress and the critical role every bystander can play in ensuring their safety. IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) materials were widely distributed to reinforce the message and enable more informed action.

Anti-Trafficking Awareness at Delhi Cantt Station

The Delhi Cantt railway station is another important hub where our team conducts routine awareness campaigns. A recent session focused on preventing child trafficking and ensuring swift intervention for children found in distress within the railway premises.

The team engaged with passengers, auto and e-rickshaw drivers, shopkeepers, security personnel, and other stakeholders, educating them about the signs of trafficking and the critical importance of timely rescue. Through interactive discussions and on-ground outreach, the team urged the community to remain vigilant and to support Railway Children India’s mission of safeguarding children at risk.

Awareness Drive Across Trains at Rajendra Nagar Terminal

Our extensive campaigns at Rajendra Nagar Terminal led us to cover trains like Bhagalpur Express, Banka Express, Ziyarat Express, Sampoorna Kranti, and other local passenger services where our team members distributed handbills and spoke to passengers about the Child Helpline (1098) and RCI’s work.

Working closely with the Government Railway Police, we connected with hundreds of passengers and emphasized the importance of keeping children in school, discouraging child labour, and not sending children to work.

United in Awareness at Mumbai’s Prime Transport Hubs on World Day Against Child Labour

Our teams intensify awareness efforts on significant days, and on the World Day Against Child Labour, we led impactful campaigns across key transport hubs in Mumbai—Dadar Railway Station and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

In collaboration with the District Women and Child Development Department (Mumbai City), we launched a campaign that focused on raising awareness around child labour, advocating for children’s rights, and promoting access to education and protection.

At Dadar Station, the campaign stood out with a powerful rally across the premises, engaging nearly 1,000 individuals—including passengers, vendors, porters, rickshaw drivers, station staff, GRP, RPF personnel, and other key stakeholders. Through interactive conversations and distribution of informative pamphlets, the public was encouraged to report children in distress by contacting Childline at 1098 or the emergency number 112.

With an additional 600 people sensitized at CSMT, the campaign made a strong statement: protecting children from labour and exploitation is a shared responsibility.

As more such awareness campaigns echo through crowded platforms and bus terminals, we go one step closer towards strengthening a safety circle of aware and alert individuals, whose collective responsibility and action prevents any child from slipping through the cracks.