How do you feel when you see kids as beggars? Little ones in tattered clothes, helpless and sometimes disabled, look straight into our eyes and asking for money? How does it make you feel?
Pity, sympathy, helplessness, guilt, anger- plethora of feelings infact, isn’t it? All these feelings which pull us out of our rosy comfy world and make us stare at the sham world we all live in.
And what’s our defence? Shoo them away or hand over some coins, blame the system and we move on, all hale and hearty!
Little do we realise the horror we have turned our blind eye to, the horror in which these little innocent kids live day-in and day-out! Also, a lost blessed opportunity for all of us to help save that little soul from the clutches of unscrupulous greedy people who shamelessly run a racket where children are stolen to beg.
And our, what we feel as an-act-of-little-kindness, handing them some change infact thrives their racketeering business. So, young children go missing.
It is upon US, YOU and ME, to break this vicious cycle.
How can we help?
Dial 1098
In case of a missing child, approach the authorities immediately. A report should be filed to 1098.
Use the power of Social Media and Make A Difference
Social media can be a powerful tool in driving social change, but how many of us realise this? For most of us, it’s been reduced to a place to flaunt our colorful life.
Think. It’s a network of ‘sensible’ people joined together with a common friend. We wish our friends, our friends’ friends and henceforth to know and react to our post. Imagine where your sensible intentions, thoughts and actions can go if you even sometimes make it to good cause.
You find a child beggar, click his/her picture and share it on social media. Not many of us know that there are forums present where such information is circulated until child is in safer hands.
‘No More Missing’
‘No More Missing’ is one path-breaking citizen-driven movement with sole purpose to curb the menace of child trafficking in society. Here, instead of giving alms to child beggars, the spirited people share the picture of child beggar with details of his/her exact location. The picture is then circulated to help the child reunite with his/her family. This exercise is being carried out pan-India. What is heart-warming is that hundreds of such children have been rescued and united back with their families.
‘No More Missing’ became such a powerful movement thanks to the altruistic efforts of Delhi-based social activist Dr Vandna Guliya. She, instead of being deeply upset over growing cases of young children being trafficked into begging rackets, took constructive steps to channelise power of social media and help these children. That’s when ‘No More Missing’ was launched in September 2015.
As per Dr Vandna, looking for a missing child in India is like searching for a needle in a haystack. Mostly they have been abducted on the streets, forced into this abysmal profession. Some of them even come from miles away.
Members & Volunteers
The ‘No More Missing’ network comprises of more than 20 crore members in India. Since the safety of children is at stake, creating awareness holds utmost importance. Dr Vandna functions alongside 12 core team members. The core members conduct safety workshops for kids and parents in schools and communities in India. Delhi, Rajasthan, and Hyderabad are the main focused areas.
International Impact
The initiative has also made a mark internationally in countries like UK and USA. They have also started similar programmes to ensure the safety of children.
Call to Action
So, next time you see any kid begging, don’t give him/her money but food and clothes. Click his/her picture and share it on No More Missing with details on location where you found that kid. Your this five minutes on Facebook will help a little child meet his/her family.
That’s the act of kindness that will be blissful.
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Source: Efforts For Good
Image Source: Google Images
